Never thought tying the knot could turn out to be a rocking mega business. What was once-upon-a-time an entirely private family affair is now a whopping Rs 25,000 crore plus wedding industry with a growth of around 25 per cent every year!
This is the age of ‘combos’ where you can choose to witness a dazzling fashion show as well plan a wedding at the same time without having to travel across our vast country for assorted shopping. Yep, life just got simpler, if more expensive! In such a wedding plan, you get on a platter - clothes, bags, shoes, silverware, chocolates, home furnishing, wedding organisation and management...well, the works!
Bridal Asia, the ‘sub-continental wedding fashion extravaganza’ is ready for take-off, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from October 16 to 18. The woman responsible for making it happen - Divya Gurwara. The petite, soft-spoken lady whose teen sons are tennis stars already, has always had a keen eye for aesthetics. A quest with Kolkata weavers paved the way for realising her dreams. Doing a gemology course sharpened her abilities even further. Armed with the right ammunition, she then decided to target an industry that had the potential but was not really recognised. And decided to hold the very first exhibition in collaboration with her home event management company - Services International, in partnership with her husband Sandeep. She envisioned this unique platform at a time when it had no parallels and pioneered the concept of showcasing talent in the bridal business under one roof at a statuesque show. This vision paved the way for the first Bridal Asia that turned out to be a huge success. Its objective was “A complete 360-degree solution for young brides who are style conscious and would not mind spending extra for that ‘perfect’ wedding.” It aimed to turnaround the look of a traditional marriage, to make it chic, yet retain its culture for “tradition cannot be passe”.
Divya’s recipe for success — her extensive homework toward creating an invigorating mix of bridal extravaganza with the finest in bridal attire, jewellery, home concepts and exciting accessories. After a number of successes, Divya took Bridal Asia to Pakistan in 2002 - committed to the cause of “fashion sans boundaries”.
She has, in addition, all the biggies of the game to add the glitz and glitter to the show. Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Malini Ramani, Rina Dhaka, Pallavi Jaikishan,Vinita Pittie from Hyderabad, to name a few. According to Divya, Sabyasachi is coming out with three ranges called `evening pret’ (formal daywear clothes), cocktail wear and of course, wedding ensembles. Yet, Bridal Asia is not just about the big names, she says, it’s a time to showcase fresh faces too. Kamaali and Shruti, Meghna K, Preeti Jhawar, Nidhi Tholia, are amidst an array of new talent pool. Pakistani designers like Sahar Atif, Honey Waqar, along with brands like Karma and Bareeze, would share the stage with Indian designers.
Selective high choice of design and style, and exclusive quality control are two facts Divya focusses on. Bridal Asia is the perfect platform for all ‘B2B’ and ‘B2C’ interactions, she says. “It gives an international feel with tradition and is never about quantity...just sheer quality.” For instance, “ Just any chocolate would not do, Choco-la gets its raw material from Belgium which is then handcrafted in India.”
Right from rubies, emeralds, diamonds, to heavy traditional jewellery like jadau and kundan or sets in gharana or a pankhi, there will be ethnic and chic jewellery by a whole lot of big names like Golechas, Khanna Jewellers and Gem Legacy, Nemichand Bamalwa and Sons from Kolkata, The Medieval from Jaipur, Sangeeta Javeri from Mumbai and more.
Carry bags in vibrant colours, embellishments and edged stones, ranging from bulky ‘fits-all’ to cute swanky clutch bags - by Malaga, Nillaya, Gucci; chocolates and packaging - Choco-la by Vasudha Munjal, dinnerware by Magppie, home furnishing by Honey Jolly, footwear by Jimmy Choo, are just the tip of this glamourous iceberg that caters to the middle and high-end clientele.
Bridal Asia has families visiting Delhi from all over the country to make the most of the sea of options from different regions, be it Kanjeevaram saris from the south or the gorgeous ethnic jewellery of Rajasthan.
Ask Divya if she has reached her goal and the Aquarian contends, “ I am never complacent about myself, I am constantly fighting (with myself) to set higher standards.” She promises the 10th edition this year would be ‘more fashionable than ever’. “Its a lifestyle event with different fashion languages under one roof with design, content and essence from all over.”
Bridal Asia promises to be a one-stop shopping destination for exclusive bridal trousseau, with a melange of bridal apparel, jewellery and accessories - working towards revolutionising the Indian wedding industry - the contemporary way.
For info on Bridal Asia, contact Bhavna Dulani - 09313405901, or at info@bridalasia.com
