Over 800 hours spent on Bakhtawar's gota-heavy reception dress

Designing bridal dresses is a long process, with painstaking attention to detail. And when it's a dress for a high-profile bride like Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the details can take weeks to perfect.

In case of Bakhtawar's reception dress, it took 800 hours.

The designer, Lahore-based Haris Ahmed, shared details on his social media about designing for the "most elegant couple".

The newly weds were matching in royal green with the groom, Mahmood Choudhry, sporting winter's favourite velvet and Bakhtawar donning traditional gota on raw silk.

"We are privileged to design this traditional shalwar qameez for Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, daughter of former President Mr Asif Ali zardari and late Benazir Bhutto, on her reception day at Bilawal House," wrote the design house.

"Our team has worked over 800 development hours to bring this precious masterpiece, defined by the finest quality of handwoven couture produced by zardozi — 'the art of gold sewing' — layered with the sucha gota — 'real gota'," revealed the designer alongside pictures of the craftsmanship.

"Intricate twist of glistening threads accentuate the design and reflects creativity that reinvent the traditional aesthetic."

The designer called it a "privilege" to design her dress. "It was a gratifying opportunity to create this regal hand-embellished pure heavy gota work on Brunswick green pure raw silk and chiffon."

The dupatta has been finished off with the classic and traditional kiran lace.

Bakhtawar on her Instagram shared one of the pictures by the designer and said she was "even prouder to represent and wear beautiful traditional gota work by the most talented artisans".

For her other functions, Bakhtawar chose Karachi-based Nida Azwer for the engagement last year; Lahore-based Zara Shahjahan for the mehndi function and another designer from Karachi, Wardha Saleem, for the much-anticipated nikah dress.

As Images' fashion writer noted, Bakhtawar's choices are an exciting indication that some of fashion’s younger set of designers are now gaining clout.

Bakhtawar got married to Choudhry, the son of a US-based businessman, last week amid pandemic-restricted fanfare.

"We are touched by all the love, prayers and good wishes. Deciding to get married during Corona meant we were limited by the SOPs," wrote the bride on her Instagram at the end of all the festivities. "Luckily, we were able to capture our joyous times and will be sharing with you through them."

And true to their word, the couple have been sharing snippets slowly but steadily on their Instagram accounts.