When Yamini Arora stumbled upon a reel of a bride sporting a crochet varmala, she had a type of “Wait, why didn’t I consider that?!” moments.
“I knew about crochet flowers and plushies and had purchased them earlier than,” mentioned Arora, 28, who tied the knot in April 2025. “However a crochet varmala didn’t happen to me till I noticed it on Instagram. I appreciated the concept of getting the varmala without end with you out of your wedding ceremony day as an alternative of utilizing pure flowers and throwing them away after a couple of hours,” she mentioned.
In an period the place weddings have gotten extra private, sustainable, and Instagram-friendly, crochet varmalas are discovering their means into the hearts—and across the necks—of contemporary Indian {couples}.
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A varmala (or jaimala) is a garland exchanged between the bride and groom as a conventional Hindu wedding ceremony ritual. It’s often manufactured from recent flowers—however recently, a brand new, artistic different is taking up: handmade crochet flower garlands, crafted utilizing yarn, thread, beads, and many love.
“These garlands don’t wilt, don’t odor bizarre the following day, and don’t find yourself within the trash,” mentioned Zainab Mukhtyar, 22, founding father of Zain’s Story, a crochet enterprise she began in January 2024. “They stick with you without end—as a reminiscence and a chunk of artwork.”
For Yamini, that permanence was the promoting level. After shopping crochet pages on-line, she discovered Zainab’s work. “Her color choices, flexibility in sizing, and cheap pricing stood out. The varmala turned out attractive—we’re even planning to show them in our front room!”
The makers behind the magic
The crochet varmala is a component of a bigger shift towards intentional, considerate weddings. Crochet itself has seen a revival, with the worldwide knitting and crochet market projected to develop by USD 10.69 billion between 2024 and 2028.
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Ananya Malhotra, 21, who runs Enchanted Threads, has been crocheting since she was 17. “Our crochet flowers had been already standard, and after I noticed somebody experimenting with crochet varmalas on Instagram, it simply clicked. I believed that is one thing individuals will love –– it’s stunning and significant.”
One of many greatest causes {couples} are leaning towards crochet varmalas is the concept of preservation (Supply: Zain’s Story/Instagram)
She was proper.
“I initially launched crochet varmalas in Could 2024,” Ananya defined. “Brides need to see what they’re getting, so we made samples and did a correct photoshoot with bridal outfits. It helped them visualise how it will look on their huge day.”
What makes crochet varmalas particular?
Customisation is a big draw. “You’ll be able to select the colors, the size, even the place the pearls go. Folks need one thing that displays them,” Ananya mentioned.
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They usually’re not mass-produced. “Every varmala is hand made in three levels: first, the flower petals are made, then the leaves, and at last the flowers are assembled into the ultimate design,” mentioned Zainab. “Relying on the model and size, it could possibly take wherever from two to a few days to make a pair.”
Zainab broke down her pricing transparently: Rs 100 per rose, with a further Rs 100 for assembling the varmala. “A crimson varmala with 9 huge roses and three small ones prices Rs 1200. A pink one with 10 huge roses and three small ones prices Rs 1300. You’ll be able to add extra roses for additional price.”
Whereas others usually promote them at a a lot increased fee, Zainab needed to maintain it inexpensive. “Our purchasers pay for precisely what they need—nothing extra, nothing much less. You’ll be able to customise the variety of flowers, color palette, and even the location of pearls.”
Ananya’s varmala designs take severe effort: “Every flower takes about 25–half-hour, and every garland has about 16–20 flowers. That’s 600 minutes—or 10 hours—of pure work only for the flowers. Add to that 1–2 hours of meeting.” She retains pricing between Rs 7000 to Rs 11,000 per pair, aligning with high-end actual flower varmalas however providing a memento that by no means wilts.
Not only a pattern, however a memento
For {couples}, the most important draw is preservation. “Maintaining the varmala reminds us of the day we bought married,” Yamini mentioned. “Everybody cherished it—we’ve already beneficial it to associates.”
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When Yamini Arora stumbled upon a reel on Instagram exhibiting a bride sporting a crochet varmala, she had a type of “Wait, why didn’t I consider that?!” moments. (Credit score: Yamini Arora)
Whereas purists nonetheless desire the perfume and softness of actual flowers, crochet varmalas are profitable over {couples} who need sentiment, sustainability, and one thing Instagrammable.
Crochet could be old-school, however within the palms of India’s younger wedding ceremony entrepreneurs, it’s weaving an entire new custom. So, whether or not you’re a soon-to-be bride, a marriage planner, or somebody who simply actually loves crochet—this pattern would possibly simply hook you in.
