Why so many people ask the question here
The water: almost every romantic spot in Udaipur looks across a lake, and still water at dusk does half the work for you.
The light: the stone of the City Palace and the ghats turns from white to gold to pink in the last hour of the day.
- Founded
- 1559, by Maharana Udai Singh II
- Lake Pichola
- First dammed in the fourteenth century
- Jag Mandir
- Begun about 1620
- Lake Palace
- Built 1743 to 1746
- The scale: Udaipur is small enough to plan a moment precisely, and calm enough that nobody rushes you.
- The staff: hotels, boatmen and musicians here have helped with many proposals. Discretion is part of the city's hospitality.
- The marriage culture: Udaipur's own festivals celebrate marriage. At Gangaur, women carry the goddess to the lake to pray for a long and happy married life.
- The aftermath: there is always somewhere beautiful to have dinner afterwards, and someone ready to bring champagne or sweet jalebi, whichever you prefer.
On Lake Pichola
A private boat at sunset
The moment: a boat just for the two of you, gliding past the bathing ghats and the City Palace as the light softens.
- Where to stop: near Jag Mandir, with its stone elephants, or in open water with the City Palace and the Lake Palace behind you.
- What we add: a few flowers, a cushion, a flask of something cold, and a boatman briefed to look the other way.
- More: our page on a boat on Lake Pichola explains how we arrange it.
Dinner on Jag Mandir
The setting: Jag Mandir, the island palace begun about 1620, reached by boat at dusk.
- The moment: a candlelit table on the terrace, with the city lights on the water and the question between courses.
- Good to know: the island has its own rules on decoration and timing. We confirm what is allowed before we plan the flowers.
Arrival at the Lake Palace
The setting: the Taj Lake Palace, reached only by the hotel's boats.
- The moment: the crossing at dusk, or a terrace on the island after the last boat has gone. The hotel arranges moments for its own guests.
- Why it works: the whole palace falls quiet at night, and the lake feels entirely yours.
A dawn boat
- The moment: the lake at first light, mist on the water and the ghats waking up, with almost nobody else out.
- Who it suits: couples who would rather not have an audience at all, and early risers.
Palace terraces and lakeside gardens
Inside the City Palace
- Where: the terraces of Fateh Prakash Palace and Shiv Niwas Palace, above the water within the palace complex.
- Why: you are inside the history, with the lake below and the Lake Palace across the water.
The western shore
- Where: the gardens and pavilions of The Oberoi Udaivilas and The Leela Palace Udaipur, looking back at the City Palace.
- Why: privacy and polish. Both arrange special moments for their own guests.
A private island
- Where: Raffles Udaipur, on its own island in Udai Sagar, east of the city.
- Why: seclusion and formal gardens, for couples who want to be far from any crowd.
An old city rooftop
- Where: a haveli rooftop near Lal Ghat or Gangaur Ghat, with jharokhas over the lake.
- Why: intimate and personal. We choose a house where we can take the roof for the evening.
Above the city
The Monsoon Palace: Sajjangarh, commissioned by Maharana Sajjan Singh in 1884 on a hilltop west of the city. At sunset the lakes below turn to silver.
The honest note: it is a public sight and busy at sunset in high season. We choose a quieter day and a quieter corner, or go just after the crowds leave.
- The ropeway hill: the ropeway up Machhla Magra to the Karni Mata temple gives a wide view over Pichola and the old city. Lovely for the view, too public for most proposals.
- A hill palace: RAAS Devigarh, about 28 kilometres north-east of the city, has terraces over the Aravalli valley and far fewer people.
- Further out: the ramparts of Kumbhalgarh in the late light, for couples who want a fort wall that runs over the hills as far as you can see.
Gardens, the second lake and quieter corners
Saheliyon ki Bari: the garden of the maidens, with fountains, lotus pools and marble pavilions. Go in the morning, when the fountains run and the garden is quiet. See Saheliyon ki Bari.
Fateh Sagar: the second lake, north of Pichola, with an embankment where Udaipur families stroll in the evening. A boat out at dusk is calmer than you would expect. See Fateh Sagar.
- Ambrai Ghat: across the water from the City Palace, with the whole facade lit up after dark. Beautiful, but busy with photographers at dusk.
- Gangaur Ghat at dawn: the triple-arched gate beside Bagore ki Haveli, empty and golden just after sunrise.
- A temple garden: we steer away from temples themselves, which are places of worship, but a garden nearby can be lovely.
Personal touches that make it yours
A painted question: a miniature painter in Udaipur paints a scene of the two of you in the Rajput style, with the question hidden in the final detail. Our page on miniature painting explains the art.
A song with your names: a Manganiyar singer, told your story beforehand, weaves your names into a verse, as the Thar's musicians have always done for their patrons.
- Flowers from the market: marigold, rose and jasmine bought that morning from the old city's flower sellers, rather than an imported bouquet.
- A lamp on the water: a small clay lamp floated on the lake, where it is allowed, instead of fireworks or sky lanterns.
- Your own words: a letter, read aloud or handed over in a carved box made by a local craftsman.
- A vintage drive: arrive at dinner in a classic car. Our page on vintage cars explains what we can arrange.
- Mehndi afterwards: if the answer is yes, a henna artist can paint a small design the next morning, a Rajasthani way of marking the beginning. See mehndi.
If you want a ring from Rajasthan
Buy in Jaipur: Jaipur is one of the world's great centres for cutting coloured gemstones, especially emeralds. Udaipur has lovely silver, but Jaipur has the depth.
Family jewellers only: we take you to jewellers we have known for decades, never to the commission showrooms that drivers are paid to visit.
