Wedding Diaries: The Engagement

Hey everyone! I got engaged recently, and a lot of people have been asking me about my dress, jewelry, makeup, etc. So I thought I'd do a detailed post that might help the future brides in Chennai.

The Dress:

As thrilling as shopping can be, it's also a nightmare when it comes to finding your dream dress. 

* Make a list of all the stores you want to visit, and be sure to visit every one of them before deciding on a dress. Be patient. Don't settle for less. 
* Don't bring along more than two or three people with you while shopping. 
* Choose the dress that best suits your body type.

My first dress was a simple lehenga from Rang Roop, Anna nagar. It's a relatively new store that opened up around September last year. They have an exquisite collection of lehengas, sarees and salwars.

After the lehenga, I changed into a Saree from Tulsi Silks, Mylapore. It's one of the finest stores for sarees in the city. I decided to pair the saree with a contrast blouse which I had exclusively designed at KI Dress Sense, Aminjikarai and stitched at Varsidhi, Kilpauk.

The Jewelry:

It's important to wear the right jewelry to show off your beautiful dress. You can wear something old from your mom's jewelry box, pick your own jewelry or even rent your jewelry if you feel there's no point buying them. But whatever it is, choose jewelry that expresses your personality and complements your dress. 

For the lehenga, I opted for a diamond necklace from Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers, Anna Salai. I matched the necklace with chandbalis from Kushal's Fashion Jewellery, Express Avenue. Bangles are from Dreams Come True, Egmore.

For the saree, I decided on a kemp necklace, haram and jhumkas from Malabar Gold & Diamonds and Kalyan Jewellers, both in T.Nagar; bangles from GRT Jewellers, T.Nagar.

There are a number of stores in Mylapore that rent out waist belts and nethi chuttis/maang tikkas.

The Makeup:

All of us want to look our best on the day, and good makeup is necessary to make sure we look and feel great. 

* Do a thorough research and book your makeup artist well in advance. 

* Get a trial to find out if you like what you're getting.

My makeup was done by Mr.Ibrahim, one of the top makeup artists in the city. I didn't get a trial done, but I trusted him to do a great job and he did not disappoint me. Believe me, you need not have flawless skin; good makeup does wonders. 

Hairstyle: Since I was saving the traditional South Indian hairdo for my wedding day, I opted for a neat side fishtail braid to go with both my lehenga and saree. My hair was done by Mr.Gopinath from Ibrahim's team. 

As important as it is to get the dress and makeup right, the most important thing is to be yourself and keep smiling throughout the day.

The Photography: 

Last but not the least, hire a good wedding photographer to capture the moments. How will you remember what the flowers looked like, what will your lasting memories of the guests be, and the amazing dress you wore for that one day. 

After months of research I decided on Mr.Siraj Khan. He's patient, dedicated, and has an eye for detail. He and his team make sure you're comfortable and having fun in the process. 

Unfortunately, life does not stop when you get engaged. Off to continue my wedding planning. See you guys soon!