12 Top Designer Bridal Sarees [Complete Guide]

Your wedding day is one of the most cherished memories of your life. People spend thousands of dollars on their wedding ceremony and reception in order to fully celebrate the start of their new lives. There is an extremely long list of things to do, buy, and prepare for, none more important to a bride than what she wears. Choosing the pieces to making a bridal saree takes a long time, so you should always start early and be careful in your decisions as you might not have time to change them. More and more brides are selecting to wear beautiful designer sarees for their wedding, but there are so many options out there that it can be overwhelming to know which one to choose.

The best designer sarees for weddings are made by Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, and Nikasha. Our top pick is this Sabyasachi Butterscotch Saree. Our budget pick is the Panash Maroon Zari Saree. Check out our entire list below to see all of the best designer bridal sarees.

Find below an infographic explaining about best designer sarees in a visual way, based on designers, saree types and also tips in choosing a bridal saree.

What is a designer saree?

A designer saree is an elevated and exclusive version of the traditional saree dress that is focused on innovative designs and high-quality materials. They are created by the industry’s top leaders and brands and set the fashion trends for the future seasons. They are the most sought after and desired wedding attire for young women. Designer sarees are creations that take inspiration from regional arts and culture and blend it with the western styles to craft an entirely elegant and one-of-a-kind dress. They are high-end and considered as a status of luxury and sophistication. If you want to shine at your wedding, then you will want to wear a designer bridal saree.

How is Designer Saree different from a normal saree?

While all types of sarees can be found with beautiful designs and colors and will be made out of lovely fabrics like silk and Pashmina, designer sarees are much more luxurious and special. They take even finer materials than normal sarees. They use fabrics like velvet and chiffon to create unique pieces that look like a piece of art.

Designer sarees are typically reserved for important occasions and celebrations, unlike normal ones which can be worn for everyday uses. The high-end designers blend traditional styles with modern inspirations in their designs, so they never look typical or expected. Normal sarees do not use a western style to influence their dress and they are rarely multi-colored like designer ones. They tend to be dyed only one singular color.

Designer sarees are also different than normal ones because their designs are exquisitely hand-woven and painstakingly crafted with gorgeous embroidery and embellishments. Designer sarees also accessorize and style the blouse using lovely thread and stones to weave a beautiful pattern and cut. So much work and labor go into each design, as well as all of the luxury materials, so they cost much more than a normal saree.

Why you should have a designer saree for your wedding

Wedding ceremonies are considered an incredibly special occasion, so it stands to reason that you as the bride should dress to match it. As a bride, you want to grab the attention of everyone in the room and make their jaws drop, which means you will need to wear an artistic design that no one has ever seen before. Normal sarees are typically only found in one single vibrant color. Designer sarees for wedding are made in multi-color and have more vibrancy and energy to them. You have much more impact when wearing a designer bridal saree.

Because of their quality and labor efforts, designer sarees for wedding are quite expensive and costly. By wearing a lavish one to your wedding you are showcasing your wealth and level of success, as well as your elite fashion sense. You can not only show off the success you have now but use it to represent the success and wealth that your future marriage will bring you. These unique dresses bring glamor into your celebration and set the tone for the rest of your marriage.

Which designer saree is best for wedding?

There are so many different designers in the wedding industry who create stunning sarees, so it can be quite stressful to have to choose just one. To help you decide which designer bridal saree to wear at your wedding ceremony and celebrations, we have compiled this list for you. Here are our favorite 12 top designer bridal sarees:

1. Top Pick: Sabyasachi Butterscotch Saree

This gorgeous designer saree for wedding is delicately embroidered and features a silk quilted blouse. It comes in a light butterscotch or nude color and is ultra-modern and fashionable. It has a very haute style that will make you look as if you were walking down the runway. You will easily capture everyone’s attention when you put on this dress.

2. Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Green Velvet Lehenga Set

This duo of designers always manages to create such magical bridal sarees. The green velvet of this dress is absolutely gorgeous and will look amazing on you no matter your skin tone or size. It is a lovely material and dyed in such a vibrant and stunning color. The embroidery is done by hand and covers the entire bodice and panel. It is also accented by gorgeous jewels. You will feel absolutely luxurious in this heavenly dress.

