A sharp contrast to the coy, demure bride of yore who followed a dramatic but typical pancake, kajal and bright red lipstick look, today’s bride is bolder, willing to experiment and, more important, knows exactly how she wants to turn out on her big day. Whether it’s going au naturel or trying out a sensual J-Lo inspired glow, bridal trends are changing for the better. Verve gets the experts to spill the latest look good mantras for the modern bride:

Simply Stunning
“Ninety Nine per cent of my clients insist on looking natural, a huge shift away from the overly dramatic make-up typical of Indian weddings. Glossy, shimmery textures work really well and gold is back in a big way this wedding season,” says Lippi Lal, training manager, Max Factor. For Carole Robequin, stylist and trainer, Jean-Claude Biguine, India, pastel shades for the lips combined with a touch of gloss is the latest look. “The latest trends in bridal make-up are to keep the base?subtle and glowing and more blended, unlike the caked bridal make-up which existed earlier. Eyes are more dramatic with bold colours and lips are more nude, natural and glossy,” suggests Shailesh Moolya, salon director, Juice Hair.

Changing Hues
“Avoid overdoing make-up. You want to look your best on your big day, so choose colours that go with your skin tone and also complement your wedding ensemble,” says Apeni George, make-up artist for Maybelline, New York. Shiseido’s brand manager Dinaz Jehani recommends a nude, pink and red palette for fair-skinned girls, maroon, red and earthy hues for the wheat-toned and deep mauves for dusky girls. Lal advises staying away from greys and midnight blues on the eyes if you are dark-skinned. Gold combined with magenta is a good option. Bright pink blush used sparingly finishes off the look. “Mauve on eyes works for wheat skin though fair ones should go in for shimmery bronze and pastel shadows with coral blush and beige lips,” she says. It’s important to get your foundation shade right. For the main ceremony where you’re exposed to heat, use a matte texture. For the sangeet or cocktail dinners, a foundation with a hint of glow works better. “Eyes are muted and chic during the day. But come evening and it’s time to work your magic. Smoky eyes, kajal and liner, outer corner of lids in black or any deep colour blended with a nude over the rest of the lid — all these look good,” advises Ambika Pillai, make-up consultant for L’Oréal Paris.

Pony Charm
“Pony tales are a hot favourite on ramps; I see that look being adopted by brides too. Low or high-nape ones, with antique ornaments pinned at the top or bottom makes a great style statement. For the main ceremony, an updo works best,” says Lal. But the new updo has a much softer look. It’s not sprayed, pinned and tucked to hide every loose hair. Instead, the look is pinned and tousled, which looks soft and stylish. Bridal hair is romantic, believes Robequin. “For cocktails and mehndi, normally hair is more flowy. It can be set?straight, wavy or tonged for loose curls. Hair accessories like crystal-studded tattoos for hair, Swarovski hair pins, ethnic juda pins etc are all trendy,” says Moolya.

Modern Mehndi
From crystal tikkas to Swarovski tattoos on arms, accessories are going glam in a big way. Belts worn around the waist can add a nice twist to a ghagra choli. “Corsages worn on Indian outfits make a quirky statement too,” Lal says. Unlike the very traditional styles of earlier times, today’s bride aspires to make a statement of independence and want something away from the beaten path, finds henna artist Ash Kumar. “My signature look is a bold traditional-meets-contemporary one. The days of the peacock and dholi have gone and individual designs are more popular. I match bridal designs to the costume and jewellery and incorporate lots of body glitter and Swarovski crystals.”