Donning a perfect bridal outfit on her big day is something that a bride dreams about even before the wedding is finalised or the wedding preparations begin (sometimes even before she has chosen a life partner). So, it is quite understandable that every bride-to-be spends endless hours searching for her perfect lehenga or bridal gown. It is not only something that she is going to don on that day, but a keepsake of her wedding day memories as well.
To help you soon-to-be brides out, let us tell you the top 10 places in Delhi where you can shop for your bridal wear. So, take a look:
Ajmal Khan Road has been the mecca for shopping for wedding clothes for years. Although once popular for being reasonably priced, today it has shops selling exquisite bridal pieces costing lakhs of rupees. “We have good choices of lehengas starting from Rs. 8000 but the work is not that detailed. A good bridal lehenga starts from Rs. 25000 and goes up to Rs. 3.5 lakhs,” says the shopkeeper at New Handloom Emporium. Then you have Meena Bazaar, Satya Paul, Frontier Raas and Frontier Bazaar offering gorgeous bridal collections. Check out Chabra 555 for an elaborate range of options from all states of the country.
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Want some Bollywood tadka in your attire? Check out the latest label, Diva’ni, launched by Karol Bagh Saree House (KBSH) in association with Yash Raj Films. Check out the shop anyway, for it has a legacy of dressing up brides for over 50 years.
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Saw a Manish Malhotra lehenga that appeased your eyes but not your pocket? Take a metro ride to Chandni Chowk (because you probably won’t find space to park your car). Yes, it is crowded and congested. But a palpable upside is the sheer variety on offer. And no, the shopkeepers here are not clueless uncles not understanding what you are looking for. In fact, they speak fashion and will tell you about the latest trends. There are a slew of shops selling replicas of the works of established designers. Some, say they house ‘inspired by Bollywood’ pieces, like the shop Anarkali Bazaar.
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The price is far cheaper than what the originals would cost. Says an elated customer, Shruti Malhotra: “I got a copy of a Sabyasachi lehenga for Rs. 35,000 only, while the original was for Rs. 2 lakhs.” While there is an array of shops here, one of the most reputed ones is Om Prakash Jawahar Lal. This one is known for its extraordinarily large variety. The price range starts from about Rs. 40,000.
One tip: Hone your bargaining skills before you step into the market.
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If a replica available in the above mentioned markets just won’t do and you want an original, the options are aplenty. Even if you do not have the budget for Manish Malhotras and Ritu Kumars of the world, there are small independent designers with breathtaking collections. You can search for such designers at a lot of places like Shahpur Jat, Greater Kailash 1 (M and N Block Market), or Greater Kailash 2 (M Block Market)
For instance, there is fashion designer Bhumika Grover in Shahpur Jat who has recently launched her bridal collection, a blend of traditional and contemporary. “Inspired by regal Indian silhouettes, the collection is a wonderful splash of colours ranging from fuchsia pink, reds and orange to midnight blue and gold,” says Bhumika Grover. Rest you can find in some of the markets mentioned below.
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The bohemian market is home to several boutique outlets. The charming alleys offer a wonderful shopping experience and lots of cafes to relax once you find your dream lehenga! The popular ones here are: Ogaan (also in Khan Market and Emporio Mall) and Ole Couture. Ogaan owned by Kavita Bhartia, retails works of various designers starting at Rs 1 lakh. While, Ole offers stunning lehenga collection a bit on expensive side.
At Frontier Raas, you will find an astounding collection of bridal wear. All the lehengas have intricate work matching or perhaps even outdoing the designer ones you saw at designer showrooms; and so is the price. The shop, like all others in this market, is ideal for you if your budget is upwards of Rs 60-70k. Fronteir Raas also has an excellent collection of bridal gowns for your wedding and other wedding functions like engagement, cocktail, etc.
Ushnak Mal Mool Chand stores (there are three of them) have a legacy of years; the collections here will mostly appease those who like bling. Heritage is a shop that has exquisitely classy options (of course at a big price). There is also the multi-designer store, Samsaara, that you can check out as well.
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You are likely to be in this market for some or other wedding shopping. This market has it all. For bridal lehenga, it has options like Libas. “Our USP is the quality of products and great designs that appease NRIs and overseas markets too,” says Purshotam Keswani, co-owner, Libas. Others offering a good variety are Malhotra’s, Shakutalam and CTC Plaza. The price range starts from Rs. 40,000. If you are looking for something in lower price, check out Rudrakshi. And, this market has its fair share of designer stores as well. Check out Kapil & Mmonika’s store, near the Lajpat Nagar metro station, if you are looking for heavy stuff.
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This area is coming up as a posh hub. If a bridal saree and not lehenga is what you are looking for, check out Nalli Sarees here. There are high-end designer boutique stores under the defence colony flyover worth checking out. Then there are the biggies like Tarun Tahiliani, Shantanu & Nikhil, and Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor.
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If you find the comfort of malls better than open markets, go to DLF Emporio for big labels like Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla, Kimaya, Falguni & Shane Peacock, etc. GIP Mall in Noida is another great place for wedding wear shopping. It houses Study by Janak, Bombay Selections, Meena Bazaar and Satya Paul among others.
This is a good concept that has come in vogue in last few years. They have it all. “The exhibition comprises high end brands related to clothing, jewellery, trousseau packaging, cosmetics, honeymoon destinations, astrology, etc.,” say the organisers of Celebrating Vivah.
There are other exhibitions also like Wedding Bells in Gurgaon, Wedding Asia and Bridal Asia. Most of them take place between September and December.
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We know this will raise some eyebrows and perhaps that is why it is last on the list. But trust us, it is not the least of options, and the growing demand for lehenga on hire, says so.
You will find a lot of shops in Chandni Chowk or on the web like Lehengaonrent.com,
Secretwardrobe.in, Wrapd.in. The range starts from Rs. 1000 for day. These offer professional services guaranteeing dry clean and alterations according to your size.
So, if you are a bride-to-be or her best friend or her sister, do use this list while shopping for the prefect bridal outfit for your wedding day. If you think there is any place that we might have missed out, and which can be a great option for other soon-to-be brides then do share it with our other readers by leaving your valuable comments below.