Anant Ambani, the richest man in India, finally tied the knot with pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant on Friday in front of hundreds of guests, after seven months of extravagant pre-wedding festivities.Â
Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, and former British prime ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair were among the many celebrities that traveled to Mumbai for the glamorous occasion. Big celebrities in Indian politics, business, entertainment, and sports were also present at the wedding. These included former president Ram Nath Kovind, several state chief ministers, Bollywood actors Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, and several players from India’s renowned cricket team.
The Wedding Day :-
Reliance Industries, the biggest private company in India, was founded by the Ambani family, who spared no expense. The company was started by Anant’s grandfather, and his father Mukesh, who is worth over $122 billion, is currently in charge of it, according to Forbes.
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Police blocked off the area around the Ambanis’ 16,000-seat Jio World Convention Centre in rain-soaked Mumbai before to the red carpet-style arrival ceremony. In front of photographers, attendees displayed their personalized kurtas, lehengas, and saris, possibly establishing future trends in Indian wedding attire.
Fashion Highlights :-
The customary dress code was observed by the international guests, who wore designs created by multiple well-known Indian fashion designers. On the red carpet, Jonas looked stunning in a baby pink sherwani made of sequin-encrusted woven silk in the shape of a bouquet, while John Cena looked dapper in an embroidered sky-blue sherwani and white pants. Entertainer and wife of Jonas, Priyanka Chopra, showed there dressed in a sun-colored sari that was beautifully embroidered.
The fashion set was also very much in evidence. Longtime stylist to Zendaya Law Roach showed up in a purple tunic, mauve velvet jacket, and gold-clawed Schiaparelli shoes, while New York Fashion Week veteran Prabal Gurung, a designer, showed up in a pink sherwani and aviator sunglasses.Â
Kim and Khloé Kardashian were spotted on social media wearing red and gold saris, respectively, despite not showing up on the red carpet. Khloé opted for a large maang tikka, layered necklaces, and long, embroidered sleeves, while Kim wore an off-the-shoulder tasseled choli. Kim hinted in an Instagram story that her film crew was there to record a segment for their television program, “The Kardashians.”Â
Inside the venue, which was remodeled to resemble the holy Indian city of Varanasi, stars like Cena and Chopra could be seen having fun and dancing. Social media users widely circulated video of the Ambani family dancing on stage with Indian musician Daler Mehndi. Afrobeats artist Rema was among the other performers that evening, showcasing his popular song “Calm Down.”Â
Outfits Worn by the Bride and Groom :-
Regarding the couple, the groom initially showed up on the red carpet wearing sneakers and a platinum sherwani, which he changed into for the ceremony. The bride looked stunning in an Indian brand called Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s hand-embroidered bridal gown. The merchant wore a magnificent ivory dress trimmed in red, adhering to the Gujarati tradition of wearing red and white. As posted in an Instagram first look, it included a lengthy lehenga with a detachable train that was almost seven feet long, and a 16-foot-long veil adorned with stones and sequins, according to her stylist Rhea Kapoor.
Ahead of her “bidai,” an Indian bride must formally bid farewell to her family before becoming a member of the groom’s, Merchant dressed elegantly in red and gold, featuring a lehenga, woven blouse, veil, and embroidered headpiece.
Anant’s mother, Nita Ambani, mentioned a recent trip to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, in a video that was shared on social media on Friday morning. During that trip, she asked for blessings for the pair. “Reimagine and present the sanctity, positivity, and beauty of Varanasi in the wedding,” she said, expressing her desire that the occasion will honor “India’s glorious culture and heritage, brought to life by thousands of artisans… weavers and craftsmen.”
Additionally, it was disclosed that the gown that Nita Ambani wore on the red carpet of the event took more than 40 days to make. Designers Vijay Kumar and Monica Maurya, along with the couture house Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, created the unique peach silk lehenga.
Although there have been reports in the past few weeks regarding the guest list and celebrity performances, the Ambani family has been silent about the preparations for the wedding on Friday. Indian social media users and the local media have made wild guesses about anything from the dinner meal to the jewelry pieces from the family’s vast collection that may be on show.
Manish Malhotra, a well-known fashion designer in India, was the creative director of the occasion. Throughout the month-long wedding festivities, the esteemed fashion designer created unique ensembles for every member of the Ambani family. Â
“Every detail, from decor and food to outfits and ambiance; each event is designed to immerse guests in a joyful, loving, and celebratory atmosphere,” he explained. Â
The pair took part in various customary pre-wedding ceremonies in the days preceding Friday’s ceremony. Justin Bieber was the guest of honor at the couple’s “sangeet,” a musical and dance celebration, last Friday. Following that, the pair participated in a private “haldi” ceremony, in which friends and family customarily bless the bride and groom by dotting their faces, bodies, or heads with turmeric paste.Â
Wedding Ceremony Details :-
According to reports, the bride and groom’s birth charts’ auspicious days were taken into consideration while choosing their wedding dates, in keeping with Hindu tradition. Â
Details about the couple :-Â
Anant Ambani, who is 29 years old and a Brown University alumnus, is Mukesh’s youngest child and a director of a Reliance energy company. The founders of the pharmaceutical company Encore Healthcare, Viren and Shaila Merchant, are the parents of his 29-year-old bride, Radhika Merchant. Â
The Ambani family is said to have spent millions of dollars on the couple’s wedding festivities; musical musicians reportedly received seven- or even eight-figure sums of money. The precise amount of money spent on the couple’s wedding festivities is unknown. Â
Public Reactions and Economic Impact :-
Mumbai locals’ opinions on the lavish event and the affluence on show were divided on the streets. Devanshi Zaveri, a preschool teacher, stated, “It’s their money, but what they are doing is ridiculous.” “There’s no need to show off so much,” she continued.
The boost to local companies was welcomed by banker Jenika Kothari, who said, “I think if they have the money, they should spend it. It’s helping the economy, it’s helping everyone.” As thousands of travelers were apparently getting ready to travel to Mumbai, the financial center and commercial capital of India, local hotel rates reportedly increased.
Post-Wedding Celebrations :-
Antilia, the 27-story Mumbai home of the Ambani family, will host more festivities throughout the weekend. The “Shubh Ashirwad,” or divine blessing ceremony, is scheduled for Saturday. Guests will have one more opportunity to celebrate with the couple at the Sunday reception, which has a “Indian Chic” dress code.
The weekend celebrations mark the culmination of seven months of planning and are known in India as “wedding of the year.” Star-studded engagement reception in January marked the start of the celebrations. Two months later, the Ambanis threw a pre-wedding celebration for 1,200 guests, which included Ivanka Trump, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, and featured a rare live performance by Rihanna. The event was followed by a community meal for nearly 50,000 people.
The Backstreet Boys and Pitbull performed on deck during a four-day Mediterranean cruise that the family hired in May. The cruise included stops at other European ports. Â
In 2018, Anant’s elder sister Isha tied the knot in style as well. Celebrities, politicians, and business magnates gathered to witness her marriage tobusinessman Anand Piramal, while Beyoncé gave a special concert for her pre-wedding celebration. Â
Conclusion :-
India’s rich cultural legacy was on display at Anant Ambani’s lavish wedding to Radhika Merchant. The lavish ceremonies and star-studded attendance brought the Ambani family’s richness and grandeur to light. This wedding established new standards for Indian wedding fashion and grandeur, while also signifying an important personal turning point.
