The Ultimate Checklist For Your Indian Bridal Trousseau!

Imagine this: Your bridal shopping has begun. You are overwhelmed with the number of things that you need to buy. Apart from your bridal outfits, you also need to get a bunch of other outfits for post-wedding events. Fittings, trials, it’s utter chaos. At this point what you need is a checklist. A clear and detailed list of all that you will need for your bridal trousseau to be perfect, without you losing all your hair.

Here's a downloadable checklist for brides to have easy access- print it out, save it on your iPad to work with and make sure your bridal trousseau is A-ok!

An Indian bridal trousseau is a carefully curated collection of clothing, jewellery, accessories, and other essential items that a bride gathers in preparation for her wedding and the new chapter of her life. In today’s day and age, the bridal trousseau has given way to accommodate more than just bridal outfits and jewellery.

Your Indian bridal trousseau journey is about to get a whole lot more exciting, vibrant, and oh-so-fashionable with this ultimate bridal trousseau checklist.

Outfits

Apart from your bridal outfits, you will also need a bunch of other looks that you can wear for your post-wedding poojas and dinners. Also, don’t forget you need to shop for your honeymoon too!

Sarees & Lehengas

Image via Athiya and Rahul

Pick a good mix of sarees or lehengas that you believe you will use for your post-wedding ceremonies. A good kanjeevaram, a benarasi and a lovely organza or chiffon saree are three recommendations that never go wrong. If you are more of a lehenga bride, opt for lighter lehengas like a benarasi lehenga or a plain handloom lehenga to give you that bridal look without all the weight!

Don’t forget to check out Newly Discovered Insta-Labels That You Need To Look At Before You Shop Your Trousseau

Indo Western Outfits

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If sarees and lehengas aren’t your scene, pick some fun indo-western outfits that will do the trick! You can pick fun cape outfits, jumpsuits or even the trending co-ord set to add to your bridal trousseau. Still confused? Check out Indo-Western Outfits Under 25K: Must-Have In A Bridal Trousseau

Light Suits & Kurtas

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For those endless dinners and events, pick a bunch of light kurtas and suits that you can use later too. Pick a fun chikankari set, a nice silk suit along with a few linen kurtas that you can pair with jackets and stoles for a new look!

Blouses

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This one is usually forgotten by brides. Along with the matching blouses on sarees that you buy, get yourself a gold and black blouse that can be matched on most sarees. A lot of times, in-laws gift sarees and expect you to wear them the next day. This way you have a well-fitted stylish blouse to do the trick!

Honeymoon & Western Outfits

Don’t forget your honeymoon outfits! Depending on the location you are travelling to, you can pick out fun outfits for your honeymoon. But try to pick looks that you can re-wear later too. That way they will not only add to your new wardrobe but also be worth the money you spend. Pick easy-to-wear dresses, tops and even swimwear that you can re-wear!

Jewellery

Bridal Jewellery

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Your bridal jewellery is one of the most important elements of your bridal trousseau. Depending on the look you want to achieve, you can go with a style you love. Even if you plan to opt for costume jewellery or rent jewellery on your big day, we would recommend you to invest in smaller pieces in real. A pair of gold jhumkis, small diamond earrings or small necklace. Your wedding is the one time you will invest and might as well invest in something good.

If you are going all real, you have a plethora of options. We recommend you mix it up for each event so you have a mixed set of jewels. If you are going with only diamonds on your wedding day, go for polki or jadau style for the reception, meenakari for the mehendi and intricate gold for the haldi. This way you will have one of each and all your looks will be different.

Indo Western Jewels

Along with traditional jewellery, pick some indo-western jewellery pieces that you can pair with all sorts of outfits without having to worry much. A navratna pendant and earring set, a stack of bracelets that you can mix and match, a pretty pearl drop earrings set. All of these can be worn with a lehenga as well as a simple kurta!

If you are worried, check out Real Brides Reveal – One Bridal Purchase Every Bride-To-Be Should Make When It Comes To Her Trousseau!

