Weddings in Bangladesh have incorporated customs from the world over and in recent years the inclusion of a Bridal Shower in the wedding festivities has soared in popularity. Given the already long list of events, I personally did not think I would have the time or energy to have one for myself, but the insistence and support of my wonderful friends and family made it happen, and I am so incredibly glad that it did.
THEME: Old Hollywood Glam
I have long held a special admiration for the signature styles of classic Hollywood icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Their immaculately presented looks exuded elegance and class, and the bridal shower gave me the perfect opportunity to replicate the styles, silhouettes, hair and make-up that reigned in popularity in their era. Not only that, this event also allowed me to decorate my house with in beautiful vintage theme that perfectly complemented the existing décor.
A red carpet entrance for our guests
With my dearest mother
The Photo Booth
THE DRESS
This was the only event in which I wore a non-traditional attire and as I chose to wear bright and bold colours for the majority of my other events, we contrasted the look with the other events and opted for a pearlescent white. Like all my other attires, this dress too was designed my talented mother, Shamima Nabi.
Keeping in mind the popularity of the A-line silhouette in the 1950s (along my personal likig for the silhouette), she designed a long flowy gown with touches of silver. The sweetheart illusion neckline, synced waist and capped sleeves all went well with my particular body type, which is something I believe one should always keep into consideration when selecting a dress for a special occasion. As we were channelling the glamour of the stars of the yesteryears, some form of stole, cape, wrap or even poncho was also a must. Although fur is often a popular choice for a wrap, I am personally not the biggest fan (unless it’s faux), and so my mom custom made a tailored cape with lace, net and a glimmer of glitter and pearls.
On the day, my mom too brought out her inner 1950s superstar. Despite the fact that she had broken her foot in two places just three days prior, she gave it her absolute best and fully participated in each and every one of the events and activities, an effort that I will truly cherish forever!
Our guests who chose to wear traditional attires followed an old Bollywood theme, where they took inspiration from the looks of Madhubala, Sharmila Tagore, Zeenat Aman and other classic Bollywood beauties.
HAIR + MAKE-UP
This theme called for waves and barrel pinned curls, and that is exactly what I went for. I accessorised my hair with a pearl headband and for my jewellery wore statement diamond earrings and bracelets.
As I was following in Monroe’s footsteps, red lips were a necessity! With a touch of blush and illuminator, I kept my eye shadow simple, and applied clearly defined winged eyeliner and long (but not unnatural) lashes.
My mom also chose a similar style of hair and make-up, and it was through this event that we discovered how much curls suited her. The style also went on to influence some of her looks in the other events, which I will be posting about in the near future.
This all girls event was incredible fun, from song, dance, laughter to bridal games, competitions and gift distributions everything was packed into those few hours. My wonderful aunt provided endless entertainment for the guests and assumed all responsibility on the evening due to mom’s unfortunate accident. The event well and truly could not have taken place without her!
Three generations: Me with my adorable grandmother, mom, and aunt
My dearest cousins
Gifts for our guests
Food!
This was only the very first event of the wedding festivities and over the next few weeks I will be posting about all about the events that followed. Stay tuned!
Nabila: Trends and Traditions 
Hi Nabila,
First of all a huge congratulations on your wedding!
I stumbled upon your blog only last evening and it’s so refreshing to read both your descriptions explanations about our cultural wedding rituals and the relevant significance. What a great idea! It’s an eye opener especially for non Bangladeshi backgrounds and not to mention clarification for some people from the sub continent too.
Your celebratations look spectacular! I noticed you’ve made reference to your mother for many of your outfits. That is truly special 🙂 The cape you wore to your bridal shower is almost on point to what I have been recently searching for and almost gave up. Is there anyway you can give me a lead to get a piece for myself? – will be much appreciated.
All the best for this journey ahead
Warm regards,
A
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Thank you so much, Afsana. I’m incredibly glad that you’re enjoying the posts and I have plenty more coming. Bangladeshi weddings are so unique and I love telling everyone about our special customs and rituals.
About the cape, my mother is a designer and she retails in Bangladesh. That specific piece was designed for me, but something very similar can be arranged. The lace and net would to be of a somewhat different pattern as we don’t have any more of the exact fabric of my cape, but a similar look can be achieved. If you’re interested, let me know 🙂
Kind Regards,
Nabila
Her boutique is called Nabila (www.facebook.com/nabila.boutiques) and we retail a wide range of traditional and indo-western clothing. If you’re in the country, please feel free to drop by 🙂
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Thanks for getting back to me :)..unfortunately I’m not in town. I have visited your boutique before. Currently I’m in sydney; what is the best way to get in touch with Aunty? I’ve just fb messaged but happy to call your store if you prefer.
Ps: so glad your embarking on this blog journey and opening the world to the art in our heritage and weddings!
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Hi Afsana, I’m very sorry for the late reply. I haven’t been on here lately as my research has been consuming all my time. If you want you can message me via facebook http://www.facebook.com/nabila25 and I can answer all your queries. It’s Nabila Nabi. Looking forward to hearing from you 🙂
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