Radhika Merchant looked absolutely stunning as she married Anant Ambani, the youngest son of India's richest man Mukesh Ambani, on Saturday.
The celebrations were the culmination of five months of pre-wedding festivities which have reportedly cost $600 million - just 0.5% of the family's fortune.
© Abu Jani Sandeep KhoslaThe 29-year-old bride, who wore Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, was breathtaking in a beautiful gold lehenga. Her lehenga featured intricate embroidery with beautiful red embellishments for an opulent feel.
© Abu Jani Sandeep KhoslaThe lehenga was teamed with an equally stunning choli made from the same luxurious fabric. While her shoes were hidden, she looked like a regal vision in layered jewels with a flawless makeup look which featured a deep red lip.
© Abu Jani Sandeep KhoslaThe groom, also 29, arrived at the Jio World Convention Centre wearing a red embellished look to complement his wife's.
© InstagramAlso in attendance were a slew of A-list guests including Kim Kardashian who wowed in a red outfit with ornate beading and her sister Khloe who wore gold and silver detailed ensemble.
© GettyCitadel Priyanka Chopra was also in attendance, dazzling in a pale orange lehenga choli alongside her singer husband, Nick Jonas.
The Ambani wedding
© GettyThe Ambani nuptials have been months in the making. The couple put on an incredible pre-wedding celebration in March which featured a 'jungle fever' theme for a visit to a family-owned animal sanctuary, followed by a Moulin Rouge-themed do at their 27-storey skyscraper home that towers over Mumbai.
© GettyRihanna flew in for the occasion, putting on a performance of her hits which reportedly cost the family $6.3 million. The party was attended by the likes of Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Ivanka Trump and afforded the opportunity for Mukesh's son to don an array of Dolce & Gabbana looks.
© GettyJustin Bieber also sang earlier this week at the couple's Sangeet ceremony, reportedly accepting a controversial $10 million paycheck for the performance. However, it wasn't the only stage of the festivities to include a performance from a pop sensation.
© GettyIn June, the family embarked on a luxury cruise along the azure coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy along to the French Mediterranean, with personal performances put on by Katy Perry, The Backstreet Boys, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
Who is the Ambani family?
The patriarch of the Ambani family is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries. Mukesh is the richest person in Asia and the 11th richest in the world, hence the incredible scale of Anant and Radhika's wedding celebrations.
© SuppliedAnant is the younger brother of twins Isha and Akash, both 32, who are married to Anand Piramal and Shloka Mehta respectively. In 2018 Isha's nuptials set the Ambani family back $100 million, setting the record for the previous most expensive wedding.
© SuppliefAnant's mother, Nita, is the chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, and a director of Reliance Industries. She is also an art collector and owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Mumbai Indians.
Who is Radhika Merchant?
The bride-to-be is the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, the founders of Encore Healthcare and thus, two of the richest billionaires in India.
© GettyShe studied at New York University and interned at various businesses to prepare her for a future role in her parents' company upon her return to India.
© InstagramOutside of work, Radhika is a classically trained dancer. Ahead of her big day(s), the bride-to-be hosted a Princess Diaries-themed hen do surrounded by her closest friends, including Bollywood actress Janhvi Kapoor.
Indian wedding traditions
© GettyWith over 30 distinct cultures within the South Asian region, each Indian wedding will look different. However, here are a few common customs that are typically incorporated into Indian nuptials…
- An astrology-approved date - The Hindu priest, known as a pandit, can consult astrology to determine the most favorable date and time for the ceremony to take place.
- A do spanning several days - The nuptials and reception take place after two days of more intimate events that tend only to be attended by close friends and family.
- Red - The colour is considered lucky and thus is often incorporated into the wedding decor, outfits, flowers - the list goes on.
- A sizeable guest list - A go big or go home approach is taken to the guest list and offending someone by not inviting them to the wedding is a big no-no.
- Outfit changes - Every different element of the day requires a new outfit, and this applies to the groom
- Accomplished dance moves - No dad dancing here. Often guests will celebrate the newlyweds with Bollywood-style dances before the couple themselves put on a performance
- A large party - Everyone invited to the wedding is usually invited to the reception so the evening do is a big one
- No first kiss - Many deem PDA in front of elders inappropriate so there’s almost never a, 'You may now kiss the bride' element to the nuptials, Brides reported.
- The groom's grand entrance and the bride's reveal - The groom gets his own procession, otherwise known as baraat, while the bride prepares for her grand reveal, or the kanya aagaman, after her bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer.
- The couple takes seven steps - in the saptapadi, the bride and groom take these steps to represent the first seven steps you take together as husband and wife.
