Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas Take First Step Toward Marriage With Traditional Roka Ceremony

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are wasting no time in their journey toward marital bliss. Over the weekend, the engaged pair finally confirmed their commitment to each other and to their fans worldwide with a traditional Roka ceremony in Mumbai.

Reports of the pair’s engagement circulated last month, after Jonas, 25, reportedly proposed to Chopra, 36, on her birthday. Since then, however, neither superstar has publicly confirmed their engagement; on Saturday, both Chopra and Jonas shared matching Instagram posts to their respective accounts, affirming their love for one another. “Taken … with all my heart and soul,” Chopra captioned the image. Jonas shared his own version of the photo, with the caption: “Future Mrs. Jonas. My heart. My love.”

At the roka ceremony, Jonas’s parents, Kevin and Denise Jonas, joined with Chopra’s parents at the Chopra family home, as is custom. There, the families likely exchanged gifts of sweets, dried fruit, and cash, as part of a ceremony meant to bring two families together.

According to Meha Bhargava, founder of Delhi-based wedding styling company Styl-Inc, the Roka ceremony is not to be confused with an engagement ceremony.

“In the Hindu religion, a Roka is a pre-engagement traditional ritual which signifies that the couple is now officially exclusive and engaged to be married,” Bhargava tells The Knot. “The traditional ceremony is kept small in front of a Hindu priest and the immediate family. Typically, the Roka ceremony takes place at the home of either the bride or groom, as it is a very intimate affair.”

It’s from there that wedding plans sprout. “Traditionally, Rokas involve pandits [priests] to predict a date for the wedding. The pandits, or priests of the Hindu religion, match the horoscopes of the bride and groom in order to give them a guide for dates to marry. The couple can say they want to get married in the spring or fall, for example, and then the priest gives a date accordingly for that season. It’s all about the Gods, astrology and the aligning of the the stars to predict a wedding date.”

The priest who performed the ritual for Chopra and Jonas confirmed to reporters that it had just taken place as he exited the home. “We have performed a puja [a prayer ritual] for a happy and a prosperous life of Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas,” he said, according to the Indian Express. “After Lord Ganesha’s puja, they performed their engagement ceremony. All the family members were present at the puja.”

Chopra wore a traditional canary yellow ensemble of palazzo pants and a Chikan Anarkali top by designer Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla Couture for the occasion, and Jonas donned a white sherwani. In photos snapped from the ceremony, the couple bowed their heads in prayer as their family looked on.

“I found her look to be a little subdued, subtle and classy,” Bhargava says. “However, as a bridal and style consultant, I would like to see her choose a deeper and bolder color palette going forward in order to highlight her beautiful complexion and coloring, as well as give her that peachy bridal glow.”

The couple’s wedding may also be set to take place sooner rather than later, most likely before the end of the year. A source told E! News that Chopra is hoping to have a relatively short engagement. “Priyanka wants everything to be traditional to respect her family’s values, and definitely an Indian wedding,” the source told E! News. “Priyanka and Nick are excited for everyone to meet and to celebrate. … All of the plans are moving quickly and Priyanka and Nick do not want to have a long engagement.”

The pair first met at last year’s Met Gala, but have reportedly been dating for just a few months.

Secure your ideal wedding vision by starting with The Knot’s Style Quiz, here.

Related Articles

• Priyanka Chopra’s Mom Opens Up About Her Daughter’s Engagement to Nick Jonas

• Hilary Swank Marries Philip Schneider in the Redwoods

• Exclusive: The Hills’ Whitney Port on What She Would Do Differently on Her Wedding Day