Samode village · 40 km north of Jaipur
Wedding makeup at Samode Palace
Painted walls, a mirrored hall and courtyards that climb the hillside. Samode is an intimate wedding venue with one of the most photographed interiors in Rajasthan, and the bride has to look right in front of all of it.
The practical part
Pune-based artist, staying at Samode for your wedding.
Tejaswini works from Pune. Samode is an hour or more from Jaipur, so she stays at the palace or at Samode Bagh for the duration of your functions rather than driving in each morning. Travel and accommodation for her, and for any extra artists, are added at cost.
About the palace
Small, old and very decorated.
Background on the palace and its rooms. The hotel confirms what can be used for each function.
- Distance
- About 40 km north of Jaipur
- Hotel since
- 1987
- Rooms and suites
- 43
- Durbar Hall
- Hand-painted, added in the mid-19th century
- Sheesh Mahal
- The hall of mirrors, on the south side
- Sister property
- Samode Bagh garden camp, about 4 km away
A family palace
Built up over generations by Jaipur's prime ministers.
Samode began as a fort and grew into a palace under the Rawals of Samode, a noble family who served the Jaipur court. In the mid-19th century Rawal Sheo Singh, then prime minister of Jaipur state, added the Durbar Hall with its painted walls and gallery, and the Sheesh Mahal, a hall lined with mirror work.
The palace became a hotel in 1987 and is still owned by the family. It is built on three levels of courtyards rising up the hill, each with a different character, which gives a wedding several distinct settings without leaving the building.
With only 43 rooms, Samode suits smaller weddings or a full buyout. Many families use Samode Bagh, the family's garden camp a few minutes away, for a daytime mehendi.
Looks for each space
Dressing for frescoes and mirrors.
Mehendi at Samode Bagh
Trees, tents and dappled light. A fresh base, a little colour on the cheeks and hair loosely tied.
Sangeet in the Durbar Hall
Painted walls in every direction. A defined eye and a strong lip so the bride holds her own against the décor.
Portraits in the Sheesh Mahal
Mirrors double every highlight. A soft-matte finish and very controlled shimmer.
Pheras in a courtyard
Open to the sky, enclosed by walls. Sweat-resistant base and a dupatta pinned for movement up and down steps.
Wedding day
A Samode wedding day.
- 08:30
Room set-up
The bride gets ready in a suite with a window onto a courtyard.
- 10:30
Makeup begins
About three hours for the full look.
- 13:30
Sheesh Mahal portraits
Before guests fill the rooms.
- 16:30
Baraat at the gate
Steps up to the palace; the drape is pinned for walking.
- 17:30
Pheras
Touch-ups at the mandap.
- 20:00
Dinner in the Durbar Hall
Lip refreshed and hair adjusted.
At Samode
Practical notes for a palace on a hill.
Worth doing
- Stay on site; the road from Jaipur is long for early calls
- Plan Sheesh Mahal photographs early in the day
- Choose flat shoes for moving between courtyard levels
- Use Samode Bagh for a relaxed daytime function
Worth avoiding
- Shimmer and glitter in the mirrored rooms
- Very long trains on the palace stairs
- Assuming city-hotel lighting in old rooms; bring light
- Packing every function into one day in a small venue
Watch
A classic red look for a palace wedding.
Soft, not heavy
Tejaswini
Your artist at Samode
Tejaswini has more than a decade of bridal work behind her and plans heritage weddings with care for the setting. At Samode that means softer shine for the mirrored rooms and stronger colour for the painted halls, decided with you before she leaves Pune.
Her work
Tejaswini's bridal work.
Real brides from weddings elsewhere; Samode Palace pictures will be added only when genuine.
Samode Palace questions
Samode Palace makeup questions.
Does Tejaswini do weddings at Samode Palace?
Yes. Her journey and stay are the couple’s cost and appear as separate lines.
Is Samode suitable for a big wedding?
It has 43 rooms, so it suits smaller weddings or a full buyout, often with Samode Bagh for extra space.
Does the mirror work affect makeup?
Yes. Mirrors multiply shine, so the finish is kept soft-matte and highlight is used sparingly.
How far is Samode from Jaipur?
About 40 km north of the city, usually over an hour by road.
What is included in the bridal price?
Makeup, hairstyling and draping, from Rs 50,000 per look. Travel and stay are separate.
Keep comparing
Other Jaipur wedding venues.
Samode Palace bookings
Planning a Samode wedding?
Tell us your dates, whether you are also using Samode Bagh, and how many people need makeup.
