Inside Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ wedding: Drummers welcome guests at $60,000 Indian palace

Preparations are well underway for the eagerly-anticipated nuptials of Priyanka Chopra, 36, and Nick Jonas, 26. 

And some of the details of the lavish celebration have already been revealed ahead of the special occasion, which will span across three days and include both a traditional Indian service and a Christian ceremony.

Although it is normally the bride that makes a show-stopping entrance, Nick admitted during an interview with Vogue that he will be following Indian custom and arriving on horseback ‘dressed like a king’, wearing a turban and holding a sword.

Exciting times! Preparations are well underway for the eagerly-anticipated nuptials of Priyanka Chopra, 36, and Nick Jonas, 26

During the interview Priyanka suddenly thought to check that her fiance was comfortable riding horses, but he was quick to reassure her that he couldn’t wait to make his grand arrival. 

However there is no chance he will outshine his bride, as Priyanka disclosed she will be wearing a Ralph Lauren custom made gown, and it is unlikely there will be just one dress.

Ralph Lauren has previously only designed and made wedding gowns for family members including his daughter, daughter-in-law and his niece – but has made an exception for Priyanka.

The designer was so keen to dress the stunning actress for her wedding he came to her with an array of designs for her to chose from for the wedding.

Wow: Social media activity ahead of the lavish three days worth of celebrations in India have been shared by guests, which show off the extravagant Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur

'Big fat Indian wedding': The venue, which is the location for the final nuptials of the actress, 36, and singer, 26, on Sunday, retails at an eye-watering $60,000 a night, and two Indian drummers gave the guest-list a taste of what to expect with a traditional welcome

Wow: Social media activity ahead of the lavish three days worth of celebrations in India have been shared by guests, which show off the extravagant Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur

During the service Nick and Priyanka will symbolise each of the seven lifetimes they will spend together by walking around a roaring fire seven times. 

One of the most intimate touches that has been divulged is that the Christian ceremony will be taken by Nick’s pastor father Paul, the ceremonies will be held in different locations across Rajasthan.

The wedding promises to blow the guests away as Priyanka vowed that people will need a vacation once they have finished celebrating their nuptials.  

Venue: The wedding is set to take place at the luxurious Umaid Bhawan Palace - which is thought to be $60,000 a night

Venue: The wedding is set to take place at the luxurious Umaid Bhawan Palace – which is thought to be $60,000 a night

'Welcome begins': Jewellery designer Mitali Handa couldn't contain her delight as she uploaded a clip as she pulled into the wedding venue

Traditional: Preparations were well underway for the Sangeet section - where the couple's families will both be officially introduced to each other 

‘Welcome begins’: Jewellery designer Mitali Handa couldn’t contain her delight as she uploaded a clip as she pulled into the wedding venue

Although it is unclear who will speak during the ceremonies, at the roka in August Nick led the Hindu prayers in Sanskrit, Priyanka gushed that she can’t say them herself and that her relatives were very impressed.

Social media activity ahead of the lavish celebrations in India have been shared by excited guests, which show off the unbelievably extravagant Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur.

The venue, which is the location for the final nuptials of the actress and singer, on Sunday, retails at an eye-watering $60,000 a night, and two Indian drummers gave the guest-list a taste of what to expect with a traditional welcome. 

Underway: People were hard at work to pull things together for the wedding event of the year

Underway: People were hard at work to pull things together for the wedding event of the year

Underway: People were hard at work to pull things together for the wedding event of the year

Jewellery designer Mitali Handa couldn’t contain her delight as she uploaded a clip as she pulled into the wedding venue.

She was immediately met with two drummers who gave her quite the triumphant welcoming. 

In another social media snap, the palace was shown in the early hours of the morning and was lit up by colourful lights and lasers. 

Once in a lifetime: The palace features sprawling grounds, an inviting pool and peacocks and is a favorite among A-listers and royalty

Once in a lifetime: The palace features sprawling grounds, an inviting pool and peacocks and is a favorite among A-listers and royalty

72 hours before the A-list couple say ‘I do’, and hinting at a spectacular finale, countless boxes of fireworks driven in from neighbouring Mumbai, were seen piled in a field.

