The full details of the six days of lavish celebrations for Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar's wedding are revealed today. The couple, who married at the weekend in Gloucestershire, are holding a staggering six parties in five days in Mumbai and Rajasthan this week. From Wednesday the wedding will virtually take over the city of Jodhpur, with events in two palaces and two forts, all within a three-tier security "ring of steel."
Even the Maharajah of Jodhpur will not be allowed to carry his mobile phone to celebrations at his own palace as part of the attempt to prevent unauthorised photographs. The newly-weds have sold the rights to the wedding to Hello! magazine in a deal reported to be worth £2 million. The deal with the magazine hinges on guests either checking in their mobile phones and cameras before they enter or leaving them at home, to prevent any sneaky photographs getting into the hands of the press
Newlyweds: Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar are staying at the five star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel The royal family of Jodhpur - headed by His Highness Maharajah Gaj Singh, own the Hotel Umaid Bhawan Palace and have been told there can be no exceptions - even though the palace is their home. A hotel source said: "It's rather excessive. The maharajah has welcomed the couple to hold their wedding here and even stay in the royal quarters, and he will understand the security issues. Jodhpur will be more secure this week than during the Mughal invasions."
Elton's other half David Furnish arrives Security will be handled by the couple's own security personnel, the hotel's security staff and local police, who have been approached by the couple. "They have given clear instructions that no uninvited guests should be allowed to enter the hotel premises or the party areas,î the source said. The newlyweds arrived in Mumbai shortly today and were driven to the five-star seafront Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel in a silver Bentley with a convoy of Mercedes behind.
Blushing bride: Liz Hurley arrives at Mumbai airport Hurley, 41,and her textile heir husband, will tonight host a "glamorous casual" party for up to 400 guests at a venue rumoured to be the Nayar family home in Nariman Point, south Mumbai. Tomorrow night, a black tie party, called the 'do after the I do', is being hosted by Mumbai's social queen Parmeshwar Godrej, a close friend of Nayar, at her home. The couple and guests are expected to arrive in Jodhpur on Wednesday and will have the Hindu ceremony later that evening on the lawns of the Bhawan Palace hotel.
The couple travelled in a silver chauffer-driven Bentley A sacred fire will be lit amid Vedic chantings. Nayar's shawl will be tied to his bride's "duppata" or veil, and they will walk around the fire seven times to seal their marriage and then be showered with rose petals. Nayar, 42, will produce a box of red wedding bangles which he will wash in milk and then place on both Liz's wrists. Traditional sangeet (music) night will be played with Bollywood dancing. The dress code for the evening is pink saris for women and saffron turbans with orange kurtas for men. The following day, they are expected to host a party in the nearby Balsamand Palace with a party that evening in Nagaur Fort. On Friday they will host a postwedding party in Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.