3. Tarun Tahiliani Mukaish and Chikankari Lehenga

This ivory colored dress is reminiscent of a traditional western wedding. Blend two cultures together with the “white wedding dress” in the form of a saree. The peplum style blouse is a unique look and together with the tulle give the dress a modern look while still tying in traditional roots.

4. Panash Maroon Zari Saree

You cannot go wrong with a dress at this inexpensive price. For about Rs3,600, this saree is a perfect choice for those on a budget. It comes in a gorgeous maroon color and is made out of lightweight georgette fabric. Even at such a low price it still has zari and stone work as well as an unstitched blouse.

5. Nikasha Pink Lehenga Set

If you want a more bubbly and fun color palette to match your happy wedding mood, try this pink and green combination. You will always feel cheerful when wearing these colors. The saree has a lively and youthful feel to it and is perfect for all of your celebrations. The colors will also look great in all of your photos.

6. Sabyasachi Lemon Sheer Saree

A golden lemon color, this saree stands out as a chic and stylish choice. With a dainty sheer dress, you can become a beautiful and delicate bride. The tulle on the saree is also embellished with gorgeous flower details, adding to the fairy-like style.

7. Tarun Tahiliani Embroidered Lehenga

Make a show-stopping entrance to your wedding in this stunning lehenga. The rich red dress is decorated with such amazingly detailed embellishments and threading. It is the saree of every woman’s dreams. You will have the wedding of all weddings when you wear this inspiring saree.

8. Panash Pink Thread Embroidered Silk Saree

This beautiful saree is just under Rs6,000. It comes in a delicate pink silk with intricate thread embroidery all over the dress as well as zari and stonework at the border. It also comes with an embroidered pink silk blouse. 

9. Nikasha Orange and Pink Lehenga Set

A classic color combination that never fails, orange and pink are fantastic choices to wear to celebrate a memorable day. They are upbeat and energetic, setting the tone for a fun wedding day. You cannot help but smile while wearing this jovial dress.

10. Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Maroon Gota Lehenga Set

This saree represents the ultimate haute couture dress. It looks like it came right off of the runway model. The embellishments are exquisite, and the rich red is nicely complemented by the gold blouse. If you want to be dressed in luxury, this is the saree to get.

11. Niva Fashion Saree

This saree is a great choice when you are on a tight budget but still want to look chic. Bridal sarees can be overly expensive, so if you need to find one that is cheap, choose this one. It comes in a wide variety of vibrant colors, and still manages to have a heavy embroidery design. The orange and red colors are exceptionally beautiful choices.

12. Mirral Green Embroidered Silk Saree

A striking green color with a thick embroidered border that is discounted for Rs11,000. It comes in a lovely silk material and includes a blouse in a similar color and embroidery as the border.

How to choose a bridal saree

You should begin shopping for your wedding saree a few months before your wedding day. Research the current trends, which options you prefer, and price ranges ahead of time.

Set your budget

Set your budget before you start looking for dresses, otherwise you might get upset seeing beautiful dresses that you can’t have. Depending on where you live, you can find an Indian bridal store nearby or even buy one online and have it shipped to you.

The dress you choose depends entirely on what styles you would like to be adorned in. Designer sarees take traditional inspirations and blend them with western modern fashions, thus creating an entirely original piece of clothing. You should find a designer whose patterns and work you admire, and also determine which traditional styles you prefer.

Choose local designers

Perhaps you would like to purchase from designers in Hyderabad, who are heavily influenced by the Mughal traditional looks. You could also select designer sarees from Mumbai where they channel on the allure of Bollywood in their designs.

Materials and Colors

Once you know the region of design that fits you best, you can then begin to look at materials and colors. Make sure you select luxurious materials and multiple colors that work well together. Silk is the most common material amongst wedding sarees. Use different or additional fabrics to change up your dress and tailor it to your tastes and style. You should decide whether you want tulle, velvet, satin, or chiffon.  

Red is the most traditional wedding color as it signifies a strong marriage, but many brides are choosing other colors like yellow or green. You have every color available to you; just make sure that it matches your skin tone. Figure out your skin tone as well as your undertones and see whether warm tones or cool tones suit you best.

