The main event is scheduled to take place at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai
In a world where opulence often knows no bounds, Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s upcoming wedding is a testament to extravagance and grandeur. With an estimated cost of $320 million, this event is not just a celebration of the union but a spectacle that rivals history’s most lavish weddings. From star-studded pre-wedding festivities to a meticulously planned wedding ceremony, Anant and Radhika’s nuptials are poised to be one of the most expensive ever recorded. Let’s delve into the details of this spectacular event and see how it compares to some of history’s most extravagant celebrations.
The wedding festivities for Anant Ambani, the youngest heir of Reliance Industries, and his fiancée Radhika Merchant began with a splashy pre-wedding bash in Jamnagar, Gujarat, in March 2024. This weekend featured private jets for global dignitaries, a culinary feast prepared by 100 chefs, and stunning performances by Rihanna and Indian singer Diljit Dosanjh. With Rihanna reportedly earning $5 million for her performance, this extravagant event set the tone for what was to follow.
Following the Jamnagar celebrations, the pre-wedding festivities continued with a luxurious cruise through Italy and a grand finale in Cannes. The high-seas affair saw guests enjoy opulent accommodations and world-class entertainment, culminating in a concert by Katy Perry. The cruise and concert were just the beginning of an event that would eventually balloon to $320 million.
The main event is scheduled at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai, an architectural marvel in the Bandra Kurla Complex, the city’s bustling business district. Spanning over 1.1 million square feet, the Jio World Convention Center has five modular halls, 25 meeting rooms, and a grand ballroom, providing ample space for multi-faceted celebrations. From July 12 to 15, Mumbai’s traffic will be managed, and road closures will be announced to ensure a smooth flow for the high-profile attendees. The disruptions have sparked outrage online, reflecting the scale of public infrastructure adjustments required for this private celebration.
The sangeet ceremony on July 5, 2024, featured a dazzling mirror-clad palace designed by Bollywood set designer Omung Kumar and was capped off with a performance by Justin Bieber, who was reportedly paid $10 million for the show. The event also saw appearances from Bollywood icons like Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Sara Ali Khan, alongside legendary actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Aamir Khan. International guests expected to attend include Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, Ivanka Trump, Karlie Kloss, and Mark Zuckerberg, making this wedding a true convergence of the global elite.
When measured against some of history’s most extravagant weddings, Anant and Radhika’s celebration holds its own. For context, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer’s 1981 royal wedding, watched by 750 million people globally, cost $48 million at the time—equivalent to about $125 million today. Vanisha Mittal’s 2004 wedding to Amit Bhatia cost $60 million, or approximately $90 million today, while Isha Ambani’s wedding in 2018 was reported to have cost $100 million, adjusted to $120 million.
In comparison, Anant and Radhika’s wedding outstrips these events in cost, scale, and spectacle. With a pre-wedding celebration costing $100 million alone, this wedding surpasses even the Mittal wedding and approaches the combined cost of the Charles-Diana and Mittal-Bhatia weddings.
