They will not be officially tying the knot until July. But Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant have spared no expense when it comes to their upcoming pre-wedding celebrations.
The couple, who come from two of India’s richest families, have reportedly hired 21 chefs to feed their 1,000 guests at the lavish event at Anant’s parents’ 3,000-acre garden, set on the grounds of an oil refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, this weekend.
The VIP guest-list is said to include Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump and Hillary Clinton, who attended the groom’s sister’s equally extravagant wedding in November 2018.
Indian media reported that Rihanna has been booked as the star performer, along with illusionist David Blaine.
Bride-to-be Radhika, 29, is the daughter of billionaire Viren Merchant, CEO of private health firm Encore Healthcare.
Anant, 28, is the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man and the managing director of Reliance Industries, which had a 2023 revenue of US$118 billion.
The happy couple are said to have been friends since childhood.
The invite for the pre-wedding celebrations, which have been circulating on social media, reads: “With hearts full of joy and excitement, we invite you to the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant and Radhika at our home in Jamnagar.
“We look forward to having you with us to share in our joy, love and laughter, and create memories that we’ll cherish forever.”
It seems the guests have to follow a strict dress code.
Tonight, the happy couple’s loved ones will enjoy an Evening in Everland-themed cocktail party on the premises.
Tomorrow, they have been told to wear “comfortable shoes” to take a “walk on the wild side” by visiting the groom’s Reliance animal rescue centre, which spans 650 acres and homes more than 2,000 animals.
In the evening, the couple will host their Mela Rogue, and guests have been told to dress in a “dazzling desi romance” style.
On Sunday, guests have been told to pack something “casual chic” for the Tusker Trails, where they will presumably explore the local area.
The final event will be a Hashtakshar, which translates as “signature”, and guests are expected to wear traditional clothing, such as sherwanis and saris.
The Times of India reported that Rihanna will perform over the course of the weekend along with Punjabi musician Diljit Dosanjh.
For Annant’s sister’s wedding in 2018, the family is said to have paid Beyonce US$6 million to fly in and perform a private concert for the guests.
Ahead of the celebrations, guests were reportedly issued with a nine-page dress code which covers the variety of events taking place.
Local media reported that guests will be travelling to the city of Jamnagar on chartered flights and ferries – and have been told that there is a limit of three suitcases per couple.
The National News reported that all 1,000 guests will have access to laundry services throughout the weekend, which includes express steaming.
The information booklet also states that hairstylists, make-up artistes and sari drapers will be on hand to help.
According to The Times of India, chefs employed by the luxury Jardin Hotel have prepared more than 2,500 dishes – spanning Japanese, Mexican and Thai cuisine.
An insider told the publication that guests will have the choice of 75 options for breakfast and a further 225 and 275 for lunch and dinner respectively.
There will also be 85 catering options on offer for the traditional midnight meal, which runs till 4am.
The insider also claimed that no item on the menu will be repeated across the course of the three days.
In November 2018, Anant’s Yale graduate sister Isha tied the knot with real estate mogul Anand Piramal, a childhood friend and the son of another uber-wealthy businessman, in a wedding that is thought to have cost US$100 million, according to Bloomberg.
Indo-Asian News Service
