12 Matha Patti Designs Perfect for the Bride’s Headwear

A matha patti is an Indian piece of jewellery which brides wear on their forehead for their wedding day.

Matha means forehead and Patti refers to a band or strap which in this case refers to jewellery in the form of a strap or band.

It is a big part of the traditional attire that a South Asian bride wears adhering to customs centuries old.

The matha patti acts as a glamorous hair accessory which is added to a mang tikka, the centrepiece of the overall jewellery. Some brides wear a mang tikka on its own without the full patti.

Some people tend to get confused between a matha patti and tikka elements of this exquisite bridal headpiece.

The tikka is end-piece of the jewellery which is on a single chain which is placed on the middle parting of a bride’s forehead.

Whereas, the matha patti connects to the mang tikka by individual chains or larger straps of jewellery on both sides of the head or on one side.

The headpiece is not only limited to brides in India it is also a traditional piece of jewellery which is worn by brides from other regions in South Asia. 

Each country has their own distinct style and authenticity which differentiates them from each other.

In the UK, western designers they have taken inspiration from the matha patti and created hair accessories which have smaller chains and are wearable on a day-to-day basis.

There are so many endless styles of matha patti’s to choose from. Diamante encrusted pearl work, Kundan matha patti’s and so many more.

We bring you twelve unique styles of matha patti to choose from for your big day.

Simplicity

This first matha patti is a simple piece if we are talking about a big fat Asian wedding.  The simplicity of this piece is what it’s unique selling point.

This simple matha patti is made up of two single chains on either side of the central chain leading down to floral stone encrusted tikka. 

Below the tikka on the forehead and is a decorated pearl, finishing off the piece.

This headpiece is perfect for the brides who want to achieve a subtle look with their jewellery if their outfit has a lot of bling. Or this would make great reception jewellery to tone the look down and look different from the wedding day.

Gold and Silver

A mix of gold and silver on jewellery can work very well for a bridal outfit. It works well with dark colours and of course, shades of red.

This matha patti is engraved with silver diamantes which are made from a beautiful gold border.

It has small pearls all across the chains placed in the middle and either side.

A small teardrop-shaped silver stone is placed at the bottom of the tikka to add extra detail.

For a bride who has both silver and gold details on her lengha, this combination matha patti will suit perfectly.

Golden Kundan with Pearls

Kundan refers to jewellery which is ‘pure gold’. It is a traditional type of jewellery which started being made during the Mughal era especially for royal courts in the Rajasthan. 

Kundan jewellery is made with Indian gemstones set in gold, which can be very expensive. However, silver versions of this style of jewellery have become popular too.

A kundan matha patti, therefore, is an ideal choice for the extravagant bride.

This kundan matha patti is full of detail and intricacy in its design. It needs the bridal outfit and jewellery to match its look for full impact.

The gold headpiece with has three closely knitted rows of gold droplets with embedded gems on either side.

The edges are finished off in distinctive white pearls.

The large symbolic tikka in the middle matches the design with gold and pearls, making it a headpiece which will make any bride look regal.

Leafy Attraction

This matha patti design provides a very distinct look for the headpiece. It is simple but stunningly attractive at the same time.

The silver kundan gem-based leaves, which are the chains, make this patti really stand out and are simply beautiful and eye-catching.

The large tikka in the middle then becomes a natural focal point for the patti

The kundan tikka is made with a variety of gemstones and jewelled tassels.

This headpiece conveys a lavish look, whilst adding elegance to the overall appearance of the Desi bride’s head.

One-Sided 

A one-sided matha patti came into trend after the two-sided matha patti. It is a great choice if the bride does not want to wear something on both sides.

It also allows the bride’s hairstyle to resonate on one side.

This one-sided matha patti has one long tikka in the middle to keep the middle stone hold its shape.

On the right-hand side there are two chains, as layers which are formed from multiple small circle diamantes.

The centrepiece of the matha patti has a pearl placed in the middle for decoration purpose and a small 3D teardrop is placed at the bottom of the tikka.

Ideal for a bride looking to highlight one side of her head with very fitting jewellery.

Colourful Sabyasachi 

Sabyasachi is a renowned designer from India. His bridalwear and jewellery are incredible. So, including a Sabyasachi matha patti had to be done!

His jewellery is totally inspired by traditional heritage in his Heritage Jewellery Collection.

Using colour and meenakari, the designer creates a classic but Bohemian look.

Using Desi meena, emeralds, Burmese rubies, yellow sapphire, uncut diamonds and Japanese cultured pearls he creates a gorgeous headpiece which is very colourful.

The patti has three sections on each side using the jeweled elements described and has a wide floral chain in the middle for the tikka.

The tikka is circular design with meena decor.