Choosing the blouse

You also need to find the right choli, or blouse, to complete the look. It needs to pair perfectly with your saree. The best ones are in a different or complementary color—usually matching the color of the threading in your dress. Many sarees come with extra unstitched material for you to use to make your choli. Your blouse should always have some sort of embellishment, embroidery, or mirror work. Your entire look needs to tie together, so put effort into finding the best choli for your saree.

Purchase two sarees

Ideally, you would purchase two sarees. Every bride dreams of being able to have two designer sarees, one for the ceremony and another for the reception. For the ceremony, choose sarees that are darker shades, heavier materials, and full of embellishments. You want to wear a dramatic piece that signifies the importance of the wedding ceremony. For the party, though, you want to choose something light and easy to move around in, meaning less embroidery and embellishments.

Focus on the entire look, as the dress, embellishments, color of the thread, and even shoes and accessories need to be cohesive and look good together. Either purchase a pre-made design, or work with designers to tailor an entirely original piece just for your wedding.

How much designer sarees cost?

The price range for designer sarees once again depends on you. They can cost anywhere from Rs30,000 all the way up to Rs700,000. The type of material, accessories, jewels, and designer you choose all affect the total price. On average, though, they tend to cost around Rs100,000.

However, it is not impossible to find beautiful bridal sarees while on a budget. You can easily find sarees for only Rs3,000. The material and embroidery will not be as grand, and it definitely will not be handwoven, but it will still look lovely on you. Weddings are expensive. Buying two designer bridal sarees is just not feasible for some brides, but that does not mean they can’t buy a gorgeous dress.

You could even save more money if you tried going directly to smaller saree manufacturers. Go directly to the source and try to buy a saree before it gets sent to a store where the price will be marked up. Smaller boutiques could also lower prices if you purchase in bulk for your siblings and relatives as well.

Types of saree

There are over a dozen different kinds of sarees you can purchase and wear, each with their own unique tradition and history. Designer sarees use these styles as inspiration for their own designs. Figure out which type of saree you like best to help you decide upon a designer and style.

• Kanjeevaram—These are elegant traditionally woven sarees made out of silk and are found in rich and vibrant colors. They are the epitome of sophistication. They are a very common choice for a wedding dress.

• Bomkai—Great for celebrations and festivals, these sarees are made with silk or cotton and embroidered with delicate yet intricate patterns.
• Paithani—This elegant saree is made out of silk and typically has a peacock design. It features many different motifs and colors, making it a handwoven specialty.
• Muga—Known for using the best silks, these types of sarees are incredibly durable and luxurious. They use a specific silk produced by a silk larva that only feeds on two kinds of leaves. These dresses are one-of-a-kind.
• Kasavu—Traditionally it was only a stole draped over a blouse with a dhoti or mundu. Originally called Settu, it has now been modernized with real golden threads woven into a wide golden border.
• Pochampally—Made with the famous Pochampally silk, these sarees are found in silk and cotton with geometric patterns that are fit for royalty.
• Banarasi—These sarees were only allowed for royalty due to the real gold woven into them. Their golden motifs and details are incredibly intricate. This silk is the ultimate dream for a bride to wear, but it can be costly.
• Leheriya—A popular dress made using a tie-dye process. Fun colors and cool tie patterns make these sarees great for daily wear.
• Chanderi—Woven with silk, cotton, and zari, the fabric of this saree is so light that they are perfect for everyday use. You will not even notice that you are wearing it. It looks glossy and comes in beautifully vibrant colors.
• Sambalpuri—This handwoven dress has incredibly rich colors due to the threads being dyed beforehand. They are then woven into a delicate form that will always look as beautiful as the day you purchased it.
• Phulkari—This saree is covered with embroidered flowers on cotton fabric. They use bright colors and dynamic patterns.
• Konrad—This saree was originally made for temples. It can usually be found with animal motifs and a wide border.
• Taant—This saree is a casual dress perfect for daily life. It is made out of cotton, so it is extremely light and airy. It has a thick border and fun prints and patterns.
• Lehenga Choli—a 3-piece set that showcases the midriff and worn for special occasions. It has beautiful embellishments and embroidery. It is a thicker and heavier type of saree. The lehenga is becoming the top choice for weddings and bridal sarees.