Makeup

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While we have made an extensive and in-depth list of all that you need to buy for your perfect bridal makeup trousseau here, what you should know is that you need to shop in bits and pieces. Try products out in sample and trial/mini sizes before committing to the full product. That way you can make an informed decision.

Bags

Image via Aza Fashions

How we love them! From clutches to totes, bags are a fun addition to your trousseau. We recommend picking up a lovely gold potli bag for all those smaller events, a multi coloured clutch that will go with all, a patent black bag and a fun metallic bag or a pearl stunner for those Diwali parties that you can style with Indian and western outfits!

Don't miss out on the Most Stunning Bags From These Hidden Gems Can Make Way Into Your Bridal Trousseau!

Skincare & Fragrances

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For your skincare, we recommend you go to a dermatologist to get your fix. Even if you do not have any skin issues, go to a dermat to get a basic skincare routine or any bridal package you may want.

For fragrances, pick something that speaks to your style. If you like more deeper notes, then go for woody, musk-based perfumes, for something light, opt for floral and fresh notes. Pick two, for your bridal trousseau and you can then build up your collection.

Accessories

Accessories are a must-have. Do not skip this. Pick hair accessories that you can style with your bridal outfits and the ones you can wear otherwise for your first Diwali, Karwachauth and events like that. Belts, metallic and leather will help put together a dupatta with a kurta or even a high-waisted pant look. Do not forget to pick up some good quality sunglasses that suit your face shape and style. We recommend you pick 2.

Shoes

This one can make or break all the looks you may create. Getting good quality shoes for all your bridal looks along with your post-wedding looks is super important. Don’t go for trends and looks over comfort when it comes to shoes, you will repent it later. Depending on your foot size and structure, opt for wedges or platform heels for your wedding. We do not recommend stilettos unless the walking is minimal. Also, take into consideration the venue – if you have to walk on lawns, sharp heels are a no-no.

We recommend a pair of nude pumps or block heels, a gold wedge sandal, a glittering kitten heel sandal and two pairs of fun comfortable flats. There are a plethora of styles in all of these that you can experiment with – kolhapuris, strappy kitten heels and the works. Brides are also opting in for fun bridal sneakers for sangeets and weddings to dance the night away! Check out some fun shaadi sneakers here.

Also some home grown labels for bridal shoes. Want to go lux? We have a luxury label list too!

What's more, we have a comprehensive list of how to take care of all of your bridal shoes!

Grooming Tools

Don’t worry, we are not adding a mixer grinder to your bridal trousseau. In today’s day and age, we are nothing without our tools. So, a basic hairdryer or if you are feeling fancier, you can get the Dyson Airwrap too. For those myriads of post-wedding dinners, a good blowout is a must. You can also add a diffuser if you are a curly-haired bride or a straightener if you like those straight locks. We also recommend getting a detangling brush that will take care of those tangled locks. Apart from hair, you will also need a few skin tools – facial razors or an epilator for any grooming woes. If you like to go painless, an electric shaver like Braun or Veet will also do the trick. Add an exfoliating bath & body glove for everyday baths.

Luggage

Image via Louis Vuitton

Everybody loves a set of good-looking luggage bags. To wheel it to your honeymoon or even to pack all your bridal trousseau in, we recommend purchasing a 3-luggage bag set in small, medium and large to take care of all your travel needs. Go designer with these SamsoniteXManishMalhotra luggage sets.

If you want to go traditional, you can also opt for trunks to store your bridal trousseau. We love this label for the prettiest trunks. If you want to go stylish with your trunks, Louis Vuitton does some really amazing pieces for your bridal trousseau.

Trousseau Packing

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And now the last of it all – the grand trousseau packing! In a lot of weddings, the trousseau is kept on display or is gifted at specific events which means it needs to look like a million bucks. While you can DIY the packing with your friends and cousins, here are some amazing trousseau packers who will take that task off the list for you.

Want to know more hacks and tips? Check out Real Brides Reveal: Trousseau Packing Hacks That Are Life-Savers!