As Anant Ambani Radhika Merchant celebrate their first anniversary, here's a look back at one of India's grandest weddings
On 12 July 2024, Mumbai witnessed a spectacle of unmatched scale, hosted across the towering Antilia residence and the sprawling Jio Convention Centre. The groom, Anant, youngest son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and philanthropist Nita Ambani, married Radhika, daughter of Viren Merchant, a respected figure in India's healthcare industry.
From the outset, it was made clear that this wasn't going to be just another celebrity wedding. The New York Times even described it as 'Indias' own Gilded Age.'
The wedding celebrations began months before the big day. In early March 2024, guests flew to Jamnagar, Gujarat, for the first pre-wedding celebration; an extravagant three-day affair hosted at Vantara, the family's animal rescue sanctuary. Guests were asked to dress in 'jungle fever' attire, fitting for the lush, forested surroundings. On stage, the who's who of Bollywood entertained: Shah Rukh Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Rihanna, no less, who performed her first full-length concert in eight years.
Then in May, the celebrations quite literally took off, on a Mediterranean cruise with 1,200 friends and family. Surprise performances from the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, and Pitbull lit up the evenings. It felt more like a music festival than a pre-wedding party.
In every event leading up to the wedding, Radhika Merchant's outfits shined just as bright. For her haldi ceremony, she wore a dupatta made of real marigolds and jasmine buds. Just imagine: 90 marigold blooms and thousands of jasmine petals, woven together by hand.
At the sangeet, she wore a golden Manish Malhotra lehenga, embellished with over 25,000 Swarovski crystals. For one of the cruise events, she donned a futuristic gold gown by Grace Ling, made using aerospace aluminium technology. And in what many fans called a poetic gesture, Radhika wore a custom gown by Robert Wun, printed with a love letter from Anant written to her on her 22nd birthday. Styled by Rhea Kapoor, that look became one of the most talked-about fashion moments of the year.
On the wedding day itself, Radhika's lehenga, designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, showcased Gujarati tradition in all its glory. The intricate zardozi, the five-metre head veil, the 'AR' monogram brooch (for Anant-Radhika), every detail was symbolic. Her post-wedding lehenga was a true work of art: hand-painted across 12 Italian canvas panels by celebrated artist Jayasri Burman, featuring mythological motifs, animals (especially elephants), and celestial figures representing the couple.
So, how much did it all cost? Estimates suggest the Ambanis spent between $600 million to $1 billion, an eye-watering figure by any standard, but just 0.5% of their total net worth. For perspective, many Indian families typically spend 5–15% of their net worth on a wedding.
Twelve months on, the Ambani-Merchant wedding continues to linger in public imagination.
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