Finally, I’m married and trust me when I say that I know where to shop for what at the back of my hand.
Honestly, shopping as a bride-to-be is a nightmare. *reality check* What makes the process easier is when you know what to get where – the best quality at affordable prices. So here I am, sharing what I’ve learnt and researched and hopefully it helps!
Let’s talk about Kemp Jewellery today.
When it came to my wedding, I didn’t have a problem with jewellery, because certain timeless pieces I had acquired over the years were still as good as new. There were certain pieces I wanted to invest in, like kemp jewellery and one or two kundan jewellery sets which, I knew I would wear to otherwise.
I will save the ramblings and pictures of what I bought for my wedding for another day. Today’s post is all about the best places to buy/rent South Indian traditional bridal jewellery in Chennai.
Kemp jewellery is the artificial version of the traditional South Indian gold antique jewellery which had rubies, jade stones and pearls set in them and were (and still are) adorned by Bharathanatyam dancers. As time progressed (and as gold got more expensive!!) these stunning pieces were made in silver and coated in gold. This is a more affordable option than investing in gold.
Most South Indian brides, especially South Indian Brahmin brides traditionally wear temple/kemp jewellery during the time of muhurtam. Unless they have ancestoral lineage of this kind of jewellery, they usually prefer to get it on rent. It not only works out to be cost-effective but also is a great options for those who wouldn’t wear these kind of jewellery otherwise.
Bridal Jewellery for rent in Chennai
Sri Devi Gold Covering Works
Address: 38,, Venkatesan St, Parthasarathy Puram, T Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600017
Phone:044 4557 4747
Rent/day: 1000 INRSri Aishwarya Gold Covering Works
Address: No : 35 A, Amman Koil Street, Vadapalani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600026
Phone:098404 88036
Rent/day: Minimum 1000 INR, the rates increase depending on the finish of the jewellerySukhra Jewellery
Address: 72, North Mada Street, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004
Phone:044 2464 0699
rent/day: will update this one soon!
Kemp jewellery (also known as temple jewellery, bharathanatyam dancer’s jewellery) is also widely available for sale in Chennai. The best places to buy them though, are Mylapore and Vadapalani. TNagar also has one or two shops which specializes in kemp jewellery.
I’ve been wearing kemp jewellery ever since I saw some original pieces in my mom’s collections. I opted for the artificial ones since they were cheaper to buy and were perfect with my cotton sarees which I used to wear during culturals in my college days. I used to buy them at Sri Devi Covering in T.Nagar. This shop has a good range of kemp jewellery starting from 25 INR onwards. They also rent out kemp jewellery for weddings.
For my wedding, I did not want to rent kemp jewellery. I wanted to buy them simply because I wear them often and I love wearing these with cotton, silk cotton, silk sarees and salwars. So I bought the artificial ones. Now one thing to keep in mind while buying or renting artificial ones is that they might look cheap with a bright gold finish and shabbily placed stones. So buying or renting artificial jewellery which doesn’t look fake is a challenge. Among all the options that were available, Sri Aishwarya Gold Covering Works in Vadapalani was my choice.
Sri Aishwarya Gold Covering Works has a huge variety of temple jewellery and everything you’ll need to adorn yourself from head to toe. They do have antique-looking artificial pieces which look neat and classy unlike the usual bright gold ones.
If you are looking to invest in timeless classic jewellery pieces, then Sukhra is your best bet. They have some of the best traditional jewellery. They sell gold plated silver jewellery with real rubies, emeralds and pearls.
Best shops in Chennai to buy traditional South Indian bridal jewellery:
Sri Devi Gold Covering Works
Address: 38,, Venkatesan St, Parthasarathy Puram, T Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600017
Phone:044 4557 4747Sri Aishwarya Gold Covering Works
Address: No : 35 A, Amman Koil Street, Vadapalani, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600026
Phone:098404 88036Sukhra Jewellery
Address: 72, North Mada Street, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600004
Phone:044 2464 0699Sundari Silks
38, North Usman Road, Opp. New GRT, T.Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600017
Phone:044 2814 9999Rasi
No: 1, Sannadhi Street, Mylapore, Chennai -600 004