This matha patti will compliment brides who want to add colour to their outfit. The matha patti needs to be accompanied with the rest of the Sabyasachi jewellery to make this look complete and lush. 

Royally Regal 

The regal matha patti is a complete work of intricate craftsmanship. The design tends to reminisce and reflect the royal Mughal era of India with a composite of jewels and shapes.

There is a lot of detail which goes into every single layer of the combined patti on each side.

A mix of gold, silver, coloured beading and pearl work, all make this headpiece look immense.

The tikka for this matha patti consists of two elements. The smaller one connects to the patti on either side and this is attached to a larger tikka which falls gracefully on the forehead.

For Desi brides either wearing a subtle outfit or one which is bold in colour, this regal matha patti will compliment your wedding dress extremely well, if you want a royal look on your special day.

The Sonam Original

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja looked spectacular on her big day. Her matha patti was a major attraction for its original design and look.

As part of her beautiful jewellery which was all designed by her mother Sunita Kapoor who is a jewellery designer, Sonam looked stunning wearing the headpiece.

The design included an intricate style with pearl studs, embedded jewels and droplets chained together, covering both sides of Sonam’s head, making it look very vintage and authentic.

The tikka had pearls on the edges matching it nicely with the patti design.

Bollywood make-up artist and hairstylist, Namrata Soni said of the design:

“You know maang-tikas and matha-pattis are so beautiful but I got tears in my eyes after I saw her with that headpiece.”

Multi-Layered  

Multi-layered matha pattis provide a fuller effect of this jewellery. There are up to five layers of the patti joining the middle chain connecting to the tikka.

They come in different styles from each chain being embellished with beautiful stones all throughout the headpiece to simplistic gold chains converging towards the centre.

The layers will look identical on both sides of the patti and will either feature towards the front of the bride’s head or cover the majority of her head leading up to the dupatta.

The tikka can be large centre-piece or the same size as the layers, which allows it to blend in more. Both versions will enhance the forehead and hairstyle of the bride. 

This matha patti is ideal to portray a bold and vibrant bridal look.

Borla Tikka

The matha patti accompanied by a borla tikka has been personified in Bollywood films like Padmavaat and Jodhaa Akbar. It is a regional look especially from Rajasthan, especially amongst the Rajput brides.

The matha patti itself varies in designs. From the floral jewels to pearl chains to intrinsic rows of embedded gems, the focal point is the borla tikka which sits upright on the forehead.

This borla tikka is not flat, like the other matha pattis. It has an acorn-like appearance and is reflective of royal Rajasthani courts.

This tikka may also have an additional lower second tikka which does rest on the forehead but it is the borla aspect which makes it different.

The matha patti may not always connect directly to the borla tikka like other designs. It can rest behind the tikka either higher up on the head or on the edge of the hairline.

So, this headgear will add a very traditional look to your bridal wedding attire, portraying a specific style which has a strong connection with Bollywood.

Afghan Tribal

Outside of South Asia brides such as Afghani and Kashmiri brides also wear matha pattis.

The Afghan matha patti styles resonate the tribal nature of rural parts and the wedding jewellery worn by brides for weddings.

Their style is very unique and you can tell by the look where such a patti originates from.

The patti tends to cover most of the forehead and the tikka embodies into the headpiece, which is one piece rather than individual elements.

Most of the designs are wide and thick and most have tassels and beads all along the edges. Possibly reminiscent of being worn lower down to cover the eyes in the past like a veil.

This Afghan tribal matha patti is silver (chandi) and has green red and blue stones featured in the tikka and along the body of the patti.

The tassels are silver with beads finishing them off at each strand.

The exotic look of this matha patti definitely brings something different to the bride’s headwear and could be a great choice if you are looking for something away from the norm. 

Only Pearls 

Pearls play a major role in ethnic jewellery and are used in many different designs of matha pattis too.

A matha patti design which is popular is that of one with only pearls used for the patti on both sides of the tikka.

This headpiece has three chains of pearls on either side joining up at the upper part of the tikka.

The tikka also has pearls as part of its design. Both small intricate ones embedded in the jewels of the tikka’s design, one which appears at the centre and a lovely droplet pear which hangs just above the nose to finish it off.

This is a very dominant design of a matha patti and is one to choose with intense bridal makeup and an outfit consisting of bold colours. 

A bride wearing this matha patti will definitely get noticed.

Our Advice

There are countless styles to choose from when it comes down to deciding your final jewellery set.

We have selected twelve different inspirational matha pattis which can help you decide on a style.

Whether you decide to wear something simple and elegant or a headwear which oozes a stunning statement, just be sure to be confident and love what you wear.

A final tip is to give yourself plenty of time to decide which matha patti you desire. Think about how it will go with the rest of your jewellery and the colours of your outfit. 

So, try some different styles and experiment for that perfect look for your forehead on your special day.