The Indian bridal makeover: Hollywood edition

Seeing Gigi Hadid in that ivory and gold Chikankari sari by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla during her 2023 India visit lent the right kind of salience to desi style, beyond the stereotypical sense. Ditto for JLo’s recent look in a pink saree and strapless blouse by Manish Malhotra. Next, Zendaya’s Rahul Mishra artisanal “saree-gown” was every bit as creative as couture. The West is beginning to do its due diligence with respect to Indian fashion, which is now way beyond the Scandi-scarf-dupatta narrative. Keeping with the times, we got creative and styled a few of our favourite Hollywood characters as Indian brides. 

Carrie Bradshaw in Sabyasachi: Classic with a side of couture

When it comes to Carrie, go Big or go home. And that’s why hers has to be a Sabyasachi lehenga, one that suits her eclectic, yet archival style. White is to western bridal, what sindoor red is to desi dulhans. Carrie’s voluminous cloud-esque ball gown with a corseted bodice turned iconic for a reason (ironic that 2026 is the year of cloud dancer), and if there’s anything that can compete with that extravagance, it’s the grandeur of an artisanal lehenga. And not to forget, switching the experimental birds of paradise headpiece for a regal jadau necklace or hanging chandbalis from the designer’s high jewellery catalogue.

While opting for embellished wedding sneakers might be a practical idea, knowing Carrie, she’d opt for these strappy, bright red Papa Don’t Preach block heels. Encrusted with shining crystal stones, metal beads, and custom roses, it perfectly complements her avant-garde taste that’s never held back on colour. To pull the look together, the Batua lipstick in the shade Gulaabo, by Lovechild Masaba, is a no-brainer, and it comes in the cutest packaging with a handy in-built mirror.

Penelope Bridgerton in Anita Dongre: Soft glam meets fairytale fantasy

That white was the classic choice of England’s Regency Era is a common misconception. In fact, Penelope’s wedding gown was a subtle hue that sat somewhere between soft pink and peach. This Anita Dongre creation nails the dreamy romanticism brief, especially with its heritage gota patti work and resham embroidery, a direct tribute to Lady Whistledown’s protean fashion era. Swap the veil for the silk dupatta, and she’s got her own princess bridal moment. The best part? It comes with pockets, a handy addition for the witty columnist.

While Penelope chose a simple hair accessory for her original look, this hair chain by Tribe Amrapali, crafted from silver with antique gold plating, and complete with pearl droplets, is an ethereal addition to her simple yet sophisticated look defined by her signature curls. We highly recommend pairing it with the dainty natural pearl earrings from Outhouse, studded with stones, cubic zirconia and finished in 22kt Rose-gold plating, for a complete soft glam look. Finally, the Elysian Empress light-hued, pink kolhapuris from MISH, finished with handcrafted lattice work and sequins on the wedge, make for the classic Penelope feminine touch.

Padma and Parvati Patil: True desi girl glam

The “two best-looking girls in the year” deserved better, as has been established several times. We’re referring to Padma and Parvati Patil, the Indian girls from the Harry Potter series, who were given the bare minimum (at best) for their Yule Ball costumes. In the book, Rowling paints them as “exotic butterflies”, with Parvati in shocking pink and Padma in bright turquoise. Sticking to this brief with a luxe touch, we’ve picked a hot pink, raw silk lehenga by Anushree Reddy for Parvati (perfect for those twirls during her Champion Dance with Harry), and a shimmery teal sequin set by Seema Gujral for Padma (that might just make Ron forget about the whole Hermione and Viktor fiasco). Vibrant with flares for days, these outfits scream desi glam, befitting the Triwizard Tournament’s international magical cooperation theme.

In the book, Parvati wears a braid, and Rubans’ 22K gold-plated brass hair brooch is the ideal accessory for it, with its pearl and kundan detailing. For Padma, there’s Anita Dongre’s heirloom necklace with blue-green jewels and a statement pendant. Add to it the gold polish bangles and dangling tourmaline quartz earrings, and the girls are ready to make an entrance. We’ve finished the ensemble with matching silk-base Needledust mojaris, to comply with the formal ballroom dancing, and for keeping their wands handy, a mini stone-crysted potli for Padma and a gold dazzler braided chain from Anaar for Parvati. To the makers of the upcoming TV series, feel free to use this as a moodboard for later.

Bella Swan: Ethnic chic meets minimalist glam 

If it’s for Bella, it’s all about pragmatism over panache. This minimalist, near-saree crepe gown by Manish Malhotra ticks all the boxes, mimicking the silhouette synching ensemble Bella wore in the film. While the original piece stood-out for its lace back, this one has a detailed torso embroidered in delicate stones, pearls, sequins and crystals, carefully treading the line between plain Jane and understated elegance. And since diamonds are forever much like Edward and Bella’s love story, we’ve handpicked diamond jewellery for the bride. The 18kt white gold floral necklace by Goldmisths, comprising all white round diamonds, alongside their sapphire-centred earrings, pair all too well with the chic theme. As for the ring, Rosa Amoris’ matching rinf encircled with pearls make for a final luxe touch.

Keeping Bella’s simple, barely-feminine style in mind, we’ve opted for a mini embellished bag from Fizzy Goblet over a maximalist batua or the like, ideal for keeping her basic essentials. Speaking of which, the make-up look leaning more towards a soft-glam brief, comprises Kay Beauty’s matte liquid lipstick in the shade “Embrace” and the Forest Essentials Gulaab Pankh skin tint for an earthy over OTT appeal. Since Bella’s understandably under a lot of stress (with the impending human-to-vampire switch and all), we recommend the Kansa wand by Ohria Ayurveda for face massaging and sculpting. And yes, Alice will chip in with the heels here too, we’re thinking House of Vian’s 3-inch silver mules made in banana crepe, finished with a unique crystal embroidery. 

Lead image: Getty, Product images: Brands 

Also read: A destination wedding guide, based on when you’re getting married

Also read: Soft glam, zero fuss: The kaftan is an essential for the bridal trousseau