The daytime ritual sparkled as much with the opulent grandeur you’ve come to expect of the Rathores. And the love shared by the beautiful couple, has forever smudged boundaries of region, language and culture. A bookmark for society, a reminder for all to rejoice in the wealth of our great differences.
Aaditha was luminous in a custom-made, pastel-pink Kanjeevaram silk that shimmered in the late-afternoon light. Goldzaritraced across the heavy temple border, while the pallu, tightly arranged, fell in geometrical lines, lifting the look. Her blouse, a classic cut, blended into the six yards.
India’s Coffee Queen wore statement jewellery on her big day.
The centrepiece was a dazzling uncut diamond and ruby choker with matching earrings. The set had the Rathore stamp all over it, but the Palace declined to comment on our query. Aaditha’s elaborate Rani Haar was designed by her BFF Lavanya Patil. Her waist belt, the holding piece for the jewellery she wore, was a manifestation of prosperity. It featured Goddess Lakshmi seated in grace, flanked by peacocks, flowers, and coins.
TT has long commented on Aaditha’s choice of clothing and make-up (not always positively), but there wasn’t a colour out of place on the day. She went with minimalist, where the focus was on her radiant skin and elegantly styled hair.
The bride’s entry into Ranibagh’s sun-drenched Rang Mahal courtyard to the rich strains of thenadaswaramset the tone for the wedding. She had everyone in wraps from the moment her mehndi-stained feet touched the ground.
Aaditha walked under a pearl-embellishedphoolon ki chaadarthat was dressed with baby’s-breath blooms and sizable pink roses.
The Rajkumari did away with time-honoured practices and had her sister, the lovely Alia, along with two female friends – Lavanya Patil, a jewellery chain heiress, and Komal Rao, a yoga instructor – along with Raju Mathew, the heavily tattooed Kalari expert, carry her exquisitely wovenchaadar.
Thechaadaris conventionally held by the bride’s brothers, but who is to question the Coffee Queen?
The society debate leading up to this wedding of distinct halves was about what the bride would wear. She was, after all, marrying into royalty, and there would be lines she dared not cross.
Would Aaditha walk out in a Rajputi Poshak, or would it be alehenga?That it was neither must tell you who exactly Aaditha Asha Prathap is.
At the end of the aisle was His Royal Highness Vedveer – drop-dead gorgeous in a perfectly tailored ivory sherwani. His pink turban was the soft rebellion in his otherwise classic look, a private conversation of colour between his bride and him.
Earlier, the groom arrived on a Marwari stallion that saw a section of the guests swooning.
Gasps of ‘lucky Aaditha’ filled the air as he swung off the steed and made his way to the centre, while words like ‘hawt’ floated around the courtyard.
It was obvious by the look on Vedveer’s face that Aaditha’s choice of attire took him by surprise, a breathtaking surprise. He had no idea that she would go with Kanjeevaram silk for her big day, but as she walked up to him, emerging from under thechaadar, his nod said he should have expected it.
The newest member of Rathore royalty will forever be Aaditha Asha Prathap. She’s not changing, she’s not trying to fit in, and the King-in-waiting wouldn’t have it any other way.
The way HRH Vedveer looked at Aaditha, checking to see if she was okay every now and then, it looked like he would storm every fort in the land to keep her safe – saying more than any oath could.
Throughout the ceremony, Aaditha and Vedveer exchanged glances and subtle touches. Whether it was the Prince lifting and then adjusting Aaditha’spalluafter they exchanged garlands or Aaditha holding on to Vedveer’s arm during the rituals, even sharing a passionate kiss after the ceremony.
The wedding was a more intimate affair, with only a thousand guests in attendance.
The Rathores, the last word in grandeur, laid it all out there, wooing the Gowdas from Bengaluru, who, for all their achievements and money, stood out for their simplicity.
The royal side shimmered like a living gallery of jewels and heirlooms; the bride’s family – parents, sister, extended family and three of her dearest friends – brought a different kind of grace to the ceremony.
They wore Kanjeevaram and Mysore silks in shades of red, while the men wore silk kurtas of an earthen hue on white dhotis. They also draped a dupatta-like fabric called theangavastraon their shoulders.
The mélange of stunning southern silks was reportedly sourced directly from the weavers. TT is in the know that for a weekend, Kanchipuram was transported to the Gowda home on MG Road in Bengaluru.
Shaahi Shaam
Ranibagh at night transformed into a living dream.
Garlands of fresh marigold and fragrant jasmine cascaded down baroque balconies, the scent spiking the chilly evening air. Rangoli patterns in bursts of pinks, blues and golds adorned the marbled courtyards. The durbar halls glowed in the light of chandeliers dripping with crystals. Brocade drapes in wine red and navy, carrying the Ranibagh insignia, framed the doorways. Antique silver vases with tuberoses and native desert blooms decorated the passageways.
The garden was strung with fairy lights, and notes of ‘Kesariya Balam’ claimed the air.
The newlyweds – Rajkumari Aaditha and Crown Prince Vedveer – walked into the reception hand in hand, meeting and greeting guests.
Aaditha’s bespoke ivorylehenga, crafted from mulberry silk, came alive with a quiet shimmer every time she moved. The embroidery was done in threads of dull silver and gold. The sheer veil in a sunset blush, with embroidered borders, draped over her head, and one shoulder trailed behind her like a confidant trying to keep pace. She wore her waist-length hair loose. The blouse, with thread work in dull gold, carried sequins and pearls, echoing the patterns of the skirt. The deep neckline and cap sleeves added a contemporary twist to the traditional attire.
In the last month, Aaditha’s receptionlehengawas the topic of conversation at Kitty Party News Hours around the country. Would the Princess-to-be wear a traditionallehenga, or would she walk in in a gown? A little bird tells us a gown was never even part of the conversation.