Meanwhile in the sprawling gardens, silver stage scenery was being constructed for the alfresco afterparty, indicating singer Nick will possibly take to the stage to serenade his bride with a musical performance.

Palace employees were seen milling around the gardens as they prepared for the ceremony.  

Guests began arriving at the palace on Thursday afternoon and it’s thought they will be staying there for the remainder of the week.

Under construction: In the sprawling gardens, silver stage scenery was being constructed for the alfresco afterparty, indicating singer Nick will possibly take to the stage to serenade his bride with a musical performance

Under construction: In the sprawling gardens, silver stage scenery was being constructed for the alfresco afterparty, indicating singer Nick will possibly take to the stage to serenade his bride with a musical performance

The Umaid Bhawan is India’s last living palace and comes complete with 65 original Art Deco bedrooms and suites. Each room costs an eye-watering $922 (£721) per person per night.

Priyanka and Nick’s wedding venue comes complete with butler service, strutting peacocks and a couple’s massage room.

The hotel includes the extravagant Maharani Suite, which is expected to be where Priyanka and Nick will spend their wedding night.

Glittering: 72 hours before the A-list couple say 'I do', and hinting at a spectacular finale, countless boxes of fireworks driven in from neighbouring Mumbai, were seen piled in a field

Glittering: 72 hours before the A-list couple say ‘I do’, and hinting at a spectacular finale, countless boxes of fireworks driven in from neighbouring Mumbai, were seen piled in a field

En-route: Against the stunning backdrop of India's last living palace, trucks unloaded the fireworks ahead of the big day

En-route: Against the stunning backdrop of India’s last living palace, trucks unloaded the fireworks ahead of the big day

The Indian wedding will reportedly follow a Christian ceremony which will also be held in India. 

A traditional Indian wedding typically involves about three days of activities, beginning with the ganesh puja which took place on Wednesday. 

The couple got engaged after Nick proposed to Priyanka on her 36th birthday in London in July after just a few months of dating. The star proposed with a diamond ring from Tiffany’s.             

Inside look: Their wedding venue, India's last living palace, comes complete with butler service, strutting peacocks and a couple's massage room

Inside look: Their wedding venue, India’s last living palace, comes complete with butler service, strutting peacocks and a couple’s massage room

Priyanka’s best friend, The Duchess Of Sussex. According to an Us Weekly source, the Duchess will not be travelling to India due to her pregnancy.

The pair have been friends since January 2016 when they met at the Elle Women in Television event and hit it off from there.

‘Priyanka is unbelievable,’ Meghan told the Press Trust Of India in July that same year.

Close family: Travelling with the lovebirds were Nick's brother Joe Jonas and his fiancee Sophie Turner. The DNCE frontman and the Game of Thrones actress got engaged themselves in late 2017

Relaxed: Sophie, 22, wore her blonde hair in a bun and sported sunglasses along with a blue t-shirt and black jeans

Close family: Close family: Travelling with the lovebirds were Nick’s brother Joe Jonas and his fiancee Sophie Turner. The DNCE frontman and the Game of Thrones actress got engaged themselves in late 2017

The parents: Nick's mother and father, Paul and Denise held hands and beamed as they prepared to support their son

The parents: Nick’s mother and father, Paul and Denise held hands and beamed as they prepared to support their son

Sweet: Kevin Jonas arrived with wife Danielle - the pair previously starred in a reality show about their life together

Sweet: Kevin Jonas arrived with wife Danielle – the pair previously starred in a reality show about their life together

‘She has become a really good friend. ELLE in the US hosted a dinner celebrating Women in TV, and we met that night – turns out she really likes Suits.’

Priyanka’s parents, father Ashok and mother Madhu, were both physicians in the Indian Army. Priyanka’s father sadly passed away in 2013. The family is considered by many to be the most powerful family in the Hindi movie industry.

