Manifest Spotlight: Wedding Stylist Shikha Dhandhia

While many enjoy taking on the task of planning out wedding outfits, whether that’s for your own wedding or for a loved one’s, some may not want to deal with the chaos that accompanies it. From realising what looks best on you, to knowing when to dip your toe in the waters of experimentation, there is a lot to take stock of in wedding styling. This requires guidance. A stylist, more specifically, a wedding stylist, can do just that (and more). Shikha Dhandhia is one such stylist you can trust to get you through the chaos of choosing the right outfit for your wedding. Dhandhia approaches style with boldness, practicality, and sustainability and aims to make it much more accessible and real.

So, you can count on her to be the voice of reason and encouragement when you feel peer pressured to make certain choices and feel hesitant to experiment with new styles. Shikha has worked on a number of expansive weddings where she has strategised, planned and curated outfits for multiple members of the family, and understands the art of decisiveness and organisation when it comes to the creative field. So, if you’re looking to have someone do more than just tell you what to wear for your wedding, Shikha Dhandhia is your person.

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In Conversation with Wedding Stylist Shikha Dhandhia... 

Manifest: Tell us about how you began your styling journey. What inspired you to make this a career?

Shikha Dhandhia: My first source of inspiration was Anaita Shroff Adajania. I grew up seeing her as an example of what a career in styling looks. I am from Chennai and it being the city that is, I never felt there was any scope for learning or practising it as a profession. So, I let the thought of pursuing it as a profession go. I was working as a PR professional when I got married and continued doing so for some time when I moved to Bombay. But over time, while working with clients such as Ritu Kumar, I got a closer look at the work of styling. In 2016, I took a leap of faith and decided to take on styling work. I worked with a celebrity stylist for some time and then, a year later, made the choice to set up an independent practice with the goal to make style more accessible to the real world. And eventually, the branching off into bridal and wedding styling happened in 2019.  It’s been a great, great experience. It's not at all glamorous, that's one thing. The job calls for a lot of running around and conceptualising!

M: Can you also share the different aspects of bridal styling? What are the different categories of styling that a bridal stylist has to think about?

SD: Weddings are a lot more elaborate in the current day scenario. There are so many ceremonies and themes to take into account. A bridal stylist comes on board for the bride, the groom, the family to in a way, take the load off of them. Instagram and other social media platforms have given us access to so many designers and fashion, and that can be overwhelming. So, as a stylist, it is my job to sort through the different options available to you and help you make the best choice. And, to do this keeping in mind your budget, your body type and your personality. Stylists help you understand where to invest your money in terms of clothing options for your wedding.

I personally, always advocate for people to invest in attire that can be worn more than once, for it to be versatile and open to repetition. In fact, I’ve worn my own Sabyasachi bridal lehenga at least five times, already.

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So, as bridal stylists, we conceptualise by creating mood boards for your outfits, then we move onto the shopping process. Then, after the clothing trials, we finalise the customisations and take into consideration the jewellery options that would complement the outfit the best. I also share hair and makeup references with my clients, and arrange for the final date of the trial, so that the client does not have to get involved on a great scale. In the end, all the client has to do is show up for the shopping, the trials and leave the process satisfied and not taking on any kind of stress.

M: Can you delve a little more into how you create the mood-boards for your clients?

SD: Yes, so creating the mood boards also acts as an icebreaker between my clients and me. But essentially, a mood board showcases the kind of colour palettes and looks we want to go for, for each of the ceremonies and functions involved. It saves a lot of time when we finally go shopping for the outfits.

M: How often do your clients ask you to consider the theme of the ceremonies while styling them?  

SD: Very often. But I believe you cannot dress to blend in with the decor. Rather, you must dress to stand out against the decor.

M: What are some key style rules every bride should follow while choosing a blouse neckline?

