Trousseau tips for the beach

As beaches become the go-to destinations this wedding season, Asking designers for tips on clothes, jewellery, makeup and footwear



The big, fat desi wedding continues to steadily move closer to the sea. They provide an idea of intimacy, carrying with them the wanton feeling of frolic, with couples looking forward to the moment when they exchange their vows as the sun dips on the horizon.

Unlike a traditional desi wedding, beach weddings have a different sense of style. “Many women insist on heavily-embellished red lehengas for beach weddings – a complete miss. If one has gone out of the way to plan a beach wedding, even the trousseau must be bold,” says Kamaali Mehta of Kamaali Couture, who will showcase her designs at the upcoming second season of Gionee India Beach Fashion Week 2015.

Light fabrics in soft colours, less makeup and light jewellery does the trick. “For clients who wish to stick to Indian fabrics, even for beach weddings, I recommend flowy and airy fabrics like chanderi, Banarasi and south Indian silks,” says fashion designer Rina Dhaka, whose collection at the Gionee India Beach Fashion Week is embellished with floral motifs. She remembers the wedding of the daughter of a designer friend last year. “Her lehenga was in creams and lemon and paired with a skimpy, shimmery blouse.”

Waterproof fabrics like net, lycra and can-can net are great for pre-wedding outfits. “I always insist on any shade of pink for an engagement function,” says Mehta. “It’s fresh, delicate and usually sets off festivities. Mehendi is ideal to bring out the Indo-Westerns – ruched-up pants, skirts, embellished tops and Western silhouettes. One can try multi-coloured combinations like lime green-yellow, orange-pink in mehendi dresses. Reserve the royal and gold fabrics for the reception,” she says.

For the wedding day, opt for a flowing net lehenga in pastel shades with floral motifs and light make-up. “Keep the jewellery minimum and embellish more with flowers,” says Dhaka.

Beaches are humid, so use minimal make-up. “Glam up the eyes. The look can uplift your outfit. When paired with nude or matte lips, the other parts of the face stay subtle,” Mehta adds.

Lastly, opt for sandals instead of stilettoes, as sand can hinder your walk down the aisle or around the pheras.