An ad for Tanishq wedding jewelry has stirred up some controversy. I personally like it. I love the moment when the actress sees herself all dressed up as a bride but realizes she has no one to marry. Check out the video. There are some good images of wedding jewelry.

There are so many mehndhi designs to choose from. Pick one that fits with your overall aesthetic. And remember balance–if your jewelry or outfit are very ornate you might want to tone down the mehndhi.

Do more than just your hands

Although hands and arms are a very popular place to apply mehndhi, you can have so much fun by applying some on your feet, upper arm, stomach, etc.

Do get his initials etched in the design

In some areas of India, there is a tradition to get your husband’s initials placed in the design and after the wedding he has to find his initials. It’s a really fun game to play!

Wear something dark

Mehndhi can be messy so make sure you wear a dark colored outfit. Greens are especially nice for Mehndhi parties.

Get pampered

Since your hands and feet are “tied” up, have the rest of your family and even your groom pamper you and feed you food!

I have included a few mehndhi pics below, and will be posting additional designs soon!

Ranunculus are great spring flowers. They come in a range of colors and have volume.

Regardless of whether you are wearing a sari or lehenga for the indian ceremony, you will likely wear a dupatta over your head. Sometimes an extra dupatta will come with your outfit, esp with lehengas. But if not, then you will need to get a ready-made or custom dupatta. For custom dupattas here are a few things to decide on…

Size

Small  (L-64 inch,W-42inch) Great size for just draping over your head.

Large  (L-74-80in and W-42in) A longer style that is great for draping over your outfit and over your head. Also depending on the color, it can create a nice contrast to your outfit

Color/Design

Choose the base. A great base is fine gold net, however you could have it dyed to any color.

Choose your embroidery. Look at your sari or lehenga and pick one piece of embroidery to replicate, whether it’s a border or inner embroidery. Remember not to make the embroidery too heavy or you will have trouble keeping it on your head.

Another tip: make sure to take your dupatta with you to your hairstylist. They can recommend hairstyles that will be compatible with how you want to wear the dupatta.

When I was getting my custom dupatta made I went to Chandana at Carmaa Boutique in Houston, TX. They did a wonderful job!

I went with a friend to Nordstrom to try different makeup looks. After several tries, these are the products I went with…

Face
Giorgio Armani Lasting Silk Foundation
Giorgia Armani Luminous Silk Powder
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Concealer

Eyes
Lorac Multi-Platinum Palette
Makeup Forever Aqua Eyecream
Makeup Forever Aqua Waterproof Mascara
Shu Uemura lashes

Cheeks
Nars Blush in Orgasm

Lips
Nars Lipstick in Rouge D’Enfer
Rosebud Strawberry Gloss

Here are a  few tips when finding a look…

Find the base first–make sure you are happy with the foundation and powder, in particular the color and heaviness

Wear the look all day–see how you like the look in during the day and at night

Apply the makeup yourself–once you know what products you want to use try applying the products yourself several times

Take a picture–Grab a few closeups with your camera to see how the makeup looks in pictures

Houston, TX

Favorite wedding moment:

During the sindoordaan, the sun started pouring into the mandap. It felt like god was blessing us and we  were lucky to have all our loved ones around us…it was the perfect moment!

Favorite style/decor element:

I loved the venue, Chateau Polonez….it set the stage for a wonderful wedding that felt personal and modern.

I loved my Sabyasachi sarees…The marroon/gold saree for the reception and the tomato red from the Sangeet were my favorites!

Vendors I would recommend to other dulhans:

- Chateau Polonez (venue)

- Abbie Flynn Photo (photographer)

- Cakes by Gina (cake)

- Crane & Co (invitations)

- The Perfect Face (hair)

My photos: