The biggest bridal trends for 2025

The Gen Z brides and grooms are here and they're making their presence felt. The 2025 bridal mood? Vibey, packed with micro-trends, and a little bit unexpected. Think bling for the boys, soft girl pastels going sultry, dupattas and veils ditching duties for capes, and layering on the craft. Whether you’re walking down the aisle or dancing at the sangeet, these are the big fat bridal trends turning heads and filling feeds this season. Weddings are getting a wardrobe upgrade, and we're here for it. Bonus: we got all your favourite bridal designers to spill the tea on what you should be watching out for from their collections. 

Capes over veils

There's a reason superheroes wear capes. And brides, bridesmaids and serial wedding guests have taken their notes. They're signing on for the benefits of a chic and hands-free wedding-guest look, with everyone from Shanaya Kapoor to Bhumi Pednekar embracing the trend. And plenty of designers are using the cape to layer, shape, and subvert traditional Indian silhouettes. The Ritu Kumar team styled it over a sari like a structured blouse, or as a cropped jacket on lehenga—creating new ways to approach coverage and style. Rahul Mishra approves of the layer for its’ sculptural dimension, noting, “Silhouette-wise, we’re juxtaposing voluminous lehengas with sharply tailored capes and jackets.” Meanwhile at Roseroom by Isha Jajodia, capes were draped over lehengas for a contemporary elegance without compromising on movement. So rather than veiling your head with a dupatta, embrace the cape that lets you move freely and fearlessly through a celebration that’s all about being unapologetically yourself.

Layer your craft 

This season, the coolest bridal looks come layered—not just in silhouette, but in craft. Designers are merging heritage techniques, textiles, and unexpected pairings to create couture that feels rich, dimensional, and entirely new. At Style Junkiie, denim gets a turn as a trousseau essential when it’s covered in lace or detailed with bajuband-style embroidery. At Delhi Vintage Co, handlooms meet vintage tanchoi silks in beautifully textured pairings. Naina Jain’s bandhani-on-kanjeevaram saris are layered with zardozi, aari, and French knot embroidery—a seamless fusion of Gujarat and Bengal’s craft legacies. Designer Ashdeen Lilaowala combines bandhani with Parsi Gara embroidery, while Rimple & Harpreet offset delicate Chantilly lace with dramatic floral appliqué. The result? A celebration of craftsmanship that honours the past while styling brides firmly in the now. 

Pastels, please

Soft, romantic, and refreshingly modern—pastels have been having a major bridal moment for a while now and the trend doesn’t look to be fading away anytime soon. The moodboards of the most recent celebrity weddings prove that—from Rakul Preet’s blush lehenga to Aaliyah Kashyap’s lavender look, everyone wants to be a soft girl. If you’re browsing for yourself, these sweet, sorbet shades were on offer everywhere from Monisha Jaising and Shantanu Goenka to Sarah & Sandeep. The duo of Sarah & Sandeep spoke about how, “We wanted tones that are soft yet distinct,” when referring to their tailored bridalwear. At Ekaya Banaras, pastel Banarasi saris in organza and tissue silk offer a breezy alternative to the traditional, jewel-toned palette. “It’s Banarasi, but feminine, fluid, and made for the modern woman,” says brand founder Palak Shah. And as weddings become more Instagram-conscious, designer Ritu Kumar takes things a step further by thinking of coordinated couple looks—think complementary shades of champagne, mint, or ballet pink. Two sweet scoops of love please.

Major metallics

This year’s version of bridal shimmer steps beyond the usual gold and silver into a palette that’s moody, modern, and multidimensional. Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna are leading the charge with “metallic ivories, shadowy charcoals, and hints of oxidised gold—colours that feel both futuristic and timeless.” Rahul Mishra’s dreamy pairings include blush with oxidised silver and forest green with pastel lime—an unexpected twist that brings softness to shine. Ritu Kumar’s desert golds and wine-toned metallics offer a luxurious, almost monochromatic glow, while Gaurav Gupta continues to push the envelope with shades like comet blue, seashell, champagne, and hazy pink. As Gupta said when talking about his latest collection, ‘The Vow’ where he used materials like, “glass embroideries, luminous pearls, and iridescent crystals that shimmer like stardust. These elements, meticulously hand-embroidered by Indian artisans, create light-infused surfaces that speak to the sacredness of the wedding ritual.”

Stick no pins

The pre-draped sari is the modern bride’s answer to elegance with ease. “It’s our response to the desire for grandeur without the fuss,” says Monisha Jaising, who sees it as the perfect choice for sangeets, cocktails and receptions where comfort, movement and dancing the night away matters. Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna call theirs, “light, effortless, and full of movement… made for celebration.” Surily Goel gives hers a boho spin, blending ikat and bandhani in pre-draped dupattas and saris that merge tradition with innovation. Meanwhile, Gopi Vaid brings playful energy with tiered versions in bright primary shades like rani pink and lime green. Whether you’re twirling at a destination wedding or heading straight to the afterparty, this is a sari that moves with you, not against you.

