January Punjabi Wedding: Desi Look Book

My 2016 kicked off with a January Punjabi wedding. My cousin was set to say “I Do” and that meant I had half a dozen events to prepare for: 6 events = 6 looks.

Here’s the official Desi Look Book for this January Punjabi Wedding.

January Punjabi Wedding: Dholki 1

A dholki is an intimate evening where the bride’s friends and family gather to sing traditional folk songs that describe the emotions of a wedding.

Dholki #1, because I attended 2, was one my family hosted. I was ready to dance, which immediately led to the decision to pull up my hair. Volume in the front and a ponytail in the back, this allowed me to enjoy my evening as well as display my outfit.

This deep blue “anarkali” style dress has a gold net dupatta (scarf) with red and blue floral cut-out details. The contrast in the colors makes the scarf the star of this ensemble. I pinned the scarf on my shoulders without covering the ruby velvet detailing on the neckline and hemline.

The makeup is subtle, but impactful. Bold red lips and blue eyeshadows all seemed tacky with this outfit. I created a gold eye accented with navy eyeliner and blue mascara; a nude, shiny lipstick complete the look.

P.S.: those earrings were a clearance find from Target! $4.98.

January Punjabi Wedding: Dholki 2

As a guest at this dholki, ready to enjoy the festivities, I wore this black and gold outfit. The simplicity of the outfit allows for bold accents. The first decision was jewelry.

This head chain is one I picked up from Forever 21 a couple of years ago. I like that it has no dangling stones and pieces.

Wearing hair jewelry can flatten your hair, to counteract that flatness, I curled my hair.

Make-up for the look is bold eyeliner and a crisp red lip. I always love a good lipstick! This one is my favorite Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in “Fiery.”

January Punjabi Wedding: Maiyoon

The maiyoon marks the official beginning of the wedding rituals. This evening is one of pampering the bride with oil head massages and turmeric scrubs.

My red and orange outfit may seem bright to the average person, but Punjabi weddings are always vibrant. The outfit, being so bold, led the make-up to be pale and pink: my natural look.

My hair gets wrapped and tucked into a headband. My hair was curled the day before adding just the right amount of texture and character to the look.

The earrings were a gift from the bride to all her cousins, some handicrafts from Pakistan just can’t be duplicated.

January Punjabi Wedding: Mehndi

The mehndi, also referred to as the henna night, is music, singing and dancing to the extreme! The bride mentioned a pink and purple theme, we all wore the chosen colors adding to the ambiance of the venue!

My purple and pink ensemble is a traditional Punjabi look. The shortened shirt and “dhoti salwar” bottoms are completed with a green dupatta and lots of “gota” (embroidery style).

The traditional image of a Punjabi girl includes her hair braided, forehead adornment, a tikka, and earrings. Why fight tradition? I covered all those bases!

January Punjabi Wedding: Wedding Ceremony

For the wedding I channeled my inner Bollywood with this blue and black sari. The silver embroidery is lavish and uniquely placed down the front of the sari. I knew I was on bridesmaid duty so my hair was not to be a bother.

With lots of volume, it’s a messy and effortless look. I simply bobby pinned the top section back and let the hair fall as it pleased. My earrings are a local crystal chandelier find.

Make-up was all things smokey: navy and black shadow, blue mascara on the bottom lashes. The bold eyes were matched with a matte, nude lip.

January Punjabi Wedding: Valima (Groom’s Reception)

Religious tradition calls for two dinners, one hosted by the bride’s parents and one by the groom. In 2016, it’s been interpreted as two full-fledged receptions. To round out this wedding, I wanted a look of pure glam.

My eye make-up was glitter and green to match the outfit. It’s not often I suggest matching eyeshadow to your outfit, but this was one exception due to the magnitude of the event. I counteract all the green with stark gold and cream trousers, jewelry, and clutch. A nude lipstick wouldn’t work in photography so this pink matte lipstick by NYX was the winner.