Anant Ambani, 29, son of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, married Radhika Merchant, 29, daughter of a pharmaceutical millionaire, on July 12, 2024, in a $600 million event. Their engagement ceremony took place on January 19, 2023, in Mumbai.
The wedding drew global attention for its extravagance, with around 2,000 guests including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair, and celebrities like David and Victoria Beckham, Shah Rukh Khan, and Kim and Khloé Kardashian. Kareema Sethi, a Mumbai resident, remarked, “It feels like the Oscars and a royal wedding all at the same time.”
Held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, the venue was adorned with billions of flowers. Wedding planner Preston Bailey confirmed the immense scale of floral decorations. Traditional rituals like the “shubh ashirwad” and “mangal utsav” were part of the three-day ceremony, attended by 14,000 people.
Radhika wore multiple stunning outfits, including a gold gown by Dolce & Gabbana and a hand-embroidered bridal lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Jewelry, especially emerald pieces symbolizing wisdom, prosperity, and protection, played a significant role. Jewelry dealer Lee Siegelson noted their association with royalty and auspicious symbolism in weddings.
The Ambani-Merchant wedding was a grand display of India’s cultural richness and luxury, setting new benchmarks for opulence in wedding celebrations.