Mom's saree to Nani's challa and Dad’s watch: Decoding Bollywood weddings that feature treasured family heirlooms

Bollywood sets the ultimate standard for weddings, thanks in part to filmmakers like Karan Johar and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. They, along with other directors, have inspired modern brides to transition from extravagant to understated elegance. Beyond the silver screen, Bollywood continues to lead the way in real-life celebrations too. Recent weddings underscore a crucial lesson: love resides in the finer details.Here's a closer look at how B-Town celebrities have honored their family legacies, crafting unforgettable moments that blend tradition with modernity.

Sonakshi Sinha repurposed mom Poonam's wedding saree for her own registered marriage
Last month, Sonakshi had her parents standing like pillars of support while she signed the document declaring Zaheer and her as man and wife. The much-in-love couple was surrounded by the their loved ones and finished the formalities in the balcony of Sonakshi’s residence in Mumbai. Despite the buzz surrounding their understated wedding, much effort was put into achieving the bride's desired look. Opting against 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 mirrored her mother's timeless elegance.

Priyanka Chopra’s wedding gown paid an ode to Chopra and Jonas families
Priyanka Chopra's dreamy 2018 wedding remains an iconic event. For the Christian ceremony, the actress collaborated with Ralph Lauren for a signature look, marking only the third time he had designed a bridal gown in over five decades. The gown's exquisite details beautifully merged her family traditions and cultures.
RL Mag, Ralph Lauren's official internal publication, described Priyanka's gown as, “At Priyanka's request, eight special words and phrases were incorporated into the embroidery pattern of the coat, 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, at the front of the coat was mirrored on the back by the names of her parents. (A piece of lace from the dress Nick's mother wore at her own wedding was also sewn into the pattern.) “Family” scrolled along the right sleeve, where Priyanka has a wrist tattoo reading “Daddy's Lil Girl…” And, finally, just over her heart, the word “Love” was stitched in ivory thread.”

Ranbir Kapoor wore dad Rishi Kapoor's watch
The absence of Rishi Kapoor was palpable during Ranbir Kapoor's 2022 wedding festivities. The intimate wedding was hosted at Ranbir and Alia’s pad in Bandra, with just close ones in attendance. Clad in an elegant ivory sherwani, the groom paid homage to his father by wearing his cherished timepiece—an 18kt white gold case watch with a blue alligator leather strap and Roman numerals, reportedly valued at Rs 21 lakh. The signature piece was indeed a memorable and dapper addition to Ranbir Kapoor’s look.

Athiya Shetty's borrowed her Nani'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 belonging to the bride's father. Amidst the cherished family setting, Athiya donned a minimalistic look by wearing a Swarovski crystals-adorned custom Chikankari lehenga for her Mehendi ceremony. She added a personal touch to her attire by adorning her Nani's shoulder-grazing, heritage earrings. This vintage charm resonated the deep emotions of the bride.

Parineeti Chopra added her Nani’s challa to her wedding attire
Parineeti Chopra looked like the happiest bride ever as she got hitched to long time love Radhav Chadha in Delhi last year. The glowing bride wore an ivory lehenga designed by Manish Malhotra, complemented by statement jewelry that perfected her look. In a heartfelt tribute to her grandmother, Parineeti incorporated a cherished item belonging to her Nani into her wedding attire.
Explaining the details of the piece, Manish Malhotra had shared, "Some details make all the difference. I distinctly remember discussing the lehenga design with @parineetichopra 💕,who mentioned adding her Nani's challa (traditional keychain) to it! She wanted to pay a heartfelt tribute to her nani, who used to wear the same challa in her saree with the keys, a symbol of being the lady of the house. For Parineeti, the sound of the challa when her nani walked around the house, was a melody of strength and grace. And that's when I knew we HAD to add that piece of legacy to her lehenga. Of course, we added more elements that were significant to both Raghav and Parineeti like London, music, Khanda Sahib and more. It was not just an accessory... but a piece of her that Parineeti would have on her special day."

Kareena Kapoor Khan wore a heirloom sharara for her wedding
After her registered marriage with Saif Ali Khan in 2012, Kareena Kapoor decked up in a heirloom lehenga with great historical value. This vintage attire holds deep sentimental value for the Pataudi family, having originally been 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 rust-orange attire with intricate gold detailing was meticulously restored and embellished by celebrated 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 totally re-weave the old Banarasi tissue – it required a lot of patience. Since I am interested in restoration, I can say that perhaps, it was a Wajid Ali Shah period mastercraft. It was painstakingly recreated inch by inch, the way purane zamane mein pure gold thread ka kaam hota tha, that’s how this was done, we basically wove a piece of gold." Ritu Kumar invested nearly six months conceiving and recreating the odhni and the outfit.

Beyond the sunset silhouettes, floral sagas and lavish traditions, Bollywood is expertly repurposing iconic heirlooms and paying an ode to heritage in their own way. Take a leaf or two from our B-Town celebs and give your shaadi that emotional twist.