Reportedly, three different types of invitations were sent out for the wedding and the receptions for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.
Anant Ambani, son of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, tied the knot to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant on July 12 in Mumbai, in what is considered to be this year's most extravagant wedding. The wedding saw global celebrities, business tycoons, sportman, celebrities and politicians mark their presence at the Jio World Centre at Mumbai's BKC. The wedding was followed by a 'blessing ceremony' titled 'Shubh Ashirwad' on the following day. On July 15, the Ambanis hosted another reception, titled 'Mangal Utsav', at the same venue. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too blessed the couple on Saturday.
But do you know that, three different types of invitations were sent out for the wedding and the receptions. The invitation had different cards for each wedding function, and the guests were asked to confirm their presence through an email or Google Form. Once the guests confirmed their presence, they received a message that read as, "We have received your RSVP and we look forward to welcoming you... the QR codes will be shared 6 hours prior to the event."
Once the QR codes were sent, they could be used to scan for entry into the venue. The guests were then tied different coloured paper wristbands, which gave them access to different zones depending on the colour. The employees, security and service staff were seen sporting different coloured wristbands, and several ushers were present for security at the sprawling venue.
There were elaborate plans for fire and other emergencies, including medical response preparedness similar to that of heads of state. Ambulances reportedly had clearly demarcated routes to the nearest hospitals, as stated by news agency PTI. Meanwhile, the dress code was Indian and international guests too dazzled in designer traditional clothes.
The high-profile guest list at the Ambani functions included former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and her sister Khloe, Nigerian rapper Rema, and many more. Coming to Bollywood actors -- from Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan to Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Tiger Shroff and Varun Dhawan -- a host of celebrities were present. South superstars Rajinikanth, Ram Charan and Mahesh Babu too were present, apart from sports icons Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav, among others.
Coming to politicians who attended the wedding, there were Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, and others. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his deputy Pawan Kalyan, too marked their attendance.
Coming to the newlyweds, Anant, 29, is the force behind Reliance Industries Ltd's renewable and green energy expansion while Radhika, also 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren and Shaila Merchant, and the marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare.
The three-day wedding concluded the list of lavish parties the Ambanis have hosted since March. Earlier, a three-day pre-wedding celebration was held in refinery township of Jamnagar in Gujarat. Later, the Ambanis hosted a four-day Mediterranean cruise starting in the Italian city of Palermo. A masquerade ball was then hosted at the Château de la Croix des Gardes in France, and the cruise ended in Italy's Portofino.
