The Celebrities Who Said No to Red Bridal Lehengas

For generations, red has been almost synonymous with an Indian wedding, with every bride, each time, decked in beautiful shades of red. Looking ethereal as they always do, the bridal red lehengas hold a symbolic charm. It has been the quintessential colour symbolising prosperity and sacred beginnings. But in recent years, a new wave of celebrity brides has gracefully moved away from this tradition, embracing softer tones. 

While red may be timeless, the new age brides have gradually shifted towards colours that reflect individuality and understated elegance. From Alia Bhatt’s ivory lehenga to Parineeti Chopra’s champagne gold attire, these hues have set new standards for what bridal glamour looks like without losing the essence of the occasion.

Times Bollywood Brides Did Not Wear Red

Mira Rajput – Early Pastel Pioneer

Long before it became popular, Mira Rajput, who married Shahid Kapoor in July 2015, chose a delicate pastel-pink lehenga with little makeup. Despite the lack of media attention at the time, bridal fashion enthusiasts have noted that she was one of the first Bollywood brides to choose pastels over red. Since then, Mira's carefree demeanour has been acknowledged as subtly influencing the evolution of bridal conventions.

Anushka Sharma – Blush-Pink Breakthrough

Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Tuscany wedding in December 2017 is etched in people’s minds and for all the right reasons. One of them was Anushka Sharma’s elegant blush-pink lehenga that caught everyone’s eye. The Bollywood actress wore a dreamy pastel pink Sabyasachi lehenga detailed with floral and butterfly motifs. Its soft hue, worked on for over 30 days, became a viral bridal trend and became the first to hint at a shift in the bridal wear trends, toward softer palettes.

Alia Bhatt – Ivory Elegance

Alia Bhatt’s intimate wedding ceremony at home with Ranbir Kapoor surprise. Nonetheless, it did not come as a shock when Alia Bhatt opted out of wearing a red lehenga. The actress wore an ivory hand-dyed organza saree by Sabyasachi, embroidered with delicate tilla work and topped with a tissue veil. Coupled with her light makeup and statement jewellery from Sabyasachi, the understated look introduced bridal minimalism into the mainstream bridal industry.

Kiara Advani – Rose-Gold Romance

Kiara Advani got married to Sidharth Malhotra in 2023 in the most elegant bridal attire. Adorning a custom rose-pink lehenga by Manish Malhotra paired with the emerald statement pieces, her attire was one for the books that inspired multiple women to get similar bridal lehengas with light hues. Inspired by their love for Rome, the lehenga featured Swarovski crystals and intricate embroidery referencing architectural motifs, resulting in a regal yet intimate look.

Parineeti Chopra – Champagne Chic

Also stepping away from red, Parineeti Chopra married Raghav Chadha in a handcrafted champagne-hued lehenga by Manish Malhotra. With gold thread embroidery and a personalised tulle veil featuring her husband’s name, the ensemble was romantic, luxurious, and deeply personal and another example of the elegance that comes with minimalist hues. While red is still the colour most women would prefer in a bridal lehenga, the new trend of light colours is not one to miss out.

Sonakshi Sinha – Vintage Ivory Heirloom

Sonakshi Sinha's ivory saree was indeed a hit. She surprised fans with her choice of a finely embroidered ivory saree that belonged to her mother, and she wore it on her wedding day with Zaheer Iqbal on 23 June 2024. Such vintage attire, complemented by heirloom jewelry, provided an emotional code and classic dignity.

Athiya Shetty- Pastel Pink Chikankari Masterpiece

Athiya Shetty married KL Rahul, a cricket player. At her father's farmhouse in Khandala, on January 23, 2023, in a private ceremony attended by family and friends. The bride opted for a gorgeous pink-hued silk lehenga by Anamika Khanna, embellished with intricate zardozi, jaali, and chikankari work, in keeping with the fashion tradition of not wearing red. Known as the "OG pastel bride" in bridal style circles, her ensemble, which was accessorized with polki jewelry and an ivory sherwani for the groom, achieved the ideal harmony between handcrafted workmanship and pastel romance.

Rakul Preet Singh – Ivory & Blush by Tarun Tahiliani

Rakul Preet Singh, who wed Jackky Bhagnani in Goa on February 21, 2024, looked stunning in a pastel lehenga by Tarun Tahiliani that was adorned with 3D blossoms in blush and ivory. She accessorized it with a long-structured veil, pearl and crystal embellishments, and translucent tulle sleeves. The look's fresh, contemporary, yet opulent vibe won acclaim from onlookers. She further demonstrated her prominence as a style pioneer by wearing a silver-white lehenga during their Mumbai reception.

Aditi Rao Hydari – Elegant Beige-Silver Sophistication

A private temple wedding took place on September 16, 2024, in which Aditi Rao Hydari married Siddharth in a bespoke beige silk lehenga designed by Sabyasachi. With golden zari borders, the ensemble was a combination of Maheshwari tissue, a Banarasi tissue-running-dupatta, and traditionalistic gold jewelry. The bridal look along with the flower adornment in hair was uplifted by the South Indian C-shaped elegance. Light makeup paired with calm shades and understated aesthetics perfectly defines the ever-increasing current in culturally resonant minimalist bridal wear.