8 tips for Indian brides to save money on their trousseau
Who does not love the big fat Indian weddings but when it came upon me a year back, I wanted a lean one. All the shopping was so tempting but I wanted to save money for setting up our house and the other things that we would so love to do together. It is really about making a choice between 'few hours of a day' versus 'the rest of your life'.
It might sound funny coming from a [husband-proclaimed] materialist and shopaholic like me but I really believe that the things most brides pack up in their trousseau are unnecessary.
So what to splurge on and where to save? Here we go-
1. Pre-bridal endless beauty treatments- SAVE. I really do not believe in them and did not get anything at all done except waxing. Your make-up will cover everything on the day and after. If you want to feel relaxed though, buy those Rs. 150 worth Innisfree face mask sheets. Use them on the day of each function. Get a full body massage at a nice spa. You will feel great in around 1,500 bucks!
Also, no need to buy additional skin care stuff as your skin is not going to change. Stick to your time-tested products as this is not the time to experiment.
2. What is this culture of discarding old clothes? SAVE. This was a discovery for me that girls are supposed to throw away all their clothes and buy an entirely new wardrobe for after the wedding. Really? I love my clothes and they are all 'finds' for me. Do you really need to tell people (esp. MIL) if your clothes are old?
3. Sarees, gold nath and all the things you will never reuse- SAVE. Need I say more? OK maybe, you will need some 5 to 6 sarees but do not buy a box full just to please others.
4. Lingerie...sexy lingerie...shhh!- SAVE & SPLURGE. Get what your heart is on but again, you do not need a box-full. & yeah, ditch that lacy body suit.
5. Bridal lehenga- SAVE & SPLURGE. Unless you are broke, I would not say that rent it. In any case, do not get a cheap flareless, fake-velvet or any stiff fabric lehenga from Chandni Chowk. Why don't you pick a beautiful (designer or not) lehenga design online, give it a personal touch and get it stitched for much less at a boutique? You can make further customisations to bring down the cost to suit your budget.
Keep time for this, girls. Give it to the tailor at least 2 months before the wedding.
6. Footwear- SAVE & SPLURGE. I know a girl cannot have enough of them. Nevertheless, you will need one to go with your lehenga (opt for something that you could wear again; pick a heel height that you are comfortable with else go for platforms), embellished juttis (to go with suits), golden heels (go with practically everything) and a couple pair of flats.
7. SPLURGE on a nice fragrance, a handbag for after the wedding, and a vanity box (to give you those wedding feels).
8. Makeup- SAVE & SPLURGE. If you do not know how to use it then stick to the basics but buy good quality stuff as it always shows. It does come with an expiration date. If you know your way around it, you are anyways going to splurge so go get that highlighter that you have been eyeing.
The truth is you will be too tired and too busy after the wedding to put it all on.
Trousseau aside, what is the point of a pre-wedding shoot? SAVE. If it is not an arranged marriage, then I am sure that the pictures you two already have are way more special. Put them on the invitations and video invites. Put them up at the venue, if you like, because I am sure you would not have a problem giving your guests a peek into your personal life. After all, we all invite only those 700 people to the wedding who matter most in our lives, don't we?
At the end of it, I would say buy what you
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Look your best & enjoy every bit of it- the day will be gone before you know it. <3
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