I went to Bridal Asia 2014. Here are my notes.

“This is the best wedding exhibition that Delhi has to offer to brides. It’s the only one I showcase my work at.”

– overheard at Bridal Asia 2014

I visited on Monday, when the crowds had thinned and the displays had dwindled. At the entrance, I took out my cell phone and opened the Shopping Guide I’d written a few days earlier. With a guide in one hand, and a media badge in the other – I was ready to explore Bridal Asia and find the best of what it had to offer.

Did my favourite designers have outfits I would love this time around? Who had an entirely new collection? Which ones would disappoint? And which new names would I discover I loved today?

Favourite Jewellery Makers

• Rawat Jewels | Jaipur – My favourite jewellery stall in the whole exhibition. I’d put them in the “new names I should check out” list, and they were worth the mention. Loved their work, and the Rawat brothers were such a delight! They only retail in Jaipur, and are in Delhi only for exhibitions

New Trousseau Finds To Love

• Anjali Sharma for French Curve | Bangalore – I saw her designs in person for the first time, and they were just as pretty. Proof below:

• Jyoti Gill | New Delhi – I’m not an ace photographer, and was unable to capture the beauty of this pastel lehenga. But I am Beyonce-level crazy in love with this creation by Jyoti Gill. Her lehengas are slightly different from what you will typically find, in a good way. Find her at 45, Jangpura Road, Bhugal, New Delhi or call +91-9810244244 to set up an appointment. FYI, her daughter Nimrit runs Malasa, another designer label I absolutely love! So much talent in one family!

• Sonali Gupta | New Delhi – I’ve admired Sonali’s work for a while now, but only from a distance (read: on e-commerce websites!) I finally met her in person, and discovered that the only thing generic about Sonali Gupta is her name. Her designs are for the offbeat bride who wants fashion-forward, atypical pieces in her trousseau. In another lifetime, Sonali would’ve been a stylist and so, if you’re in the mood for buying something different over a cup of tea and a styling consultation, she’s your girl. Don’t be afraid to ask her about your fashion dilemmas, she’s super nice to talk to and one of the most friendly ones around!

• Royal Trousseau by Abha Dalmia – A hidden gem, their saris were displayed in such a manner that you wouldn’t know what beauties were hiding in there till you didn’t go physically look through them one by one. Classy benarsi silk saris seemed to be the kind they did best, although other sari fabrics were equally beautiful. Priced upwards of INR 20,000. I don’t remember if they were Delhi-based or not, but they said they are only available at exhibitions. I’ve left my contact details with them, so hopefully I’ll know when you can see their work next
• Swati Ubroi | Jaipur – Pretty, pretty gota patti ensembles. Particularly loved these sheer jackets with a little bit of gota work and a vintage floral pattern on the suit underneath! Their store’s address is C-25, Bhagwan Das Road, C-Scheme, Jaipur. Call them on +91-9929112400 or visit their website
• Aashmaa Studio, Jaipur and Yashodhara, New Delhi (The Crescent Mall) had some pretty, bright anarkalis I liked

For Grooms

• Rohit & Abhishek | New Delhi, Jaipur & Mumbai – They’re your boys if you’re looking for classic non-embroidered bandhgalas in (what atleast looks like) good quality velvet. Find more about them on their website

Luxury Wedding Invite Crafters

• Eternal Grace | Gurgaon – the best of the lot, their wedding cards were an eclectic mix of cutesy and classy, and their baby announcement cards were adorable as well! Find more about them on their website or call Usha on +91-9818702177

• Naina Gupta (Hauz Khas Village | +91-9811066528) and House of Design (Defence Colony) were two Delhi-based invitation invite makers who had some nice card designs as well

The Ones I Always Love

• Sabyasachi had the most stunning heavy saris in the entire exhibition. They were SO beautiful, I wanted to pick up atleast one, but of course – they would’ve been a big splurge. The range starts from INR 30,000. I asked if I could swing by later at their store to have a look at those beauties again, but I was informed these saris were made specially for Bridal Asia so they might not be available later on. Let’s hope that was just a marketing tactic because it would be very upsetting to never lay my eyes on them again! Because there was so much rush inside, I didn’t get a chance to take out my camera and click pictures. All I got was –

• Ekaya still has beautiful silk saris I’d love to wear! Nidhi Tholia’s gota patti outfits are lovely exhibition after exhibition! Madsam Tinzin has the same beautiful lehengas and anarkalis I spoke about a few months ago, and Ridhi Mehra had her fantastic Lakme Fashion Week collection on display. Finally, Anita Dongre had some stunning lehengas and floor-length suits that you can find at her DLF Emporio store in case you missed out on Bridal Asia

If you have a big budget for your trousseau, you’ll definitely find a piece or two to add to your bridal trunk box at this exhibition. It’s highly curated, and you won’t find anyone here who is a waste of your time. Except for, well, let’s play nice and not name names now. Putting Bridal Asia on my list of exhibitions to visit every year, and so should you.

Which designers (clothes and cards) do you love from Bridal Asia?