Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon needs no introduction. With a career spanning over 30 years, the actress has been a household name for decades. Beyond her impressive filmography, Raveena's personal life has also been a subject of interest.
Her fairytale wedding to Anil Thadani in 2004 not only celebrated the union of the lovely couple but also set the trend of destination weddings in India. The lavish ceremony, held at Jag Mandir Palace in Lake Pichola, put Udaipur on the global map as a sought-after wedding destination.
Raveena Tandon's Royal Wedding
Raveena Tandon and Anil Thadani's wedding ceremony was straight out of a royal fantasy. All the pre-wedding functions took place at the Shiv Niwas Palace. For Mehndi, Raveena wore a Mughal-style keri work sharara along with spaghetti strap choli.
On her wedding day, Raveena arrived in a 100-year-old doli that once carried the Queen of Mewar. Her bridal lehenga was no ordinary outfit: Delhi designer Manav Gangwani reworked her mother's 35-year-old wedding sari into a richly embroidered ensemble studded with semi-precious stones and threads of gold. The grandeur of the setting, her attire, and the very nature of the wedding sparked widespread fascination.
A Turning Point for Udaipur
While Udaipur was already admired for its lakes, palaces and rich Rajput architecture, Raveena's wedding brought the city into the spotlight as a destination wedding haven. This was the catalyst for a wave of high-profile and celebrity weddings in Udaipur. Over the years, several Bollywood couples and wealthy elites have followed her lead.
Celeb weddings in Udaipur
Udaipur's destination-wedding sector has grown phenomenally over the years. The destination wedding industry has crossed the Rs 500 crore mark as of 2020, reported Udaipur Times.
In 2007, Elizabeth Hurley tied the knot with Indian businessman Arun Nayar in a grand celebration that spanned multiple locations in Udaipur. The wedding ceremony itself took place at the majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace, while other functions were hosted at the picturesque Bal Samand Lake Palace, as well as the historic Mehrangarh Fort and Nagaur Fort.
Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar were married from 2007 to 2011
Years later, Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh and his bride Rukmini Sahay exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony held in Udaipur. The couple's three-day celebration began with traditional rituals like mehndi, haldi, and sangeet, culminating in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony at the luxurious Radisson Blu Palace Resort and Spa.
In a more recent celebration, actress Parineeti Chopra and Aam Aadmi Party politician Raghav Chadha tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in Udaipur. The event took place at the stunning Leela Palace, situated in the middle of Lake Pichola. The three-day celebration included a mehndi ceremony, haldi and sangeet night.
Other high-profile personalities who tied the knot in Udaipur included Prafull Patel's daughter Niyati with Puru Sethia, businessman Sanjay Hinduja with Anusuya Mahtani, Kangana Ranaut's brother Akshit, television actor Rajat Tokas with Srishti Nayyar, Vikram Chatwal with Priya Sachdev, and actress Shreya Saran.