Here’s a day-by-day account of the festivities and celebrations with
HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur, pioneers of Heritage Hotels in Rajasthan.
Everyone dreams of this day. It is a solemn ceremony, a joyful celebration, as two hearts and minds are joined in loving commitment before a gathering of friends and family.
A wedding is a wonderful opportunity to create memories that will be treasured forever; and we at HRH Group of Hotels, Udaipur can provide an utterly spectacular backdrop to the greatest event in your life: A backdrop where inspiring views, serene atmosphere and exquisite settings come together to create a truly unforgettable experience. Few places on earth are so remarkable and romantic as Udaipur, with its resplendent landscapes, fantasy palaces, luxuriant gardens, colours and ceremonies, all steeped in magnificent history, and drenched in an atmosphere of sun and high-spirits.
Day l
You arrive in Udaipur, the Abode of Kings. At the airport, you and your guests are personally greeted by a band, and refreshing drinks are served. Airport transfers by the travel co-coordinator and a smooth check-in to the hotels arc guaranteed.
A royal welcome awaits you at the hotel, where your guests arc received in traditional Indian style with aarti, tikka and garlands, while girls dressed in time-honoured attire shower them with rose petals. To augment the effect, shehnai players fill the air with sweet music.
Individually escorted to luxurious rooms by our hospitality staff, each guest is briefed on the rich heritage of the palace hotel, and the various facilities offered. A welcome drink is served to the guest cither in the room or at reception, and a special Regal Wedding brochure is presented, detailing the forthcoming events. Meanwhile, a dedicated hospitality desk is set up at Reception to assist guests within the hotel premises as well as around the city.
Lunch is served at the breathtaking Shiv Niwas Palace Poolside, followed by a talk on the history of The Royal House of Mewar. This will precede a session with the dress designer for costume fittings. This is followed by an afternoon of leisure, or a tour of the city attractions.
The Risala, at .Shikarbadi Hotel (just minutes away from the City Palace) hosts a delightful evening for you and your guests. Shikarbadi was the hunting lodge of the royal family, and is now a tranquil royal retreat surrounded by the Aravalli Hills and adjoining 250-acre wildlife for the Sangeet Night - a night of exuberance sanctuary. The rustic mood is heightened by music and dancing. The evening begins with a cocktail barbeque buffet or sit-down dinner around a reception in the majestic courtyard of the City campfire. The air is filled with the aroma of Palace, with its lush green gardens adorned with Rajasthani cuisine, and there are a myriad marble fountains. Flower Rangolis decorate the floors, folk dancers and singing at the entrance, and twinkling lights are draped over to add vivacity and colour, while craftsmen and potters, blacksmiths and sword-makers, puppeteers and painters, palmists and astrologers hold your guests’ attention riveted!
Day 2
After the previous night's excitement, day two offers you a chance to lie in before a sumptuous Mehendi Lunch function at the City Palace's Promenade, overlooking Lake Pichola and the historic Aravalli hills. The City Palace rises over the I.ake creating a fairy tale setting for this ceremonial banquet. The festive mood is enhanced by an assortment of chaat food stalls lining the waterfront. To add to the exotic atmosphere, mehendiwalis create fantasies on the eagerly extended palms of the ladies present.
Guests can relax after lunch, take a doling dip, and lounge the afternoon away by the pool at Shiv Niwas Palace. Other popular alternatives are a visit to the city’s meandering markets, or a special sightseeing itinerary arranged by our hospitality staff (including transport facilities and well-informed guides). Activities within the City Palace complex (where the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel and Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel are situated) include a boat cruise on Lake Pichola, and visits to the remarkable City Palace Museum and the incomparable Crystal Gallery. For vintage car enthusiasts, the Vintage and Classic Car Collection is simply an unmissable opportunity.
As the evening approaches, guests prepare for the Sangeet Night – a night of exuberance and dancing. The evening begins with a recitation in the majestic courtyard of the City Palace, with its lush green gardens adorned with marble fountains. Flower Rangoli decorates the entrance, and twining lights are draped over shrubs and trees, while tall mashaals throw their flames upwards. Guests are welcomed by traditional Bhavai dancers, who dance with pots delicately balanced on their heads. The extraordinary Zenana Mahal provides an ideal venue for dinner and the lively Sangeet festivities.
Later, the rhythm of dance and music gathers momentum, and guests join in to celebrate the auspicious occasion. While the guests rejoice, our chefs add a final touch to the lavish buffet. Dinner is announced and the impeccable service and extraordinary cuisine create a distinctive atmosphere for this once-in-a-lifetime event. After the celebrations, our hospitality personnel ensure that coaches and cars are ready for any inter-hotel transfers.
Day 3
Day three, and the wedding day dawns. Order breakfast from our sumptuous room service menu, and spend the morning exploring the museums within the City Palace complex, or maybe visit the ancient Shri Eklingji Temple or Nathdwara Temples.
Lunch is served in the grand Durbar Hall at Fateh Prakash Palace.
As the evening draws nigh, the gentlemen gather in the Durbar Hall for tying of saafas or the traditional Indian headgear of tie-and-dye scarves. Our staff is on hand to help the ladies with their attire. Once dressed, guests gather at Shiv Pol at the Shiv Niwas Palace for a commemorative drink. The ‘regal procession’ commences as the excitement intensifies. Girls dressed in Rajasthani costume showering rose petals and sprinkling rose water are followed by traditional drums to mark the occasion.
Guests follow a magnificently decorated horse bearing the bridegroom, while liveried men with lances and burning mashaals line the entire length of the route. The procession heads towards the boat jetty at the Promenade, to he welcomed be the Palace band. Guests are ushered into decorated boars and ferried across the Pichola Lake to the spectacular Jagmandir, an island-palace which will host the Regal Wedding.
At Jagmandir, there is a customary welcome following time-honoured traditions, and a welcome drink is served. 'The island-palace is decorated superbly; lit by lanterns and mashaals; the muted lights add a bewitching aura of festivity. The Darikhana', a colonnaded pavilion, is flower-decked for the ceremony, with traditional floor-seating. While priests conduct the wedding rituals, guests can begin celebrating with champagne toasts. A wedding cake is cut and dancing begins, amidst applause from all present.
The couple takes to the floor for the first dance, joined by the guests and relatives. A spectacular lakeside firework display begins, and a grand buffet is laid out in true splendour. The festivities carry on late into the night. Boats ferry the guests back to their hotels, ending a perfect night in flawless style.
Day 4
On the concluding day, guests prepare to leave, carrying with them lifelong memories of a Regal Wedding in Udaipur.
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