Every woman looks her very best on her wedding day. And what adds to her glowing beauty is the wedding jewellery. The changing times, tastes, globalization and extreme economic scenarios, have all influenced the modern bride's choice of jewellery.
A young bride to be and a budding fashion designer says she loves the heavy and stone studded jewellery that my grandmother and mother wore for their weddings. "I wouldn't mind wearing that stuff for my big day as well she added." The modern woman shares the same love and passion for jewellery like the older generations. But, she does not like stashing away her jewellery in a vault. She wants to wear it regularly.
Besides, western clothes are steadily gaining popularity among the younger generation and heavy, chunky don't compliment that kind of clothing. Today's woman wants jewellery that can be worn as a fashion statement, everyday. This change of taste is mainly because more and more women are working these days. So, they have more exposure. And the economic independence they enjoy is probably the reason that they are ready to experiment.
Besides, inter caste marriages are also becoming commonplace. All these factors have influenced a lady's choice of wedding jewellery as well. These days people go beyond the tali, six bangles, two rings and the diamond earring which constituted the traditional wedding jewellery package.
Though there is a demand for diamond jewellery. When it comes to wedding jewels most people still prefer traditional stuff. However the demand for traditional designs made as lightweight jewellery has increased over the years. This is a sentiment that is being echoed by most jewelers across the length and breadth of the country. However, not all of them are willing to attribute this upward surge in the demand for lightweight jewellery to either recession or the sky soaring prices of gold.
They feel that this is because artisans today have the ware with all to create intricate designs that create an illusion of weight without being uncomfortable for the wearer. Though heavy, traditional jewellery is still largely the choice as far as wedding jewellery is concerned, a segment of this market has certainly been taken over by light weight jewellery.
As far as designs are concerned, the younger generation is going in for designs which are a blend of the traditional and the contemporary. An Indian wedding is not a one day affair. So the kind of jewellery chosen also depends on the occasion for which it is being bought.
For instance, for occasions like Mehendi, sangeet or gaye holud(in case of Bengalis) the choice would be simple, gold or diamond jewellery. Whereas for the wedding and reception the choice would be more elaborate- heavy jewellery perhaps. Most jewelers in the city also feel that the kind of wedding jewellery bought also depends on the community to which the respective bride and groom belong.
Earlier the trend was to buy heavy jewellery for weddings or otherwise because gold was looked upon as an investment. It was the "streedhan" that the daughter took with her. Something that she could fall back on for financial support should the need arise.
Today people are more concerned about finding the right accessories for the bridal wear. A thought that is echoed by industry pandits when they say that, the young bride of today is more fashion conscious than her predecessors, so accessorizing her wardrobe is one of her primary concerns.
And this has led to the popularity of use of both precious and semi-precious stones in wedding jewellery. So, for today's bride what matters is jewellery that has struck the perfect balance between the trendy and the traditional. Stuff that is part of her everyday accessories!
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