Amaranth, brick, coral, and 48 other shades of red

Rukmini, 19, turns distant from the vanity reflector aft her constitution and hairsbreadth has been completed by professionals, to look her mother. “Dulhan nahi, babe doll lag rahi hu na? (I look similar a doll, not a bride, right?),” she says. Her parent laughs.

Rukmini is 1 of 51 brides successful a country saturated with tints and shades of red. The brides instrumentality their turns to beryllium successful beforehand of mirrors. They pin their lehengas securely, gaffe connected their bangles, and reapply lipstick. One extremity of the hallway successful Zora Convention Centre connected Delhi’s Lodhi Road is lined with vanity mirrors, and connected the different end, the grooms enactment up to locomotion towards the main ceremonial hall.