Because of their jobs, Priyanka moved a lot while growing up, and attended several schools including La Martiniere Girls’ School in Lucknow and St. Maria Goretti College in Bareilly.

Priyanka's cousin, Parineeti Chopra, an Indian singer and actress was also pictured walking through the terminal

Priyanka’s cousin, Parineeti Chopra, an Indian singer and actress was also pictured walking through the terminal

Standing out: Priyanka's mother Madhu Chopra (left) looked very glamorous in her ensemble with had a peacock colour theme - Priyanka's father Ashok passed away in 2013

Standing out: Priyanka’s mother Madhu Chopra (left) looked very glamorous in her ensemble with had a peacock colour theme – Priyanka’s father Ashok passed away in 2013

Style: The loved-up couple wore traditional dress for their ganesh puja (prayer ceremony) held at Priyanka's mother's home in Mumbai later on Wednesday

Style: The loved-up couple wore traditional dress for their ganesh puja (prayer ceremony) held at Priyanka’s mother’s home in Mumbai later on Wednesday

When she was 13, though, they sent her to the US to live with her aunt, who also moved quite a bit and sent her to school in Newton, Massachusetts; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Queens, New York.

She finally moved back to India for her senior year of high school at the Army Public School in Bareilly after being bullied in America.

It was during her senior year that Priyanka won a local beauty pageant, and her mother entered her in the Femina Miss India. She went on to win Femina Miss India World, Miss World 2000 and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty—Asia & Oceania at the Millennium Dome in 2000.

 It was after her pageant wins that she started getting Bollywood film offers, which she spun into a lucrative Hollywood career

TIMELINE OF PRIYANKA AND NICK’S WEDDING FESTIVITIES

MONDAY – PRE-WEDDING CELEBRATION IN MUMBAI 

  • Priyanka and Nick touched down in Mumbai on Sunday ahead of their wedding on Sunday
  • The couple rang in celebrations with Nick’s brother Joe, and his fiance Sophie Turner at a restaurant in Juhu on Monday evening 
Family first: The couple kicked off celebrations with Nick's brother Joe, and his fiance Sophie Turner at a restaurant in Juhu on Monday evening

Family first: The couple kicked off celebrations with Nick’s brother Joe, and his fiance Sophie Turner at a restaurant in Juhu on Monday evening

WEDNESDAY – THE INTIMATE PUJA CEREMONY

  • On Wednesday, Priyanka and Nick held a private Hindu prayer ceremony known as a puja with close family members
  •  The puja is an act of showing reverence to a god and/or spirit through intimate prayer and songs 
Rituals: On Wednesday, Priyanka and Nick beamed with delight as they arrived to their puja ceremony

Rituals: On Wednesday, Priyanka and Nick beamed with delight as they arrived to their puja ceremony

THURSDAY – SATURDAY – MEHNDI AND SANGEET CEREMONIES IN JODHPUR  

  • On Thursday, the engaged couple arrived at the airport in the Indian city of Jodhpur
  • Priyanka is set to participate in a mehndi ceremony, where the bride and the female members of her family decorate their hands and feet in henna paste
  • Following the intimate female celebration, the couple’s families will be officially introduced to each other during the sangeet ceremony 
  • The sangeet is accompanied by a lavish meal, dancing and glitzy performances
Ready to say I do: On Thursday, the engaged couple arrived at the airport in the Indian city of Jodhpur

Ready to say I do: On Thursday, the engaged couple arrived at the airport in the Indian city of Jodhpur

SUNDAY – THE GRAND WEDDING AT UMAID BHAWAN PALACE

  • Priyanka and Nick will say ‘ I do’ at the glitzy Umaid Bhawan palace — a $60,000 a night venue —  in Jodhpur
  • The main nuptials will reportedly follow a Christian ceremony, which will also be held in India
Showtime: The glittering nuptials will take place at India's stunning Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur

Showtime: The glittering nuptials will take place at India’s stunning Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur

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