Mom's sari to Nani's challa and dad's watch: A Bollywood dream wedding with precious heirlooms |

Bollywood sets the ultimate standard for weddings, thanks in part to filmmakers like Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Along with other directors, they have inspired modern brides to go from extravagant to understated elegance. Beyond the silver screen, Bollywood continues to lead the way in real-life celebrations as well. Recent weddings highlight a crucial lesson: love lies in the finer details. Here’s a closer look at how B-Town celebrities honored their family heirloomscreating unforgettable moments that combine tradition and modernity.

Sonakshi Sinha Reused Her Mother Poonam's Wedding Saree For Her Own Registered Wedding
Last month, Sonakshi had her parents standing like pillars of support as she signed the document declaring Zaheer and her as husband and wife. The much-in-love couple was surrounded by their loved ones and completed the formalities on the balcony of Sonakshi's Mumbai residence. Despite the buzz surrounding their low-key wedding, a lot of effort went into getting the look the bride wanted. Opting for a lavish designer outfit, Sonakshi decided to repurpose her mother's wedding saree. The actress further paired the intricately embroidered ivory drape with jewellery borrowed from her mother's collection. Honoring her parents' married life, Sonakshi effortlessly reflected her mother's timeless elegance.

Priyanka Chopra's Wedding Dress Pays Tribute to the Chopra and Jonas Families
Priyanka Chopra's dream wedding in 2018 remains an iconic event. For the Christian ceremony, the actress collaborated with Ralph Lauren for a signature look, marking only the third time he's created a wedding dress in over five decades. The dress's exquisite details seamlessly fused her family's traditions and cultures.
RL Mag, Ralph Lauren's official in-house publication, described Priyanka's dress as follows: At Priyanka's request, eight special words and phrases were incorporated into the coat's embroidery design, including Hope and Compassion, as well as a Hindu mantra, Om Namaha Shivay, and December 1, 2018, the date of the ceremony. The placement of the groom's full name, Nicholas Jerry Jonas, on the front of the coat was mirrored on the back by his parents' names. (A piece of lace from the dress Nick's mother wore to her own wedding was also sewn into the design.) Family flowed down the right sleeve, where Priyanka has a wrist tattoo that reads “Daddy's Lil Girl.” And finally, just above her heart, the word Love was stitched in ivory thread.

Ranbir Kapoor wore his father Rishi Kapoor's watch
Rishi Kapoor's absence was palpable during Ranbir Kapoor's wedding festivities in 2022. The intimate wedding took place at Ranbir and Alias' Bandra home, in the presence of his close friends and family. Dressed in a sleek ivory sherwani, the groom paid tribute to his father by wearing his beloved watch, an 18-carat white gold watch with a blue alligator leather strap and Roman numerals, reportedly worth Rs 21 lakhs. The signature piece was indeed a memorable and elegant addition to Ranbir Kapoor's look.

Athiya Shetty Borrowed Her Grandmother's Antique Earrings For Her Mehendi Ceremony
KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty celebrated their enduring love with an intimate ceremony at the lavish Khandala farmhouse owned by the bride’s father. Amidst this cherished family setting, Athiya opted for a minimalist look by wearing a customised Chikankari lehenga embellished with Swarovski crystals for her Mehendi ceremony. She added a personal touch to her outfit by adorning her Nani’s shoulder-grazing heirloom earrings. This vintage charm echoed the bride’s deep emotions.

Parineeti Chopra added her Nanis challa to her wedding outfit
Parineeti Chopra was the happiest bride ever when she tied the knot with her longtime love Radhav Chadha in Delhi last year. The radiant bride wore an ivory lehenga designed by Manish Malhotra, complemented by statement jewellery that perfected her look. In a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother, Parineeti incorporated a precious item belonging to her grandmother into her wedding attire.
Explaining the details of the piece, Manish Malhotra shared, “Some details make all the difference. I distinctly remember discussing the design of the lehenga with @parineetichopra, who mentioned adding her nani’s challa (traditional keychain)! She wanted to pay a heartfelt tribute to her nani, who wore the same challa in her saree along with the keys, symbolizing her being the lady of the house. For Parineeti, the sound of the challa as her nani walked around the house was a melody of strength and grace. And that’s when I knew we HAD to add this piece of heritage to her lehenga. Of course, we added other elements that were important to Raghav and Parineeti like London, music, Khanda Sahib and more. It wasn’t just an accessory… but a piece of her that Parineeti would have on her special day.”

Kareena Kapoor Khan Wore a Heritage Sharara for Her Wedding
After her registered wedding to Saif Ali Khan in 2012, Kareena Kapoor donned a lehenga of great historical value. The vintage outfit holds deep sentimental value for the Pataudi family, having been originally worn by Begum Sajida Sultan of Bhopal at her wedding in 1939 and later gifted to her daughter-in-law Sharmila Tagore for her nikah in 1962. For Kareena's wedding, the rusty orange outfit with intricate gold detailing was meticulously restored and embellished by renowned designer Ritu Kumar.
Speaking about the restoration, Ritu Kumar had told TNN in 2012, “Kapda ekdum khatam ho gaya tha, only the border was there, and we had to recreate the embroidery with the original thread, and also completely reweave the old Banarasi fabric, it took a lot of patience. Since I am interested in restoration, I can say that it was perhaps a masterpiece of the Wajid Ali Shah period. It was painstakingly recreated inch by inch, in the manner of purane zamane mein pure gold thread ka kaam hota tha, that’s how it was done, we basically wove a piece of gold.” Ritu Kumar invested nearly six months to design and recreate the odhni and the outfit.

Beyond sunset silhouettes, floral sagas and lavish traditions, Bollywood brilliantly repurposes iconic objects and pays homage to its heritage in its own unique way. Take inspiration from our B-Town celebrities and give your shaadi that emotional touch.