Butterfly pallu sarees

Recently, the trend for butterfly pallu sarees has become really popular. I think Sushmita Sen first made the butterfly pallu sari popular in Main hoon na. Remember the gorgeous red saree she wore that was a rage all of a sudden? But I must admit the butterfly pallu saris I found below are equally gorgeous. Whether you are looking to wear them for a wedding reception or a casual get together, these are sure to steal the show.

Wedding Saree collection

Saree is one of the most beautiful indian attires. I think it is very elegant and graceful. It can be worn for almost any occasion, be it a social gathering, a wedding, a party or a formal event. Of course,the type of sari worn depends on the type of event. The wedding saree will be different from a formal event saree. Today, i wanted to just showcase different types of sarees and how beautiful they look when combined with the appropriate accessories. And who better to showcase them than our very own Aishwarya Rai. I combined a lot of pictures from different events where Aishwarya looks absolutely gorgeous in a saree. Hope you like this collection as much as I do. :)

How to drape a saree

A Saree is one of the most elegant attires worn by the women in India. In most Indian cultures, Sarees or Saris are an essential bridal wear worn in weddings. A Saree is an un-stitched piece of fabric usually 6 yards in length which needs to be draped around the body to achieve the elegance and grace that epitomizes this great Indian garment. There are many ways in which a saree can be draped and it varies across the Indian sub-continent from state to state. However, the most common method is wrapping the cloth around the waist, making pleats in the front and draping the final length around the shoulder. The remaining fabric that is draped over her blouse and shoulder, falling behind her is called the pallu. For a wedding, the following are different ways to drape the saree:

1. Classic Indian saree drape

The Classic Indian style of draping the saree is quite common and is worn at weddings, poojas, traditional ceremonies, formal gatherings such as conferences, lectures or even to the office.

2. Maharani style saree drape

The Maharani style of draping the saree is quite common in weddings, poojas, wedding receptions and traditional ceremonies.

3. Mumtaz style saree drape

The Mumtaz style of draping the saree is named after the Bollywood actress Mumtaz. This style of draping was made popular in films in the seventies era and is popular even today in Indian parties and wedding receptions.

4. North Indian saree drape

The North Indian style of draping the saree is quite common in weddings, poojas, wedding receptions and traditional ceremonies.

5. North Indian saree drape long

The North Indian long saree drape is quite popular in parties and wedding receptions.

6. Indo-western style saree drape

The Indo-western style of draping the saree is also a favourite in parties and wedding receptions.

7. Devdas style saree drape

The Devdas style of draping the saree was made popular in the Bollywood movie Devdas by Aishwarya Rai. This style is quite popular in traditional ceremonies, poojas and weddings.

8. Western Innovative saree drape

The Western Innovative style of draping the saree is worn both in official gatherings such as conferences, lectures as well as parties and wedding receptions.

Wedding Shopping in Mumbai

Wedding shopping can be quite an expensive affair, but if you know the right places to shop, you can get some great deals that look and feel like a million dollars without costing you that much. While places like Surat in Gujarat and Jaipur in Rajasthan offer a plethora of indian wedding dresses at affordable prices, if you do not have the time and want to shop in Mumbai, here's a list of places you need to go to, to get great deals.

1. Dadar Market - One of the oldest markets in Mumbai for wedding shopping. Here you will find wedding dress shops like Paaneri (http://www.paaneriindia.com/web/index.asp), Lazaree (http://www.lazaree.com/), Rangoli,  which have been famous and synonymous with wedding sarees and dresses for years. Dadar Emporium is of course the biggest saree shop in Dadar.You will find a wide variety of sarees especially Maharashtrian Paithani sarees.
2. Nataraj Market, Malad (West) - This too is one of the oldest markets in Mumbai. It is very famous for Gujarati Panetar and Rajasthani sarees. There are hundreds of saree shops here. Rajhans, Sakhi, Roop Niketan and Rajkamal especially have the latest trends and a beautiful collection.

If you are looking for branded and designer label sarees, there are many wonderful boutiques in Mumbai that also have online shopping websites and showcase galleries.
1. Seasonsindia has its showroom in Santacruz (West). Check out the website for the latest trends.  (http://www.seasonsindia.com/)
2. Sheetal showcases designs from renowned designers like Hemant Trivedi and Aki Narula. They have quite a large collection of bridal wear online as well. (http://www.sheetalindia.com/web/shoponline/shop_searchresults.aspx?Sect=2) Sheetal has many stores across Mumbai in Oberoi mall (Goregaon East), Inorbit Mall (Malad West), Grant Road and across the globe.
3. Manish Malhotra - One of the most famous and most wanted bollywood designers has his flagship store in Khar (West). His website showcases bridal wear collections from his designs in the past years. (http://www.manishmalhotra.in/).
4. Vikram Phadnis - The newest designer known for his bridal wear collections. Katrina Kaif walked down the ramp in Vikram Phadnis bridal wear at a recent couture event. (http://www.vikramphadnis.com/home_inner.htm). He has his stores across the world. In Mumbai, you can find the Vikram Phadnis showroom at JVPD in Andheri.