Flower petals diffusing across neon lights like popped confetti, fairytale florid weddings, rickshaw rides, kaale chashme and so much more. *Cue some 90’s romcom song.*

This year we pretty much saw it all. Shaadis ain’t your usual snoozefest no mo’, and it’s all thanks to the dulhans who brought their A-Game to their grand day!

Here are 2016’s most badass dulhans.

1. This bride who danced better than her bridesmaids at her own mehndi

I’ve seen plenty o’ dulhans FINALLY breaking free from the whole ‘act-shy-on-your-big-day-and-don’t-say-nothing’ vibe this year, but Karachi’s fashionista Natasia Khalid takes it home.

Her dance on her mehndi was EPIC. She was so carefree, we loved it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BON4YdjlhF1/

2. And this one who decided to do away with the “traditional” ghoongat and dupatta

Bipasha arriving at her mehndi as a nonchalant, wandering gypsy with flowers in her hair was wonderful, it’s like she just stepped out from the depths of the forest.

3. This bride who wore SNEAKERS with her wedding dress

This girl tho. SHE WORE SNEAKERS at her mehndi. IT DOESN’T GET MORE hardcore (and runaway bride-esque) than this.

Love it.

Serious goals for my wedding.

4. And this one who continues to battle ALL THE HATERS like a true goddess

We chose Urwa as one of the most badass dulhans for a hell lotta reasons! She shocked us all by having a pretty lowkey (for celebrity standards) wedding. We thought she’d take Anush’s crown by having far, far, FAR more grander nuptials, but we were wrong.

She went the traditional route, which we were NOT expecting; a nikkah at Badshahi masjid…

…an intimate dholki

…and minimal makeup for her big day. Less really is more! Who knew tho.

 5. This bride who showed everyone how to really have fun at your own big day

This wedding was prop galore when it came to the mehndi. What we loved, though, was Aleena and her whistle. We got major Kajol-in-Kabi Khushi Kabi Gham-vibes!

JUST LOOK AT HER BEING FUN GOALS.

6. This Pakistani bride who finally married her soulmate across the border

We have such a love hate relationship with our next door neighbors; on some days we’ll be besties BBF 4EVA, while on others we’ll BAN EACH OTHER FROM THE COUNTRY.

But Huda’s love story is the modern day Veer Zaara. She was a Pakistani girl who fell for an Indian boy. She didn’t let society’s rigidness or the ‘log kya kahenge’ mentality get in the way.

We adore her how thick-skinned she is!

7. And this one who made her entry on a cycle rickshaw

Across the border we saw actress Kishwer Merchant come in on her mehndi on a rickshaw.

That too a pink one.

Also love her kaala chashma look! I WANT TO SEE MORE GIRLS DOING THIS PLZ AND THNX.

8. This bride and her awesome mannequin challenge

Aneesa’s big day went viral and literally broke the internet. This bride had the entire shaadi take part in the mannequin challenge, and it was pretty hardcore ngl.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNUMtSsDehk/

 9. And this one who wore her not-so-monster-in-law’s outfit to her nikkah

Blogger ‘The Slightly Obsessive Dulhan’ went to her nikkah wearing her mother-in-law’s (yes, you heard it right) dress a whopping 27 years later.

10. Finally, this bride who had the longest Pakistani wedding EVER

Okay so her wedding was legit crazy. I think everyone with a pulse heard about this one. Her wedding was the textbook definition of OTT (multiplied by infinity)… and she didn’t really care!

It was a tad bit annoying, especially when the hashtag anushmunib started resounding in my head and popped up pretty much in every corner of the social media realm…but WE ALL KNOW IT WAS THE WEDDING WE LOVED TO HATE ON.

It was your guilty pleasure stalking this shaadi AND YOU KNOW IT.

It got to the point where we literally thought it would NEVER end.

AS IN

LITERALLY

NOT

END

And just when yah thought it was over…

NOPE!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJsL3l7AcQM/

Nothing like celebrating the start of a new life with fire dancers.

(Also appaz this was a Roberto Cavalli dress, all I see is a banana tbh)

#RichPeople

But memorable. Hence, badass.

Know any other badass desi dulhans you’d want to see here? Let us know.