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Even in a country known for grandiose weddings, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, and Radhika Merchant’s three-day pre-wedding celebration earlier this year in India stood out.
Within hours into the opulent event — where Rihanna performed, and Mark Zuckerberg and Ivanka Trump wore sherwanis and saris — photographs and videos began to flood social media. The display of money, power and wealth from India’s most influential business family captured the attention of critics and onlookers around the world.
On March 1, more than 1,000 members of the international elite flew to Jamnagar, a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat, for the weekend festivities. Guests, which included billionaires and Bollywood superstars, were offered services like chartered flights, makeup artists, top chefs and luxurious vehicles for pickup and drop-off. A glass palace was built for the occasion, and there was a light show consisting of more than 5,000 drones.
The couple hosted a second pre-wedding celebration on a cruise ship in May. According to a leaked invitation, the ship departed from Palermo, Italy on May 29, and concluded its journey on June 1, with stops in Rome, Cannes and Portofino. Among the events hosted on board were a toga party and a masquerade ball.
The couple’s wedding will take place in July, but their team has kept under wraps the specifics of what will be one of the most lavish weddings of the season. Here’s what we know so far.
The Groom
Anant Ambani is a son of Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of the megacompany Reliance Industries who Forbes estimates is worth $115 billion, and Nita Ambani.
Mr. Ambani, 29, runs the energy business at Reliance Industries, based in Mumbai, India. He has two older twin siblings, both of whom are also on the board of Reliance Industries. He graduated from Brown and is passionate about animal welfare and rehabilitation. The pre-wedding ceremony included a tour of Vantara, Mr. Ambani’s animal sanctuary in Jamnagar. “This was my giving back to society,” he said in a speech during the festivities.
The Bride
Radhika Merchant is a daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant. Mr. Merchant is the chief executive and vice chairman of Encore Healthcare, also headquartered in Mumbai.
Ms. Merchant, 29, is a director at her family’s health care company. She graduated from N.Y.U. and is trained in Indian classical dance.
The Love Story
Ms. Merchant told Vogue that she and Mr. Ambani met through mutual friends during a drive in 2017. “That first meeting just sparked something special between us, and it wasn’t long before we started dating,” she said.
In 2023, Mr. Ambani proposed to Ms. Merchant at the Shrinathji Temple in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan.
“I am 100 percent the lucky one, there is no doubt about that,” Mr. Ambani said in a speech during the pre-wedding weekend. “It feels like I met Radhika yesterday, but every day, I fall more and more in love. Like my brother-in-law says, when he used to see my sister, he had volcanoes and fountains going up in his heart. I would say I have earthquakes and tsunamis going on in my heart when I see Radhika.”
The Wedding Date
After a slight shift in dates, the wedding is now set to take place July 12 through 14. The dates were determined by the Hindu tradition of getting married on an auspicious date based on the couples’ birth charts.
Indian weddings typically include several events, including a haldi, a ceremony that involves applying turmeric paste on the bride and groom’s body; a mehndi, a henna ritual; a sangeet, a night of music and dancing; and a wedding ceremony followed by a reception.
The Location
The wedding festivities will occur in Mumbai, where the couple live. Events will be split between the Ambani family home, called Antilia, and the Jio World Convention Centre, a popular venue in Mumbai for weddings. Receptions will be at the larger venue, whereas intimate ceremonies will take place in their home.
The Pre-Wedding
Bill Gates; Mark Zuckerberg; present and former prime ministers of Canada, Sweden, and Qatar; the king and queen of Bhutan; and Bollywood’s biggest stars, like Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan, all attended the pre-wedding celebration in early March.
There was plenty of entertainment, including a performance by Rihanna on the first night. Diljit Dosanjh, the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, took the stage on the second night. And to close out the weekend, Akon performed.
The celebration was a fashion spectacle, with custom looks from Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Manish Malhotra. A 10-page dress code, which included a “jungle fever” theme for a visit to the animal sanctuary, was sent to guests in advance.
Mr. Ambani’s two older siblings also had lavish pre-wedding festivities. Hillary Clinton and John Kerry were among the attendees at Isha Ambani’s pre-wedding in 2018, which featured a performance by Beyoncé. A year later, Akash Ambani’s pre-wedding bash featured a performance by Coldplay.
Given the extravagance of Ms. Merchant and Mr. Ambani’s pre-wedding celebration, we expect lots of opulence for the couple’s wedding in July. This article will continue to be updated as more information is released.
Suhasini Raj contributed reporting.
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