Riya & Arjun, Udaipur

Riya's family has lived in Dehradun for three generations; Arjun's is from Jaipur. Both sides agreed on Udaipur in early February — neutral ground, winter sun and a lake. Our brief was to plan it from Dehradun as carefully as if it were at home: 260 guests, four functions over three days, a Garhwali-Rajasthani blend of rituals and menus, and a budget both fathers had signed off on together, which everyone agreed was the first minor miracle.

The palace hotel was a heritage property with firm rules: no nails or adhesives on historic walls, no open flames in the frescoed halls and amplified music on the lakeside terrace only until 10 pm. Every décor element was designed free-standing, built in a local workshop and assembled on site overnight. Guests were flown in through Delhi in four waves, with our travel desk tracking each one and a hospitality desk at both hotels.

The pheras took place on the lakeside terrace at dusk, with a floating marigold installation on the water and brass diyas in glass hurricanes in place of open flames. The reception menu paired pahadi kafuli and jhangora kheer with Rajasthani ker sangri and dal baati, and both grandmothers had firm opinions about which counter was better.