If you’re a bride planning your Big Day, you know there’s no such thing as “follow the rules”. You can walk down the aisle in your backyard if you’d prefer to be surrounded by just close friends and family members. The bride who desires to go all-out can host the ceremony at an exotic venue at a far-flung destination. The same can be said for the bridal trousseau. Sure, a lehenga is a classic choice for the Big Day, but so is a sari. A kurta, too, makes for a wonderful choice. Needless to mention, you don’t need to take the cookie-cutter approach when it comes to the colour palette. There is a wide array of colours and colour combinations to pick from to make a statement, from vibrant shades to pastel palettes.
But we are out with the old and in with the new hue. A colour that has emerged as a top wedding-worthy contender in the last couple of years is ivory. Reds and pinks have been mainstays in seasons past, but ivory (the happy medium between white and tints of yellow) complements a wide spectrum of styles, silhouettes and skin tones, making it our favourite new alternative to tried-and-true bridal wear shades.
The beauty of ivory lies in its neutrality and versatility. You can play it up or tone it down as you like. You can go monotone with ivory or colour block it with any other hue. The serene shade can serve as the perfect canvas for your wedding jewellery. Opt for classic yellow gold for a heritage look or infuse it with coloured stone pieces for a modern one. There’s a lot of room for experimentation for makeup too. Timeless and totally dreamy, we have continued to see the ivory tower in full force with Bollywood brides since 2018, for pre-wedding celebrations and post. Khush’s tip for nailing ivory? Wear it head-to-toe.
Bollywood beauties who have embraced ivory
Take Deepika Padukone as your muse and invest in an exquisite ivory lehenga-sari like her Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla drape she wore for her wedding reception in November 2018. The ivory and gold chiffon creation was lavishly embroidered with intricate chikankari and zardozi work. Featuring a dramatic trail, the look was styled with a sumptuous chadar as a head dupatta.
In another adaptation of ivory for the aisle, lehengas make for sure-fire winners, just check out Sonam Kapoor Ahuja’s mehndi look in the same year. The former Khush cover girl opted for an ivory chikankari creation from the same designer duo. Her skirt comprised of alternating panels of fabric in off-white and blush pinks. It was teamed with a statement gold blouse with an open back that was held together with two strings.
Sonam’s sister, filmmaker and stylist Rhea Kapoor tied the knot with Karan Boolani in an elegant ivory bridal sari in August 2021. Ditching a traditional red lehenga, Rhea opted for a classic sari by Anamika Khanna for her pheras. Doused in tone-on-tone thread work, the sari was draped over a half-sleeved blouse, and topped off with a cape in tones of ivory and gold. The bride made a statement by picking a veil crafted using thousands of little pearls, a vintage piece from Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas.
In December 2021, Katrina Kaif also went the same route for her haldi ceremony in Rajasthan. Twinning with groom Vicky Kaushal, the actress wore an ivory organdy lehenga featuring gota and tilla embroidery by Sabyasachi. She paired it with an organza dupatta in gota and marori embroidery, trimmed with kiran.
For her intimate wedding ceremony in April 2022, Alia Bhatt stunned in an ethereal Sabyasachi sari. A hand-dyed ivory organza sari, it featured fine tilla embroidery. She also donned a handwoven tissue veil and finished her look with hand-strung pearls and polki jewels by the couturier.
White wedding dresses might just be as ubiquitous as red lehengas when it comes to church ceremonies—but this season’s ivory iterations felt considerably fresh and romantic. Rhea Kapoor looked ethereal in a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Mandala off-white organza dress paired with a box pleated organza cape, all hand embroidered in delicate resham work for her wedding dinner in August 2021.
For her engagement with actor RajKummar Rao in November this year, Patralekha wore an elegant ivory gown with exquisite silver Kasab detailing, handcrafted by JADE by Monica & Karishma. The ensemble is contemporary, yet crafted from traditional techniques, making it a timeless choice.
The best ivory bridal lehengas and saris to buy now
This season bridal wear designers catapulted all silhouettes ivory, be it embroidered or embellished into our eyeline. Sabysachi leads the charge with wedding-ready pieces and luxe resort wear. Part of his Heritage Bridal line, the couturier’s ivory lehengas are accented with artisanal embroidery. The fine resort wear is made with Japanese cotton, Indian silks, recycled nylon and handwashed denim.
Tarun Tahiliani’s bridal wear edit from Spring Summer 2024 is an exploration of pearl embroidery on modern silhouettes, accentuated with silk yarn and crystals.
Ivory lehengas and saris have taken more ornate, traditional approaches in the past, but what’s the fun in that? For 2024, consider airy tulle options that feel more cream puff than conventional. Jade by Monica And Karishma ‘Legacy of Deft Hands’ line features a number of statement pieces, such as the sculptural organza textured skirt paired with a hand embroidered signature macrame bustier that exemplifies the atelier’s iconic kasab technique and a denim jacket.
Ridhi Mehra’s Ainsley sari with feather detailing paired with embroidered strappy blouse will fit the bill for the bride and bridesmaid who wants to feel like a modern-day princess. Team it with gemstone jewellery to inject some colour to your look.
Not just visually appealing, but the achromatic palette makes a great canvas for varied multi-coloured crafts. With the Kripali Sewa lehenga set, Anita Dongre brings a quiet elegant attitude in the air. The striking silk creation showcases detailed compositions of embroideries enveloping its rich folds. From the intricacies of the veteran designer’s signature gota patti hand embroidery to works of sequins, zardozi and pearls, each takes shape to create an unforgettable moment.
JJ Valaya’s creation, from the Baroda outing, celebrates the enchanting past of Gujarat through the finest of craft and couture with a seamless fusion of edgy classicism and elegant modernity.
