This couple’s wedding in Vienna was an ode to luxury and art in every form

For the bride, who had always envisioned having a fairytale-esque wedding, it seemed fitting that they choose a destination that exuded palatial charm and opulence. After recceing properties across Udaipur, Istanbul, Paris, Rome and Monaco, none caught their fancy, unlike a wedding in Vienna. “Our guests could wander through galleries of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, arrive at celebrations in traditional horse-drawn carriages and dine beneath centuries-old frescoes,” Rughani shares. It came with its fair share of challenges, such as hosting the wedding ceremony in the premises of the Belvedere Palace, a historic complex in the heart of the city that required prior approval from the Austrian government, as well as the sangeet evening at Palais Liechtenstein, built by the princely family of Liechtenstein nearly 300 years ago.

The couple roped in Aditya Motwane of Motwane Entertainment & Weddings to execute their dream wedding in Vienna, with a mood board that featured clean, neutral palettes layered with lots of florals and glossy white textures, among other whimsical elements. “We wanted the setting to be the masterpiece with grand palaces and Baroque-style architecture commanding attention,” they add. This included taking over the historic Park Hyatt Vienna hotel as the base for the celebrations.

As guests flew in from around the world, they were greeted with eclectic mithai hampers from Bombay Sweet Shop, along with being treated to champagne breakfasts, live cooking stations curated by Foodlink Luxury Catering, personalised room service menus and even sitar performances in the lobby of the hotel. Even the wedding invitations were designed as objets d’art featuring lacquered wooden boxes (that served as keepsake jewellery boxes), a gold-plated bookend, and a compendium of sketches of the couple’s couture ensembles, nuggets of history behind the palace venues, as well as messages from a Michelin-star chef that had been roped in to design the wedding reception menus. “We wanted each of our guests to feel immersed in our world. Even soft touches such as personalised napkins and tables named after our favourite hotels—Amanzoe, Cheval Blanc Randheli, and Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc—were an ode to memorable travels together,” Rughani adds.

The wedding weekend unfolded as a well-orchestrated extravaganza, starting with a haldi lunch, a ceremonial swagat and a havan puja in front of the Liechtenstein

Palace, followed by the sangeet the same evening, which replicated a whimsical European-style garden laced with florals and old-world charm, and a theme centred around Vienna-meets-India. Think Bridgerton-inspired performers mingling with the crowds, a large Marie Antoinette-style chariot that was the centre of attention, colourful Indian textiles and glossy swings. The couple recalls a gesture of privilege when the royal family allowed guests to partake in private curator-led tours of the galleries during the sangeet, which included viewing the Badminton Cabinet, considered one of the most valuable pieces of furniture in the world. “An experience rarely, if ever, accessible to the public,” says Rughani. A boudoir-inspired after-party concluded the night.