A day before they exchanged vows and became husband and wife, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas celebrated with their loved ones at beautiful, traditional pre-wedding Hindu ceremonies.
The Mehendi and Sangeet were held on Friday and were two of several pre-wedding festivities for the couple in the 36-year-old actress' native India this week. She and Nick, 26, made their marriage official on Saturday at a Western, Christian ceremony officiated by the groom's dad, Kevin Jonas Sr., a pastor, at the Taj Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. They plan to have a traditional Hindu wedding there later this weekend.
Hours after they became husband and wife, Priyanka and Nick released the first photos from their three-day wedding weekend, specifically from their Mehendi ceremony, where they wore traditional Indian garb. The bride-to-be wore a colorful Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla Couture 48-multipanelled organdy sherwani embellished in silk detailing and containing two organza layered drapes.
The groom-to-be-wore a traditional Hindu, aqua Banarasi cotton Bakhiya kurta, embellished in finest threadwork embroidery in various stitches.
"One of the most special things that our relationship has given us is a merging of families who love and respect each other's faiths and cultures," Priyanka and Nick said in a statement on Instagram. "And so planning our wedding with an amalgamation of both was so so amazing."
"An important part for the girl in an Indian wedding is the Mehendi," the couple said. "Once again we made it our own and it was an afternoon that kicked off the celebrations in the way we both dreamed."
"A Mehendi calls for joyous and exuberant celebration," designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla said in a statement. "Priyanka's outfit is a burst of colour. Nick's aqua is the perfect balance. They looked like a dream together."
During the female-centric Mehendi ceremony (also called a Mehendi or Henna ceremony), red-orange mehndi "stain" is applied to the bride's hands and feet. Guests can also choose to get henna applied. According to the Times of India, Nick also had mehendi, bearing the words "Om Priyankaya Namah Om," applied on his palm.
Priyanka had suffered a minor accident before the event; According to Indian newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, she slipped and cut her leg against the wooden floor of her hotel room. She was treated at the scene by a doctor and given painkillers and a bandage.
The Mehendi ceremony was held by the palace pool. The theme was "The Blue City," an ode to Jodhpur. The event featured blues, yellow and white decor.
While Priyanka was busy at that event, Nick, the male guests and some palace staff played cricket and baseball.
At the Sangeet ceremony, she and Nick and their guests performed dance skits showing how the couple met.
"Nick and Priyanka were laughing and had a great time watching all the performances!" a source told E! News on Friday.