On July 12, 2024, the world witnessed what many have called “the wedding of the century” as Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, married Radhika Merchant in a celebration that redefined luxury and grandeur. The reported $600 million, four day wedding rituals began on 12 July 2024 with a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony, marking the culmination of seven months of lavish festivities that captivated global attention.
Anant Ambani, 29, is the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who has an estimated fortune of $118 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His bride, Radhika Merchant, is Encore Healthcare CEO Viren Merchant’s daughter, making their union not just a romantic celebration but also a significant business alliance between two prominent Indian families.
The couple’s love story reached a pivotal moment when Anant Ambani kept things low-key as he proposed to Radhika Merchant at a temple in the northern Rajasthan state surrounded by family and close friends in December 2023, setting the stage for what would become one of the most extravagant wedding celebrations in modern history.
What made this wedding truly extraordinary was not just the main ceremony but the culmination of a lavish, seven-month wedding celebration. The festivities began with multiple pre-wedding events that took the couple and their guests across continents.
The celebrations included elaborate pre-wedding ceremonies in Jamnagar, Gujarat, followed by a luxury European cruise that cost around $150 million according to an estimate by UK newspaper The Guardian. These extended celebrations allowed the Ambani family to host multiple events, each more spectacular than the last, creating an unprecedented scale of wedding festivities.
The wedding attracted an impressive array of international celebrities, business leaders, and political figures. Among the 1,200 guests were Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. The celebrity attendance extended to Hollywood and reality TV royalty, with Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian making their way to Mumbai for the celebration.
Bollywood’s biggest stars were naturally in attendance, with Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas joining the festivities alongside the industry’s elite. The guest list also included Gianni Infantino, Tony Blair, and John Cena, demonstrating the global reach and influence of the Ambani family.
No expense was spared in securing top-tier entertainment for the various wedding events. There was a performance by Rihanna, who reportedly was paid approximately $6.3 million. The entertainment budget reached even higher heights with Justin Bieber performing at a traditional pre-wedding party, with reports suggesting his fee was significantly higher than Rihanna’s compensation.
These performances weren’t just concerts but carefully choreographed experiences that blended Western entertainment with traditional Indian celebrations, creating unique cultural moments that guests would remember for a lifetime.
The wedding took place at the Ambani family’s cultural hub, Jio World Centre, in Mumbai, providing an appropriately grand venue for such a significant celebration. The main wedding ceremony followed traditional Hindu customs while incorporating modern luxury elements that reflected the couple’s contemporary style.
Radhika’s lehenga featured a personalised “AR” brooch, representing the initials of her and her husband Anant’s names, adding a personal touch to the traditional bridal attire. For the reception, Radhika Merchant stunned in a custom Dolce & Gabanna corset dress, adorned with intricate embroidery that masterfully blended Indian craftsmanship with a glamorous Western aesthetic.
The financial scale of this wedding has set new records for luxury celebrations. Various estimates place the total cost between $320 million and $600 million, with the Ambanis estimated to have spent about Rs 5,000 crore ($600 million) on the wedding celebrations according to LiveMint, The Economic Times and Outlook Business.
To put this in perspective, this is significantly higher than Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles’s Royal Wedding. The costs included everything from Nita Ambani’s necklaces worth 500 Crore and Anant Ambani’s watch worth 67.5 crore to the logistics of hosting 1,200 international guests with the highest levels of luxury and security.
Beyond the luxury and extravagance, the Ambani wedding represented a significant cultural moment. July 12, 2024, marked the dreamy union of not just two beautiful souls, but the entire nation witnessed one of the grandest weddings of the year. The celebrations showcased Indian traditions and hospitality on a global stage, with millions following the events through social media and news coverage.
The wedding served as a platform for displaying Indian craftsmanship, from the elaborate decorations to the traditional ceremonies, all executed with modern precision and international appeal. It demonstrated how traditional Indian weddings could be elevated to unprecedented scales while maintaining their cultural authenticity.
The Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding will likely be remembered as a defining moment in luxury celebrations. It set new standards for wedding extravagance while successfully blending traditional Indian customs with contemporary global elements. The seven-month celebration timeline, international guest list, and unprecedented budget created a template for ultra-luxury weddings that may influence high-profile celebrations for years to come.
Looking back on the entire seven-month ordeal, Merchant told Vogue about the experience, though the specific details of her reflection highlight how this wedding was as much about creating lasting memories as it was about displaying wealth and status.
The wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant transcended the boundaries of a traditional celebration to become a global spectacle that showcased the pinnacle of luxury, tradition, and international influence. With its unprecedented scale, star-studded guest list, and cultural significance, this wedding will be remembered not just as a union between two people, but as a moment when Indian celebration culture was displayed on the world’s grandest stage.
The couple’s wedding stands as a testament to how modern Indian families are redefining celebration while honoring their cultural roots, creating experiences that are both deeply traditional and globally relevant. As they begin their married life together, Anant and Radhika have already created a legacy that will influence luxury celebrations for generations to come.