Corset core

“Fashion from across the globe has been obsessed with corsetry styles lately. But where’s the Indian flavour?” asks Palak Shah of Ekaya Banaras. Their answer? Corset blouses paired with saris or lehengas— equal parts flirty, fun, and unmistakably Indian. The corset is no longer just a Western silhouette; it’s being embraced as a powerful shape-shifter in Indian bridalwear. When designer duo Shantnu and Nikhil Mehra launched their couture line Shantnu Nikhil Luxe this year, they made sure to include a series of sculpted, corset gowns covered in sequins that are perfect for the reception, cocktail or the after party. “Corsetry is where our love for structure and seduction converge; it’s a house signature, and with Shantnu Nikhil Luxe, it becomes a powerful expression of red carpet couture—fluid yet sculpted, soft yet fierce.” 

Roseroom offers corseted looks for brides layered under lace saris. The results, says founder Isha Jajodia, are for those who want to, “move, breathe, and feel like themselves.” Style Junkiie’s take is the most playful yet, a fitted corset tunic teamed with Patiala salwars. Structured but expressive, the new-age corset is designed for brides who want shape, edge, and freedom in equal measure.

A blooming wedding

Florals are in full bloom. Not just as a motif, but as a mood. From romantic threadwork to layered 3D textures, designers are creating blooms in an array of techniques and textures. At Shantanu Goenka, multicoloured floral embroidery pops on a contrasting base—think crimson blossoms on ivory jackets or hot pink florals on a bright yellow lehenga. Ashdeen’s latest collection of saris features chrysanthemum and poppies, motifs typical of Gara embroidery, but instead rendered them as a hand-painted print. Gopi Vaid meanwhile plays with both embroidered and vibrant printed florals in pinks, greens, and yellows. Rahul Mishra’s poetic Phalgun collection is “an ode to spring,” where 2D and 3D florals bloom across saris and gowns, drawing inspiration from nature, memory, and traditional festivals. Meanwhile, Rimple & Harpreet go vintage, using heritage embroidery techniques to reimagine florals as richly layered heirlooms. The message is clear: florals aren’t just timeless, they’re also trendy.

Rewear to reinvent

Why should your wedding look shine for just one night? The new-age Indian bride wants more mileage from her bridal wardrobe, and designers are listening. Monisha Jaising puts it beautifully: “Each piece is crafted not just for the wedding day, but to live on in a wardrobe filled with stories.” From corsets that double up under power blazers to lehenga skirts reborn with crisp white shirts, the focus is on reimagination. Manish Malhotra encourages this exact playfulness: “Celebrate the garment beyond the occasion. Let it evolve with you.” At Surily G, founder Surily Goel creates bohemian pieces designed to travel—kaftans that work for the mehendi and the beach, goddess skirts fit for the after party and your besties sangeet. Rahul Mishra calls it the era of modular dressing, ensembles with parts that can be reshuffled and styled anew. Even experimental brands like Style Junkiie are creating denim-fusion bridal essentials that slide seamlessly into your post-wedding wardrobe. Meanwhile, Palak Shah of Ekaya Benaras makes a strong case for textile-forward bridalwear for its timelessness: “Our focus is on rich textiles rather than heavy surface embroidery, which makes them timeless and versatile.” The bottom line? Your bridal look should feel like the beginning of a style story—not the end.

Bro brooches

If there’s anything to be said about men’s fashion in 2024, it’s that brooches are back in a big way. From Shahrukh Khan at the MET Gala in a black suit and diamond brooch to Karan Johar on the red carpet in an array of sparkling pins—all the best dressed boys have a little shiny, sparkly something pinned on their collars, lapels, and ties, preferably in natural diamonds. Designer Manish Malhotra lists it as one of his wedding essentials, “For grooms, a classic bandhgala and a diamond brooch are essentials. Elegant, versatile and lasting beyond the wedding.”

The updated sherwani

Why should girls have all the fun? The modern sherwani and bandhgala are getting a bold, fashion-forward update, moving beyond tradition while still honouring it. Designers like Shantnu & Nikhil are leading the charge—think sharp tailoring softened by fluid drapes or surprising faux leather accents. The designers elaborated, “drape has always been integral to our design language, evident in our signature kurtas and asymmetrical detailing. This season, we evolved that code with the introduction of the cropped bandhgala, sharp, minimal, and militaristic in its stance.” Kunal Rawal takes a more experimental route, using metallic embroidery in deep jewel tones and reinterpreting traditional crafts like Ajrakh and Tangaliya weaving as intricate threadwork patterns. The result? Menswear that’s ceremonial but cool, steeped in heritage but strikingly contemporary.