Muslim Wedding Trends Every LA Bride Should Know
LA is the place where trends are made. It’s a destination for the elites. And as an LA native, you want to carry on with the spirit of partaking in those trends. After all, it’s one of the happiest days in your life.
It’s your wedding, and you want everything to be perfect. So, what can you add to the celebrations that would make your Muslim wedding modest but trendy, LA style?
Here are some trends in the Muslim wedding industry that are taking the world by storm:
1. “Other Than Red” Wedding Dress
This isn’t a particularly new trend. However, it has become even more popular, thanks to the insight and designs by Muslim wedding dress designers.
Colors such as blue, green, pinks, oranges, and purple reign in the wedding dress industry, with white taking the lead.
Considering that red is not for Muslim weddings, it makes sense to see so many women go back to the traditional wedding color in Islam. But, for those ladies who love red a little too much, many use this opportunity to combine their red dress with whites, gold, silver, and bronze to brighten their look even more.
You can have a color-contrasting dress for the wedding, then choose a nude dress for the Valima. Paired with some soft gold embroidery, you’ll be the belle of the ball.
2. Maximalism in Wedding Dresses
Many trends in the Muslim wedding world lean toward minimalism in all practices. But when it comes to choosing your bridal dress, that’s where you can get excited.
As long as the dress is within your budget, you can choose to have as embellished a dress as you want. Current trends in wedding fashion include full-sleeved blouses, color-blocked patterns, and dramatic sleeves. You also have scalloped borders in dupattas, traditional silhouettes like Anarkali dresses, Kurtis with trousers, mirror work and shimmer, boho styles, lace and pearls, and silver, gold, and bronze embroideries.
Pakistani designers are already known for their attention to exquisite beauty when it comes to wedding dress embroidery. Choose the right designer, or have your gown made by a specialist in the field. You can’t go wrong with it, as long as you can walk around in your heavy dress.
3. Budget Weddings
For the more fiscally conscious couples out there, budget weddings are the only way to go.
You start by shortening your guest list to a few dozen, stopping short of 50, having the wedding at home, renting a tux and the wedding dress from the rent shop (or investing in just your dress), and having relatives cook the food.
The recent lockdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant role to play in this downsizing. But, it has also given many couples the chance to save up for other plans. If you’re not one to particularly care about partying with your mom and dad’s 50 close friends, a budget Muslim wedding is right up your alley.
Remember to consult with the elders, but be firm with your decision. All it takes is a little leniency for that wedding party to go from 20 to 250.
4. Wedding Plates
And we’re not talking about ceramic and china!
There’s plenty to commemorate your wedding day. But nothing comes close to a beautiful, laser-cut stainless steel plate with your names, dates, and a small, sentimental script etched onto it.
These plates are specifically used to serve sweets for the bride and groom. But after you’re done, you can hang that plate in your living room and remember it as a special trinket from your special day.
Many couples have their portraits etched onto the plates. Some grooms even gift these to their brides on the wedding day. But, you can also gift this as a fun thing to the couple if you want a unique, memorable gift.
5. Nikah Pens
The simple act of signing your name on that dotted line changes your life for the better. You don’t want to do something like that with a BIC pen.
Nikah Pens are designed specifically for your Nikah day. These pens are decorated with glitter, feathers, and other adornments. You can also have your pen engraved with the date and your name and choose the type of pen nib you want.
While a Nikah pen isn’t an essential tool, it feels nice to have something special for that moment when you’re signing your name, something that entirely belongs to you.
6. First Looks
First looks were not a trend in Muslim weddings.
However, many couples have hopped on the bandwagon, and for a good reason. First looks not only provide breathtaking shots for the LA wedding photographer. They provide the couple with a beautiful moment. It’s an intimate time, away from prying eyes, and before the couple forges ahead into the crowd of guests.
First looks are typically taken after the Nikah, so if you’ve had the Nikah ceremony before the wedding, you can have the photographs taken in the morning. But, if you have the Nikah ceremony conducted during the wedding, you can always choose a separate time before heading onto the stage.
It’ll give you time to regroup, and your photographer will capture the moment you two see each other for the first time as husband and wife.
7. Bridal Masks
Unfortunately, we still live in a time where COVID-19 is still rampant. The virus is severe and can be fatal for anyone, whether they’re in excellent health or not.
Typically, couples during these times are only asking vaccinated people to attend their weddings. But even then, masks are mandatory. That’s where bridal masks are coming in handy.
Many excellent small designers now provide beautifully designed masks that the bride and groom can wear while meeting guests. These masks match your dress or suit, so it doesn’t look as clinical. In fact, it looks like a part of the outfit.
You can take the mask off once you’re done and for your photoshoot.
8. Small or Individual Cakes
Wedding cakes did not become a part of the Muslim wedding scene until reasonably recently. Pre-2020, the trend was to have humongous cakes that would be the center of attention. But it seems minimalism is in vogue.
Instead of large cakes, many couples have now switched to a smaller wedding cake or individual cakes for each person. Although more expensive than your average gulab jamun and lab-e-Shireen platter, these cakes suit the occasion, especially if you’re from LA.
You can also choose a cupcake tower with your small cake. However, if you only have a few guests, i.e., less than 20, it helps to have just that small cake.
Conclusion
The global population has gone through a lot in the past year. But those times have also encouraged us to get back to our roots.
Where previously, weddings were all about impressing people, they’ve reverted into small, modest celebrations of a couple’s union. As any Muslim bride or groom in LA knows, even a modest wedding can cost plenty. But, if you follow the recent trends, you’ll not only save plenty of money, you’ll have more memories and will genuinely enjoy the occasion