NEW DELHI: Finally, the big, fat Indian jungle wedding of Russell Brand and Katy Perry took place as per plans at the tiger reserve in west India on Saturday.
In keeping with the Hindu tradition, which inspired the ceremony, the groom arrived on horseback - while the elephants, camels and more horses formed part of the wedding procession.
And while guests at a conventional wedding might be guided from the pulpit to reflect on life, love and marriage, throng were treated to the wisdom of a Hindu guru and a fortune-telling parrot.
No doubt much to everyone’s relief, the bird foresaw a long life, long marriage and long and successful careers for both bride and groom by picking out cards in response to guests’ questions - translated into Hindi for it by handler Pandit Rakesh Joshi.
There were fire jugglers and fire eaters, snake charmers and dance troupes, folk singers and drummers and several ‘costume’ changes for the henna-adorned bride and, less traditionally, similarly painted groom.
“It’s like somebody said “Throw your own wedding” to a couple of loved-up 14-year-olds who are a bit self-consciously cool and have just “discovered” Indian spirituality - and got it all jumbled up with mysticism and crystals and goodness knows what,” the Daily Mail quoted one source as saying.
Perhaps not quite the appraisal celebrity-wedding planner Mindy Weiss hoped for - but as long as the bride and groom are happy, her work is done.
The Mandap (wedding canopy) was erected in Aman-i-Khas’s central large pavilion tent, which was strung with orange, red and yellow ribbons rather than the mute, cream hues of the rest of the resort.
The gold wedding thrones were installed, the marigold garlands strung and the traditional Nagaras (Rajasthani drums) rolled into place ready.
Katy decided to give Russell a baby elephant as a love token. Russell presented his bride with a ruby imbued, he reckons, with protective powers.
Several dresses. But all designed with one, or perhaps two, key points in mind.
“Katy was determined that her sari-inspired dresses showed off her cleavage of which she’s very proud,” the source added.
The evening before the ceremony she wore a maroon sari, on the day itself she started off in blue but had several different colours and changed throughout the day.
Russell opted for a nude-tone kurta and pyjamas, later putting on a long, heavily-ornamented, fitted coat.
Katy and Russell wrote their own vows and guests must have envied the couple their wedding ‘thrones’ - as Katy’s lasted 30 rambling minutes.
A source said: “Katy was really looking forward to hearing Russell’s vows and his speech.
“She thinks that his Dickensian way of talking is just the most erotic, sexy, brilliant thing she’s ever heard.”
A local worker helps out with preparations yesterday
Later Katy sang to Russell - something many were nervous about as she was determined to do so ‘A Cappella’ - with none of her usual heavy production.
Reformed drug addict Russell is teetotal and, though Katy isn’t, they decided the wedding would be a dry one.
In the days before the celebrations kicked off, the local store was asked to order 1,380 cans of soft drink and 5,000 bottles of mineral water. The wedding feast was traditional Indian and vegan.
There were no fireworks as the proximity of the wildlife sanctuary rules out fireworks and forbids any noisy celebrations.
But Russell and Katy are unlikely to mind.
