Explore the Rich History & Styles of South Asian Bridal Dresses

As a bride-to-be, you must want to feel extra special on your joyous day. To feel charismatic and beautiful you may be looking for the perfect dress that compliments you and your features in every aspect. 

You can easily find the best dress for your wedding by looking at the various styles of South Asian Bridal dresses. South Asian wedding outfits are rich in colors and styles that go back in history and link us to our ancestors and cultural heritage.

The history of traditional South Asian wedding wear goes way back in time. If we talk about the origin of the saree, this nine-yard dress dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization. 

During the Mughal era, sarees became the norm dress for South Asian women as Mughals made the saree look more intricate. The Mughal weavers incorporated more detail and designs into the usual plain saree style as they adopted embroidery, embellishments, and traditional designs. This practice is still used up to this date to create beautiful designs and styles of sarees. In the modern world, the saree is considered a classic and elegant dress that is evergreen for formal and wedding events.

Lehenga choli is the second most popular South Asian wedding dress, and it goes back to the Mughal era. It became immensely popular among women of all ages and financial statuses. If we talk about the bridal lehenga dresses, they have not changed much with the passage of time. They are just as rich, intricate, and mesmerizing as they used to be in the past. 

In today’s world, designers have started to use colors that were considered uncommon for a lehenga dress. These colors include cream, ivory, grey, black, and more. Moreover, nowadays, chiffon, georgette, and crepe materials are also used other than the usual cotton or silk fabric to create a beautiful lehenga. Moreover, velvet, net, and tissue fabric materials are layered to create stunning lehenga choli looks. This practice has widened the dress versatility spectrum, and you have more options available in the market than the typical red, pink, and green colors.

Many different styles of South Asian wedding designer dresses are available. So, to choose the best wedding dress you must familiarize yourself with the most popular styles you can go for to make a stunning and trendy bridal look at your wedding events.

The saree is a South Asian dress that consists of a blouse, petticoat, and a six to nine-yard fabric material that covers the waist, torso, and shoulder. It creates an evergreen formal and graceful look that is perfect for your engagement, dholki, or bridal shower events. 

Banarasi silk saree, kanjeevaram saree, chikankari Saree,  nauvari saree, bandhani saree, chanderi saree, kasavu saree, and phulkari saree are the top bridal South Asian saree styles. You may go for a drape-style or a fusion-style saree as per your preference. In a fusion style, you can mix western and eastern styles and designs to create a unique look.

For South Asian weddings, lehenga cholis are the most popular choice after sarees. It is a long skirt that is paired with a well-fitted blouse (called a choli) and a dupatta. They are available in different styles, colors, patterns, designs, and more so you can find a bridal dress according to your taste easily.

Some popular types of South Asian lehenga outfits for the wedding include banarasi lehenga, paneled or kalidar lehenga, A-line lehenga, straight cut lehenga, saree lehenga, mermaid or fishtail lehenga, and lehenga with a jacket. You can also pair your lehenga with a short kurti, a long shirt, or a short frock other than a choli to create a unique and stunning bridal look.

This dress is making a comeback this year. Anarkali dress is a long flowing kurta with an extensive flare. This flare is created by stitching together vertical cloth panels. Ten this flowing kurta is typically paired with a churidar trouser and a dupatta to complete the classic traditional look. 

Anarkali dress is a stylish and attractive ensemble to wear and flaunt on your pre-wedding functions like baat pakki, mehndi, mayon, or Sangeet. The two common types of Anarkali dresses are floor-length and tiered Anarkali dresses.

You can find the best designer dresses for South Asian wedding functions at Zahra Ahmad. Zahra Ahmad is a well-reputed, world-famous, fashion designer brand that provides a wide range of alluring and attractive wedding wear collections all around the world. Explore our luxury bridal wear collection and get your hands on the perfect South Asian bridal outfit for your wedding now.