2021 Wedding Saree Trends

This past year has been stressful because of the pandemic, and many weddings and events have been forced to cancel. As the year went on, though, many couples were fortunate enough to be able to hold celebrations with their friends and family. Despite many weddings not taking place, this year still saw many trends popping up within the bridal saree industry.

Banarasi Silk

Every bride dreams of being able to wear a saree made out of Banarasi silk on her wedding day. It is one of the most luxurious silks you can find. These sarees were originally only available for royalty to wear. Women want to feel like queens at their ceremony, so they aspire to be draped in a dazzling Banarasi silk saree.

Orange

Orange is the top color choice of most women for their wedding sarees. Women love the vibrancy and energy that it provides, plus it pairs so well with other flattering colors. You can never go wrong with a color combination of orange, pink, and red. It gives you a youthful glow and is perfect for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Orange also is universally flattering and works well with almost any skin tone.

Lehenga Sarees

The minimalistic style of the lehenga has captured the hearts of the bridal community and is now becoming the trendiest type of bridal saree. They are versatile and can be dressed in numerous ways, look fantastic on any woman and with any style, and are comfortable enough to wear for the long celebrations.

Pastel Colored Sarees

Pastel has been making its way through all avenues of the fashion industry, and bridal sarees are no exception. Women love the light and delicate colors of lavender, baby pink, and peach. When you do not want to wear a loud and vibrant red or green traditional wedding saree, opt for a muted and softened pastel color to show off your delicate nature. They are amazing at appearing glamorous without being ostentatious.

Styling a Saree

Many women have a difficult time planning their wedding ceremonial outfit as they have to curate an entire cohesive look so that nothing looks out of place or mismatched. It can take a lot of time to find all of the right pieces to complete your look. Make sure you pair your saree with the right shoes and accessories to look your absolute best on your wedding day.

Draping a saree

The classic way to drape a saree is just straight across with some pleating. You will see many brides wearing this type of draping.

You could also select a “can can skirt” which drapes it so that the pleats are in the back.

Or perhaps you don’t want to have any pleating at all and just drape it naturally over your shoulder.

The Banjaran style can be seen in two different ways: as a shawl that rests on the left shoulder and has no pleating, or as a free flowing one that has no pleats on hips.

An incredibly regal look is the double pallu, as it is an elegant way to drape a two-tone patterned saree.

Which shoes to wear with a saree?

Sandals

A wedding can be an exhausting ordeal. It is a full event that takes days to complete, so you should try and avoid wearing heels for as long as you can. Ideally the best shoes to wear with your saree are sandals. You can find some with embellishments and colors that match your saree.

Strappy Heels

Strappy heels will always be at the forefront of fashion, as you can never go wrong when you choose a pair. They can be dressed up or down, so you know that you can easily match a pair to your bridal saree and all the other dresses in your closet.

How to accessorize a saree?

Statement Earrings

If you decide not to go with a bold necklace, definitely throw on some statement earrings! Dangling earrings with jewels and embellishments can effortlessly complete a look. This trend will not stop any time soon, so pick out a pair that will grab everyone’s attention.

Bangles

One of the best ways to style a saree is by adding some heavy bangles to each of your wrists. Once again, make sure the jewelry all matches the threading and embroidery of your saree. Bangles are effortlessly fashionable and can be easily used to accessorize any type of saree.

Avoid clashes across accessories and sarees

Whichever accessories you decide to add to your saree, make sure you match them to the design and look of your dress. Avoid clashing with colors and materials. Also, although each of these accessories are fantastic, remember that less is more. Do not over accessorize and take away from the beauty of your dress. These are supposed to feature in your outfit and enhance the look, not overshadow your saree.

There is so much work that goes into planning your bridal dress attire. Shopping for your dress should be at the very top of your to-do list, as it can take a long time to find the right designer and materials, and even longer to get the pieces together and fitted.

Wrapping Up

When you are considering which designer saree you would like to have, your main concern will be your budget. How much are you willing to spend? The next questions to ask yourself are what type of saree do you want to wear; what color, threading, and design should it have; and then, how will you style it? The top designers for bridal sarees are Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, and Nikasha. You will find something you love from each of these designers—they are all extremely talented and produce only the best sarees. Whether you are on a strict budget or are throwing a lavish celebration, they have a wide variety of dresses to choose from.