2025 will be the year of the bride in sage green

Gone are the days when sindoor-red lehengas were the only colour one thought of for the typical lehenga-wearing bride. As weddings have become more diverse and cosmopolitan, so has the rainbow of colours on offer for today’s brides. The past few years, in fact, have been all about more muted tones with a particular preference for pastel-toned bridal wear—from Alia Bhatt, Radhika Merchant, and Sobhita Dhulipala in ivory to Kiara Advani in rose pink, brides said a resounding yes to softer shades for the big day and (in some cases) saved red for their pre-wedding festivities.

But what’s once new must be deemed old; such is the cycle of trends. And so the bride of today, on a hunt to add that ‘something different’ to her bridal repertoire, has settled on a new hue for the big day: sage green.

Designer Seema Gujral, who has made more than a few bridal lehengas in the colour, including one for her niece, fashion entrepreneur Aisha Rawji whose wedding got featured in The New York Times, attests to the shift. “I’ve definitely noticed a growing affinity for sage green and mint bridal wear, which is such a refreshing change. It is modern but rooted, with an understated charm—exactly what today’s brides are often looking for,” she explains. Other labels that also offer the trend include Jade by Monica & Karishma (designer Shweta Kapur opted for a lace-edged green lehenga by the brand for her recent winter wedding), Anita Dongre, and Krésha Bajaj among others.

Indian brides are exercising increasing autonomy in their wedding choices, and that extends to wearing outfits that are representative of their true self. That’s why Raina Kotwal, a London-based strategist, gravitated towards sage green for her recent daytime wedding in Mumbai. A Parsi bride marrying her Gujarati-Sindhi beau, she wasn’t keen on wearing white (customary in her community) or red (common in Hindu customs). “I wanted something unique and unconventional, which was in line with my personal style,” says Kotwal. “I’m not one for typical girly shades, and wasn’t drawn to the darker hues of green either. Sage green, while it works for Indian events, still had an edge to it,” adds the bride, who wore the shade from head-to-toe with ivory embroidery as an ode to her Parsi roots. She paired it with a pearl-encrusted blouse. “It also felt calming and served as a reminder of my love for nature,” she says of the lehenga designed by the Mumbai-based design studio By Broderie. 

New Delhi-based strategic business solutions manager Rhea Narula Chowdhri also chose the same verdant palette. “It’s a colour that symbolises change, growth, and love—all things that deeply resonated with me for this new chapter of my life,” she says. While she did consider other pastel tones with her mother-in-law, designer Sureena Chowdhri, who helped craft her final look, the bride was instinctively drawn to sage green. “It was fresh yet timeless. It just felt right.”   

Not just brides; there are a few sartorially brave grooms who’ve said yes to the colour, too. When actor Pulkit Samrat tied the knot with Kriti Kharbanda early last year, his mint angrakha and dhoti set with multicoloured pastel embroidery by Anamika Khanna was inspired by a piece in the designer’s womenswear section. And in the case of social media influencer Aaliyah Kashyap—who wed in a dusty rose Tarun Tahiliani lehenga—it was her bride tribe who wore varying shades of mint to walk her down the aisle.

Celebrity stylist Akshay Tyagi believes it’s an exceedingly versatile colour to work with. “It has a warm undertone, but an overall cool essence, which makes it appealing to the eye. It’s also great for green outdoor venues that are so popular these days.” He adds, “You can wear sage green from head to toe and highlight the colour with metallic silver embroidery, a contrasting pearl work veil, or diamond or emerald jewellery. If you’re keen to add gold tones, consider antique zardozi embroidery.” Gujral agrees, deeming the hue universally flattering for Indian skin tones. “It also lends itself beautifully to different fabrics and embellishments,” she says, though silver or tone-on-tone detailing are her preferred ways to dress up the colour. “Sage green’s ultimate appeal lies in the balance it strikes between unique, modern, and timeless. It has a way of enhancing everything around it, without being overpowering.”