The Rise of Traditional Jewellery in Celebrity Weddings

Over the past few wedding seasons, celebrity bridal style has taken a noticeably heritage-forward turn. Instead of relying solely on contemporary diamond sets, many leading women have leaned into traditional jewellery — pieces layered with regional significance, ritual value, and generational memory. Whether it’s intricate temple gold, heirloom polki, or culturally specific adornments like the mundavalya, these choices feel less about trend cycles and more about storytelling.

Actresses across industries have each used their wedding jewellery to reflect personal heritage rather than just aesthetic appeal. The result? Bridal looks that feel deeply rooted, visually rich, and culturally precise, signalling a larger shift where traditional jewellery isn’t just ceremonial — it’s becoming the defining style statement of modern celebrity weddings.

Rashmika Mandanna – A Temple Treasure Moment

Rashmika Mandanna’s bridal jewellery leans fully into the language of temple gold — unapologetically ornate, deeply rooted, and layered with intention. The look is anchored by a stacked arrangement of traditional South Indian necklaces: a close-set choker hugging the neckline, followed by multiple strands of gold beads and long harams punctuated with coin and mango motifs. Each piece feels inherited rather than assembled, as though it carries memory along with metal. The jhumkas are generously scaled, swaying with clusters of gold droplets, while a delicate maang tikka and nath frame the face without competing for attention. What makes this moment compelling is its refusal to dilute tradition for modern minimalism. In an era where brides often edit down their jewellery, Rashmika embraces abundance — proving that classic temple jewellery, when worn with conviction, doesn’t feel dated. It feels ceremonial, grounded, and unmistakably celebratory.

Yami Gautam – Rooted in Himachali Ritual

Yami Gautam’s bridal jewellery speaks in the language of ritual rather than trend. Framed by a vivid red veil, her look centres on heirloom-style gold — a tightly set choker engraved with intricate detailing, layered with longer strands that sit close to the heart. The oversized nath, complete with delicate pearls and a chain sweeping into the hairline, becomes the focal point, drawing the eye to the face and anchoring the entire ensemble in North Indian bridal tradition. A circular maang tikka rests firmly at the centre of her forehead, echoing temple-inspired motifs and reinforcing the symmetry of the look. Nothing feels borrowed for aesthetic effect; everything feels lived-in, almost ancestral. In choosing pieces that lean into cultural specificity rather than pan-Indian generalisation, Yami’s jewellery reminds us that modern celebrity weddings are no longer about dilution — they are about returning to where you come from, and wearing that history openly.

Soha Ali Khan – A Royal Paasa Statement

Soha Ali Khan’s bridal jewellery carried the quiet authority of legacy. At the centre of her look was the paasa — that crescent-shaped side headpiece long associated with Awadhi and Mughal courts — draped along her hairline with strands of pearls cascading softly against the temple. It shifted the gaze sideways, creating an asymmetry that felt deliberate and aristocratic. Around her neck, layers unfolded thoughtfully: a pearl-lined choker sitting high and close, followed by a striking green-beaded necklace anchored with a gold pendant dense with filigree and gemstones. The interplay between emerald-toned beads and warm gold gave the ensemble depth without overwhelming it. Her jhumkas echoed the same vocabulary, detailed yet controlled. What made this jewellery memorable wasn’t scale alone — it was specificity. The paasa wasn’t decorative flourish; it was lineage made visible, a nod to a cultural history that feels inherited rather than curated.

Sobhita Dhulipala – South Indian Grandeur

Sobhita Dhulipala’s bridal jewellery unfolded like a lesson in South Indian bridal grammar — precise, layered, and deeply ceremonial. Draped in molten gold silk, she leaned fully into temple-inspired pieces: a tight choker sitting high at the collarbone, followed by long kasu malas and coin necklaces that cascaded down the torso in deliberate symmetry. The waist belt cinched the saree while adding another horizontal line of gold, reinforcing structure through ornamentation. Her headpiece traced the centre parting with studded precision, and the heavy jhumkas framed her face with sculptural weight. Stacked bangles and vanki armlets completed the composition, ensuring no surface felt incidental. What stood out wasn’t just the volume of gold, but its coherence — every piece spoke the same visual language. 

Deepika Padukone’s bridal jewellery for her Sindhi ceremony was an ode to lineage, layered in diamonds and tradition. Against the vivid red of her lehenga, the stacked necklaces — beginning with a close-set choker and cascading into intricately set kundan and polki strands — created a dense, luminous frame around her neckline. The matha patti and maang tikka were positioned with architectural precision, extending across the hairline and centring the face, while statement earrings mirrored the intricacy of the necklaces below. Every element felt intentional, from the symmetry of the layering to the way the diamonds caught light beneath the dupatta. Rather than tempering tradition for contemporary appeal, Deepika leaned into the fullness of Sindhi bridal jewellery, allowing its scale and intricacy to define the moment. The result was not just bridal styling — it was cultural authorship, worn visibly and unapologetically.

Genelia D’Souza – Maharashtrian Grace in Gold

Genelia D’Souza’s bridal jewellery was a masterclass in Maharashtrian tradition, worn with the kind of ease that makes heritage feel lived-in rather than curated. The defining detail was the mundavalya — delicate strings of pearls draped across her forehead, framing her face with ceremonial precision. Paired with a crescent-shaped nath and layered gold necklaces studded with red and green stones, the look felt unmistakably regional and deeply personal. Her choker sat close to the neck, while longer haar styles added depth without overwhelming the Paithani silk. The gold carried warmth rather than glare, echoing the vermilion of her saree and the marigold energy of the ritual itself. There was clarity in the choices — nothing excessive, nothing diluted. In embracing every traditional marker, Genelia didn’t modernise the Maharashtrian bride; she honoured her exactly as she is, allowing the jewellery to speak in its original dialect of devotion and joy.

Priyanka Chopra – The Regal Polki Affair