Wedding Lehnga Style | Incorporating Gold Color Into Your Bridal Lehnga

Lehnga Cholis have a long and evolving history in India - it was initially brought into India through the Mughals (Muslims) when the latter invaded India. The lehnga choli outfit is a two piece set with a head veil. The Muslim Mughal women wore head veils in accordance with their religious teachings in Islam, and this practice was soon adopted by other women to signify their high status. The veil became known as the dupatta (the Indian name) and was worn by Indian women for respect.

In olden times, the skirt was tied with a piece of fabric around the waist, with the ends of the cloth left loose, much like in a saree. Today, the lehnga choli has been updated though for the convenience of modern Indian women. This has made it a popular choice for brides - the bridal lehnga choli outfit is favored by Indian women for their weddings for the convenience of movement.

The choli (blouse) of the lehnga traditionally covered the arms for modesty, but modern design trends range from short sleeves to sleeveless blouses. Indian Muslim or Pakistani Muslim women do not wear mid-riff showing cholis, but others do. Modern Indian brides have much more choices in choosing the type of choli for their bridal lehnga - bare backs are also available for those daring to make a bold statment on their wedding day. Few actually do this, but there are some who would!

Now the detailed work that goes on the bridal lehnga (to make it bright and shiny) is very intricate, and comprises of many different stages and types of skills. We will focus on that in a separate article.

In the previous article on bridal lehngas, the focus was on gold colored outfits, which is considered a universal color since it suits the complexion of most brides.

In this article, bridal lehnga designs that incorporate the gold color with a variety of other striking colors are showcased.

In Pakistan, the lehnga choli is also called a sharara, which is derived from the Arabic language. But the designs are almost the same as the Indian designs, as seen in the pictures below.

Pink and Gold - Bridal Lehnga

Dusky Gold With Contrast Embroidery - Bridal Lehnga

The above two bridal lehnga designs are inspired by India's Bollywood - they feature silk material with shiny stone and mirror work. This is a good example of how a mostly gold bridal lehnga is contrasted with embroidery and stone work. The head veil (dupatta) is made of light chiffon material with heavy embroidery.

Deep Blue and Gold - Bridal Lehnga

Sea-Green and Gold - Bridal Lehnga

Photos By Sanoori

The above two bridal lehngas (sharara) are Pakistani designs. The choli in both designs cover the mid-riff. Blue with gold is not often seen in bridal lehnga designs, but it is a combination that works well as seen in the pictures. Blue evokes a sense of smoothness, calm and soothing, while the gold exudes regal presence. The deep blue bridal lehnga is a stunning piece with most of the gold being incorporated in the skirt - the gold emanates from the hemline of the skirt and upwards. Contrast gold stitching is also done on the choli and the elsewhere on the skirt. Similarly, the sea-green bridal lehnga with gold thread contrast is breath-taking. A perfect piece for a wedding reception. Under bright lights when you sit on the wedding stage, the color on this piece will reflect light, and you will look absolutely radiant.

Deep Red and Gold - Bridal Lehnga

Wine and Gold - Bridal Lehnga

Photos By Sanoori

Traditionally, red is the preferred choice for bridal wedding dresses. The red represents excitement, passion, strength and a presence unlike another. Red colored bridal lehgnas are commonly paired with gold contrast stitching and embroidery work. The effect is great, as always.