In an era where celebrations are no longer defined by scale alone but by the depth of experience they create, the Udaipur wedding of Netra Mantena and Vamsi Gadiraju has emerged as a masterclass in immersive luxury. Set against the timeless splendor of Rajasthan’s palaces and lakes, the celebration redefined what modern destination weddings can be—global in flavor, intimate in emotion, and rooted in cultural elegance.
Behind this orchestration stood Wizcraft Weddings, a name synonymous with world-class experiential design. Steering a project of this magnitude required vision, precision, and an unwavering commitment to storytelling—qualities that have cemented Wizcraft’s leadership in India’s premium wedding and event space. Over nine months of planning, the team transformed heritage venues into curated sensory worlds, seamlessly welcoming over 650 high-profile guests from across the globe.
In an exclusive conversation with EVENTFAQS Media, Viraf Sarkari, Co-founder and Director of the Wizcraft Weddings shares insight about the creative strategy, operational mastery, and uncompromising discretion that powered one of the most talked-about weddings of the year. From navigating heritage limitations to collaborating with global entertainment talent, here’s an inside look at what it truly takes to bring a dream wedding to life!
The Udaipur wedding of Netra Mantena and Vamsi Gadiraju has drawn a lot of attention already. Could you walk us through Wizcraft’s role in the wedding and what were the core responsibilities your team handled?
We had been working on this wedding for nine months. In fact, right after IIFA wrapped up, we travelled with the family to Udaipur in March and began planning everything in detail.
The brief from the family was very clear—they wanted a classy, elegant and spectacular celebration for their international high-profile guests, business associates from America, and leading names from India.
Our role covered everything “from a pin to an elephant.” We conceptualised, produced, directed and executed the entire wedding end-to-end. This included recommending designers, creating mood boards, locking décor concepts, finalising florals, working with specialists across projection mapping, lighting, sound, logistics, hospitality and guest experience.
Every operational aspect was ours—charter flights, ground transport, boat transfers, golf carts, guest handling, hotel coordination, venue readiness, and the full event production across all days.
Across five iconic venues, we delivered:
- Welcome Dinner – The Leela Palace
- Haldi – Taj Lake Palace
- Mehendi – Manek Chowk
- Sangeet – Zenana Mahal
- Wedding – Jagmandir Palace
- Reception – Zenana Mahal
Large-scale, high-profile weddings come with layers of complexity. What were the biggest challenges in executing this one—especially with the need for complete secrecy and confidentiality? Did the team have to work under an NDA?
There were two big challenges.
The first was working within historical, heritage structures. These venues come with strict guidelines on what can and cannot be done. We worked closely with HRH’s (His Royal Highness) office and every hotel involved to ensure complete compliance.
The second complexity was logistical: Udaipur isn’t a single-venue destination. We had around ten hotels booked on the lakeside, plus crew hotels elsewhere. Guests arrived by air, continued by road, and then transferred by boat to reach their hotels or respective venues. Managing 650 guests and a large crew across all these modes of transport needed extraordinary coordination.
On confidentiality—yes, absolute secrecy was non-negotiable. All agreements, including with our vendors, contained confidentiality clauses, and nothing was permitted to be shared outside until the wedding concluded.
A guest list featuring global celebrities and industry leaders demands an elevated level of discretion. How did your team manage security, guest movement, and privacy while maintaining a seamless experience?
Our clients’ guests were extremely high-profile. For instance, Donald Trump Jr. attended, and the Secret Service was on ground. We worked very closely with their teams, providing dedicated personnel to manage every requirement.
Similarly, for all international celebrities—including performers like Jennifer Lopez—we assigned separate teams to ensure privacy, security, smooth movement and overall comfort. The objective was that every guest should feel completely at ease and cared for without ever seeing the machinery behind the scenes.
Udaipur is known for its beauty—but also for its logistical limitations. What were the most demanding operational aspects of pulling off a wedding of this scale in a heritage destination with multiple venues?
The most demanding element was guest movement across multiple modes—air, road and water. Guests would land, be driven to take boats to their hotels, and move between venues the same way.
Coordinating this for hundreds of guests while simultaneously managing crew movement, venue setups, production runs and rehearsals across five heritage venues was the biggest operational challenge.
Large-scale weddings often rely heavily on collaborations. Which partners, vendors, and creative teams played a crucial role in bringing the celebration together?
We worked with three designers across the ten events:
- Abhinav Bhagat
- Ambika Gupta
- Janki of Altair
- All florals were executed by Interflora.
- Food was curated by Salt Catering.
- Bars were managed by The Bar Collective, with bartenders flown in from outside India.
Entertainment partners who brought the wedding to life across events included:
WELCOME DINNER – The Leela Palace
The festivities opened in regal fashion at The Leela Palace, where Amyra Dastur welcomed guests with her graceful charm. The evening came alive with the powerful presence of Manganiyar Seduction and the elegant Maitri Dancers adding a traditional heartbeat to the celebration. As the night unfolded, Tiësto took over the console with his unmistakable energy, followed by DJ Shaan Gidwani, who kept the afterparty buzzing well past midnight.
HALDI – Taj Lake Palace
The Haldi ceremony at Taj Lake Palace gleamed with golden warmth as DJ Amann Nagpal, accompanied by a live saxophonist and violinist, crafted a musical atmosphere that felt dreamy and spirited all at once. With melodies drifting across the lake, the celebration blended tradition and rhythm in the most effortless way.
MEHENDI – Manek Chowk
At Manek Chowk, Dia Mirza hosted the Mehendi with her trademark poise. Merlin D’Souza and a full philharmonic ensemble filled the courtyard with rich orchestral magic, creating a grand backdrop for the festivities. Performances by Nora Fatehi and Madhuri Dixit lit up the evening, and the whimsical artistry of Cirque du Soleil added a world-class flourish. DJ Shaan Gidwani wrapped up the celebration with a lively set that kept everyone grooving.
SANGEET – Zenana Mahal
The Sangeet at Zenana Mahal was a true showstopper, guided by the charismatic duo Karan Johar and Sophie Choudry. The night shimmered with star power as Varun Dhawan, Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Janhvi Kapoor, and Jacqueline Fernandez delivered electrifying performances. DJ Chetas and DJ Amann Nagpal carried the musical tempo through the night, making the celebration feel almost cinematic.
BARAAT
The Baraat burst forth with infectious Punjabi spirit as Sukhbir and his band led the procession with booming beats and unstoppable energy. It was the kind of joyful chaos only a legendary baraat can deliver — lively, loud, and loved by all.
WEDDING – Jagmandir Palace
The wedding at Jagmandir Palace unfolded like a royal dream. Tripti Collective curated an ambience that felt both timeless and intimate, while traditional Nadaswaram players set a soulful tone. The smooth layers of Bombay Jazz and the elegance of Silver Strings completed the musical tapestry, turning the ceremony into a serene, enchanting experience.
RECEPTION – Zenana Mahal
At the reception, Sophie Choudry returned as host, ushering in an evening of glamour and celebration. The Aragon Band delivered a rich musical set, and the incomparable Jennifer Lopez brought global sparkle to the stage with a performance that left the audience breathless. DJ Black Coffee brought the night home with his signature deep and rhythmic sound.
AFTERPARTY
The final burst of celebration came alive at the afterparty, where DJ Ganesh and DJ Amann Nagpal kept the crowd dancing till dawn. It was the perfect high-energy finale to an unforgettable series of events.
Beyond the illustrious guest list, what do you feel were the standout elements that made this wedding truly distinctive from a planning and execution perspective?
What made this wedding special was how we used the natural beauty of Udaipur. Our aim was to ignite all human senses—sight, sound, smell, taste, and the emotional experience. Guests walked into environments that evolved dramatically each day. The lighting, special effects, florals, aroma, entertainment and food were all curated to leave people saying “WOW” the moment they entered.
Finally, if you were to sum up this wedding in one thought—its scale, energy, and execution—what would that be?
It was a wedding beyond imagination. Truly, a dream wedding.
