After extensive pre-wedding celebrations, India’s wealthiest family is reportedly spending upwards of $100 million on their son’s nuptials, making it one of the most extravagant weddings in modern history.
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s four-day wedding is set to feature opulent decorations, numerous celebrity performances, and a guest list brimming with political, business, sports, and arts luminaries.
Anant is the youngest child of Reliance Industries director Mukesh Ambani, ranked the 11th richest person in the world by Forbes. Bride-to-be Radhika is also from an affluent background, with her parents being multimillionaire pharmaceutical executives.
The exact expenditure on the wedding hasn’t been disclosed by the Ambani family, but estimates suggest costs ranging from $150 million to over half a billion dollars. This sum reportedly covers a variety of expenses, including hiring musicians, chartering private jets, and hosting a feast for local underprivileged communities, as reported by the BBC and the India Times.
Given the high profile of the attendees, including international and Indian politicians such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Mumbai police have classified the wedding as a public event, according to the BBC. Roads around the event venues were restricted to non-wedding guests while the groom led a convoy of luxury vehicles to commence the weekend festivities.
Although this weekend marks the climax of Anant and Radhika’s wedding celebrations, it is only one of many events held in their honor. In March, the Ambani family hosted over a thousand guests at their estate in Jamnagar, India, including prominent figures like Mark Zuckerberg, Hillary Clinton, and Ivanka Trump. The estate was transformed with a glass palace inspired by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Palm House and a performance by Rihanna, her first full-length concert in nearly a decade.
“I wanted to be fun, free and young,” Merchant told Vogue regarding the vibrant festivities following Rihanna’s performance. “An Indian wedding is incomplete without a lot of dancing.”
Later in May, another pre-wedding celebration took place on the Mediterranean Sea. The couple hosted 1,200 guests for a four-day cruise starting in Palermo, Italy and making various stops. During a stop in Cannes, guests were treated to a surprise concert by Katy Perry. After returning to the ship, Pitbull performed in a second concert.
The celebration also included a performance by renowned opera singer Andrea Bocelli during a stop in Portofino. “It was just the most magical evening,” Merchant told Vogue. “I had goosebumps.”