SD: In my opinion, only two rules matter. When you look at your reflection in the mirror, you need to be comfortable and happy with the neckline. Sometimes if the blouse is too low-cut, it may be uncomfortable when you’re dancing or touching people’s feet to receive their blessings. And if it’s too short, it could turn out to be uncomfortable when you raise your arms. So essentially, I champion for comfort over everything else.

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And secondly, if you intend on wearing necklaces, then your neckline has to be open enough to let them sit well. And if you want to ditch necklaces, then try to choose necklines that are more closed or sit higher up. Because an open neckline without necklaces can end up looking like negative space and that usually doesn’t flatter the bride. You could choose to do this as a wedding guest, but as a bride it may look a little vacant.

For instance, as we all saw recently, Prateik Babbar and Priya Banerjee got married. And they wore open-ended garlands, which sat so well on their necklines!

M:  Can you give some pointers of the best shapewear to look your best self on your wedding day? 

SD: Most designers install cups inside their blouses. Having said that, Indian bridal wear is so heavily embroidered, that sometimes you may not even need the cups. But if the attire has terrible quality cups installed within the blouses, it’s best to use body tape or silicone cups. As for the lehenga skirts, they’re mostly high-waisted, so there isn’t much to worry about there.

M: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

SD: Interacting with people, hearing their stories, learning about their personalities. All of this! I love being a part of my clients’ happiest moments during the wedding.  Also, I got married 11 years ago, but because of my work, I get to relive the excitement of a wedding over and over again. And that always feels great.

M: Why do you think people should hire wedding stylists?

SD: Honestly? For their peace of mind. I’ve worked with a lot of joint families and often the brides are constantly bombarded with other people’s opinions. In such situations, a wedding stylist steps up to the plate and acts as the bride’s BFF and helps them stand in their decision without other people’s opinions impacting their choices.

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M: What advice do you have for women who are learning to be more confident in their skin for their wedding day?

SD: I think a part of the reason some people feel underconfident regarding their weddings, is how it will all translate on social media. And it is easier said than done but try to enjoy the moment. Don’t think about how it will all show up on social media. Because, at the end of the day, it’s about you and your partner, how you feel about each other, eating good food, enjoying time with family and lots and lots of dancing. That’s it.

M: Who are your favourite bridal designers and why?

SD: I think Tarun Tahiliani's workmanship is absolutely beautiful. But apart from him, Mayyur Girotra, Dabiri Couture, Anushka Khanna and Paulmi and Harsh are lovely!

M: Are there any specific wedding styling trends you can predict taking over this year?

SD: I think more minimalistic, clean, no-fuss looks are going to trend this year.

M: Can you share a funny or chaotic moment you experienced while working on a wedding recently? 

SD: One of my brides had come down from the US almost a year ahead of her wedding to wrap up the shopping. But, nearly a month before her wedding day, one of the garments that had been shipped to her was completely different to what we’d ordered. We had to get the garment back to India, get a new piece made and ship it to her all in a span of a month. It was crazy!

M: Do you have a fun memory from a recent wedding you’d like to share with us?

SD: I worked with a beautiful Bombay-based family, in January last year. On the day of the wedding, the bride’s father walked her down the aisle to a Gujarati poem he had written for her! I thought that was beautiful.

M: How important do you think it is to find one’s undertone in order to choose your bridal attire?

SD:  Not much, to be honest. I think there is a shade in every colour that works for every skin tone.

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M: How do you think the bridal styling industry or work evolved in the past 5-6 years?

SD: I think when the pandemic hit, people realised that a stylist being in the picture made things easier for the designers as well as the clients. So, people have started to realise hiring a stylist (for your wedding) is more of an investment than an expenditure.

Manifest Cheat Sheet

M: Who do you think should come to you to get styled for their wedding?

SD: Anyone who wants to enjoy their wedding and feel good and look their best on the big day.

M: How would you define your style of work?

SD: Easy, practical, reusable.

M: How far in advance should clients reach out to you?

SD: 6 months.

M: Can you give us an insight into the pricing details of your services?

SD: INR 50 K and above.