How two designer-brides created their dream weddings

When (most of) my friends and I got married well over a decade ago, it was a very different time. Cue the millennial Facebook album—over 100 photos of the wedding party, taken by the old guard of ‘pose and click’ photographers. But in the age of Pinterest-perfect Instagram weddings, we now have classic candids, the perfectly imperfect photo dump and endless tear-jerker reels of beautifully edited montages. At the same time, there’s also a glut of sameness in the weddings that populate our social media today. So, what does it take to create a truly standout wedding?

The two weddings that recently jumped out of my feed were those of Aavriti R Jain, founder of the jewellery label Dhora, and Shweta Kapur, designer of the clothing brand 431-88. Their celebrations were as visually stunning as they were personal and meaningful. The two creatives share how they cut through the clutter while staying true to their vision of a dream wedding.

Aavriti R Jain, owner and designer, Dhora

The approach: “I wanted my wedding to feel like a celebration of both tradition and modernity, with a special focus on meaningful jewellery that would tell a story—not just for me but also for my family.”

The looks: “For the mehendi, I wore a deep red crushed skirt and an angharkha-style top, hand-dyed by the talented women who work with me in our factory. I chose not to have any embellishments because the jewellery was the real hero of this look. I opted for traditional Rajasthani pieces like the baju band and white chooda. The jade jhumkas and pearl kanotis added a rich, colourful contrast to the deep red.

For the wedding, I wore a lehenga in a muted ivory tone with dull gold zardozi embroidery. The design was inspired by my grandmother's sari—it had stunning zardozi work, and I transferred some of that embroidery onto my lehenga, adding sentimentality to my outfit. I layered four necklaces—each designed by me—to create a statement. To balance the bold necklaces, I paired them with a simple tikka. My father designed a waist belt for me, which was truly special. It was made with peridot, sapphires and archival charms from Dhora. I also designed bangles with musical notes engraved on them, which hold significant meaning in our love story, making the piece even more special.”

The vibe: “My sister, Aakriti Surana, and I took a hands-on approach, curating every detail ourselves. The mehendi ceremony was held at Jai Mahal Hotel—we chose marigold flowers and banana leaves, which gave the space a vibrant, festive energy. For the wedding, we chose the expansive Baradari venue at Rambagh Palace, which, with its royal history and beautiful gardens, was the perfect place to celebrate. The décor here was kept simple—we used scraps of white fabrics and white flowers to create a serene and ethereal atmosphere.”

Picture perfect: “My most cherished memory was the day before the wedding when we had a casual, candid picnic with friends and family at Jal Mahal Palace on the lake. It was the perfect way to kick off the celebrations—such a peaceful, intimate moment before the wedding that really captured the spirit of Jaipur, blending of nature, heritage and grandeur.”

Details, details, details: “Handwritten notes for our guests and curating a playlist with music that my husband and I both love. We also had a colour code for the wedding to tie everything together visually, but we kept it simple and elegant.”

Learning curve: “The importance of balancing both the details and the bigger picture. It’s easy to get caught up in every little element, but in the end, what really matters is the love and connection shared with family and friends. As a designer, the biggest challenge was finding the balance between personal creativity and tradition. I wanted to create something unique while staying true to the cultural significance of the pieces. It was a delicate balance.”

Best advice: “The only ‘perfect’ thing about your wedding should be how you feel in it—not your pictures or videos for the ‘gram.”

Shweta Kapur, designer and founder, 431-88

The approach: “I was keen to not wear a particular designer head-to-toe—I felt it was limiting especially since I like how refreshing it is to mix. I worked with [stylist] Mohit Rai, and the idea was to think outside the box but still stay rooted in culture. I wanted craft to be the hero.”

The looks: “For my first function, the dhol night, I wore a mirrorwork skirt from Itrh, paired with a white shirt from my own brand. I took tassels from Itrh and added them onto the yoke, which was a fun element, paired with emerald jewellery.

For the mehendi, I wore a jewelled blouse from Ensemble, paired with a Kunal Rawal lehenga. Kunal primarily designs menswear, and his pieces have a structured elegance.

For my wedding, I wore Jade. The idea was to hero the embroidery, so I used their signature lace, which was converted into embroidery. It was very impactful. Post the pheras, I changed into a 431-88 after-party look—a simple draped skirt with a blouse, which I paired with a Jade dupatta. For the cocktail, I wore another 431-88 bridal look—the signature draped sari with pearl kaliras and an organza cape with volume and pearls.”

The vibe: “This was my favourite part of the wedding. I worked with F6 on the décor for the mehendi, and I wanted it to centre around contemporary art, as my father is a collector. Ira from F6 took inspiration from Annie Morris’s art but gave it an Indian twist with genda flowers and cabbage leaves. The colour story was burnt orange with sea blue, and we used a lot of fringe—a signature 431-88 element. It was fresh and graphic.

For the wedding, I worked with Henna from The Wedding Design Company. We went super traditional. For the Jai Mala, she took inspiration from mauli knots, so we had maroon velvet tassels across the banyan tree.”

Details, details, details: “We added personal touches across all elements. We worked with Puneet Sikand, asking him to incorporate food I grew up around but with a contemporary twist. For the mehendi, dessert was a take on Nirula’s famous hot chocolate fudge. Even for my parents’ looks, my mom was very particular about bringing in elements that were important to me.”

Learning curve: “I realised it wasn’t just my wedding—it was my family’s wedding too. I also discovered the immense talent and craft in our country, and it’s just about bringing it into your world. The biggest challenge was designing for myself. I dressed other people as a distraction because there was so much pressure. I knew I didn’t want to go over the top, as brides are often expected to, and I also wanted to reflect the simplicity my label is known for.”

Best advice: “Whoever you’re working with, just trust your teams. And don’t stress over every tiny detail—some things will get missed, and that’s okay. Also, if you’re having a big wedding, do hire a wedding planner.”