- Gem city
- Jaipur, a great centre for coloured stones
- Known for
- Emeralds, rubies, sapphires and garnets
- Styles
- Kundan, meenakari and polki
- Allow
- Several days for a ring made to order
- Ask for a certificate: for any valuable stone, ask for a report from a recognised gem testing laboratory, and keep it with the receipt.
- Old styles: kundan, stones set in pure gold foil, and meenakari, bright enamel on the back, are Rajasthan's own traditions. Our journal on Rajasthani jewellery explains them.
- Time it: a ring made to order needs several days, so visit the jeweller early in your journey, before Udaipur.
- Keep it secret: if your partner is with you, we can arrange the visit while they are at a spa or a cooking class. See gems and jewellery.
Timing it right
The golden hour: the stone glows and faces look their best. Most of our boat proposals happen in this window.
The blue hour: just after sunset, the palace lights come on and the sky turns deep blue. It is perfect for photographs with lights behind you.
- Golden hour
- The hour before sunset
- Blue hour
- Twenty minutes after the sun goes down
- Calmest water
- Early morning
- Lake level
- Highest after a good monsoon
- October to March: warm afternoons, cool evenings and clear skies. November and February are especially lovely.
- December and January: cold evenings on the water. Bring a shawl, and we bring blankets for the boat.
- The monsoon: July to September brings green hills, dramatic clouds and fewer visitors. Have a covered plan B ready.
- Festival weeks: Diwali, Christmas, New Year and Gangaur are beautiful and crowded. Choose them only if you enjoy a city celebrating around you.
- Your journey: propose early in the trip, so you spend the rest of it celebrating. Our Udaipur romance, four nights is built for it.
Capturing the moment
A local photographer: someone who knows the light, the boats and the venues, and has done this before.
Hidden in plain sight: on a second boat, on a nearby terrace or posing as a tourist on the ghat.
- A clear signal: agree the moment and the gesture beforehand, so nobody misses it.
- Permissions: many monuments need permission for professional cameras and tripods, and drones need permission in India and are restricted near many sites. We arrange only what is allowed.
- Consent: the photographer avoids photographing bathers, worshippers and local families without asking.
- Afterwards: a short portrait session as the light goes, while you are both still glowing.
Local customs worth knowing
Affection in public: holding hands is fine. A long kiss on a public ghat may draw stares. Boats, terraces and hotel gardens give you privacy.
Ghats are for bathing and prayer: be quiet and discreet, and never photograph people bathing.
- Temples: places of worship, not backdrops. We don't arrange proposals inside them.
- Dress: smart and modest in public places, shoulders and knees covered near temples. Hotels are more relaxed.
- Noise: amplified music is restricted late at night, and many venues set their own earlier limits.
- Fireworks and sky lanterns: they need permission and are usually not allowed near palaces and lakes.
- Our wider guide: etiquette and dress.
Plan B, and other things nobody tells you
Wind on the lake: a breeze can make a small boat choppy. We check the evening before and keep a terrace on standby.
Rain: in the monsoon, a covered terrace or a haveli room with a jharokha over the lake is just as romantic.
- A crowd: if your chosen spot is busy, we move to the second place we agreed. Always agree a second place.
- Nerves: they are normal. Our team keeps everything ready, so you can decide the moment yourself.
- A surprise kept secret: we keep every message private and brief our team not to mention a thing.
- If the timing feels wrong: wait. Udaipur has another sunset tomorrow, and we can move everything by a day.
If not Udaipur, then where
A dune at dusk near Jaisalmer: a rug on an empty ridge, the sun sinking into the sand and Manganiyar singers waiting at camp. See luxury desert camps.
A balloon over Amer: an hour of silence above the hills at sunrise. Read our journal on ballooning over Jaipur first, and keep the ring zipped away.
- A stepwell lit with lamps: dinner at Rawla Narlai, between Udaipur and Jodhpur, with the old well glowing around you.
- A palace garden in Jaipur: the lawns of Rambagh Palace at dusk, with peacocks calling.
- A fort above the blue city: the terraces of Umaid Bhawan Palace, with Mehrangarh glowing across Jodhpur.
After the yes
Dinner: a table on a terrace or rampart with the lake below. Our page on a private palace dinner explains where we arrange them.
Music: a musician playing quietly at a distance, or a song you love sung for you.
- The phone call home: a quiet corner with good signal, which is less easy on a lake than you might think.
- Sweets: in Rajasthan good news is shared with sweets. We bring a box from the old city for you to give to the boatman and the staff.
- The days after: a slow journey on, perhaps to the desert or a hill palace. Our Rajasthan honeymoon ideas has many more.
Where to stay for a proposal
On the island: the Taj Lake Palace, for couples who want the lake to themselves after dark.
Inside the palace: Fateh Prakash or Shiv Niwas, for history, terraces and the old city on foot.
- Across the water: The Oberoi Udaivilas or The Leela Palace, for gardens, space and views of the City Palace.
- In the hills: RAAS Devigarh, for a quieter proposal and a slow day after.
- Choosing the room: a lake view matters more here than anywhere in Rajasthan. Our guide to luxury hotels in Udaipur compares them.
How we plan a proposal
We listen first: to your story, your partner's tastes and how public or private you want the moment to be.
We suggest two places: a first choice and a back-up, with the right hour for each.
- We arrange the details: boat, flowers, photographer, musician, dinner and the right room in the right hotel.
- We stay out of sight: our team on the ground keeps everything ready and disappears when it matters.
- No prices here: we quote after that first conversation, once we know what you want.
- Coming back later: couples often return for an anniversary. Our page on vow renewals is for that day.