Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra’s lavish wedding at the Umaid Bhawan Palace was a beautiful blend of Indian and Western culture. The couple had a Christian wedding on December 1 followed by a Hindu ceremony the next day. 

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On Sunday evening, as the regal baraat procession reached the Baradari Lawns, Priyanka’s mom, Madhu, performed an aarti to welcome the groom. The men among the baraatis were dressed in sherwanis and Rajasthani saafas, while women wore lehenga-cholis. Before the wedding, PC’s cousin, Parineeti, hid Nick’s shoes as per the joota chupai ceremony and demanded Rs 5 lakh to return the same. 

A source says, “Both the families accepted and followed each other’s customs wholeheartedly. During the Hindu wedding, Priyanka’s younger sibling, Siddharth, explained every ritual and its significance to Nick’s family. Siddharth and Nick’s brothers — Kevin, Joe and Frankie — also had a fun-filled competition where they picked up the bride and groom to a certain height, right before the varmalas (garlands) were exchanged.”

(The newly-weds at Jodhpur airport. —Pic: Yogen Shah)

Nick was quite intrigued with the Hindu rituals. “When he was told that the saat pheras imply a vow taken by the bride and groom to spend seven lifetimes together, the latter exclaimed, ‘We should take seven more’. Everyone cheered after he made this remark.” Right after the wedding celebrations wrapped up, the American singer-songwriter also took the mic to give a short speech about his beloved wife, which left the latter teary-eyed. “He vowed to stay true to his promise and take care of her forever. At the end, PC was quite overwhelmed with Nick’s sweet gesture,” adds the source. After the nuptials, the guests partied till late. 

Yesterday, both the families left for Delhi where Nickyanka will have their first reception tonight. A Bollywood reception is also on the cards, but the newlyweds are yet to lock in on a date and venue. 

— With inputs from Sangeeta Sharma