Bold and Bride

  • | Thursday | 5th December, 2019

Tara is one among the several women who are bent on deconstructing and transforming the concept of a stereotypical ‘coy’ bride. A section of people were unable to digest the glamourous concept of a bride and shunned the image citing ‘moral aspects’. “The public must recognise that the notion of a shy bride and her dominant groom is changing. Earlier, the bride had to comply with the suggestions offered by the groom’s family in terms of her outfit. Now, the lot has jumped on the ‘Save-the-Date’ and the bold bride bandwagon.

Deena Theresa By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bride-to-be Tara Mathew is on top of the world. She is set to recreate her parents’ wedding photoshoot for her upcoming wedding in 2020. “They had a post-wedding shoot which featured my dad on a Jawa motorcycle while my mother held on to him. I’ve turned the tables for mine. I’ll be riding a bullet and my fiancee will be the pillion rider,” she quips. Tara is one among the several women who are bent on deconstructing and transforming the concept of a stereotypical ‘coy’ bride. “I’m aware that riding a bike may not be everyone’s choice to depict a daring bride but it is indeed a small step for me, coming from a conservative family,” she continues. A few days ago, social media went wild when the ‘Save the Date’ pictures of a Pune-based Malayali couple, shot at Athirappilly, went viral for the wrong reasons. A section of people were unable to digest the glamourous concept of a bride and shunned the image citing ‘moral aspects’. “The public must recognise that the notion of a shy bride and her dominant groom is changing. Earlier, the bride had to comply with the suggestions offered by the groom’s family in terms of her outfit. Now, she has the absolute liberty to decide her wedding trousseau,” says Dr Saranya Prabhakaran, who got married recently. Pic ? Wedding Elements Saranya, who had a ‘Save-the-Date’ shoot at Marine Drive, says that public spaces have turned out to be more accommodating. “Moral policing was stronger earlier. Now, society has recognised the money-making aspect of the wedding business. The spots where we shot even had additional spaces with changing rooms,” she says. Wedding photographers, who play a fundamental role in making the couple comfortable, say the same. “Save-the-date videos arrived two years ago. Couples these days are extremely outgoing, energetic and are willing to go to any lengths for the shot they require. They’re also comfortable with the photographers. People are willing to invest about Rs 30,000 solely for such a shoot. Memories have become keepsakes. Simultaneously, social media plays a tremendous role. Everyone wants their videos to go viral. That in itself is an encouragement for a shy couple to liven up themselves,” says Jidhun M G, a wedding photographer who works with Plush Affairs. However, like every trend, could this be a fad? “Definitely,” says Boney Sudhakar, chief marketing officer with Magnolia Events in Kochi. “When the cinematic style of shooting arrived, everyone wanted their wedding shoots to look the same. Slowly, it went out of style. Now, the lot has jumped on the ‘Save-the-Date’ and the bold bride bandwagon. Often, a couple might want a certain look which may not suit them. But as professionals, we’re bound to do what the client wants,” he says. While a section of the society might cheer the versatility of the Indian bride and the evolution of such shoots, these might be just a surface - level of modernism. “Primarily, the ‘change’ is for social media and the post to go viral. The shy, conservative image of a woman hasn’t changed much. Considering the issues around us, the social structure and status of a woman have not altered. Women are controlled in terms of their mobility and morality,” says writer C S Chandrika, writer. The so-called bouts of daringness might not paint the actual picture. “As the economic status of women has changed, they have to drive themselves to work and support the family. She has responsibilities but that doesn’t translate into having freedom. Women can break the traditional norm but religion, the caste system and patriarchy will always be around,” she adds.

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