Last weekend’s $600 million Ambani wedding in India was among the flashiest demonstrations of wealth in recent memory
Last weekend, Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani pulled out all the stops for his youngest son’s wedding with the daughter of a pharmaceutical mogul.
Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, both 29 and a longtime couple, tied the knot in Mumbai against the backdrop of arguably one of the world’s most extravagant weddings to date.
The three-day festivities from Friday to Sunday, included a ceremony at a 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Centre and a reception at the 27-floor Ambani family home, the Antilia, which reportedly cost around $1 billion to build.
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Notable guests include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, former British premiers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, John Cena, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, and several other Bollywood celebrities and notable Indian personalities.
Not to mention, even before the wedding proper, numerous parties and lavish activities were held in celebration of the couple’s engagement. One of these was a pre-wedding party that saw guests such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, and a rare performance by Rihanna.
It is estimated that the months-long celebration cost the Ambanis around $600 million. Ambani, the head of Reliance Industries, is the world’s 11th richest person with a fortune of more than $123 billion. Amounting to a mere fraction of that amount, the staggering bill would have just been pocket change for the conglomerate. Though, for those wondering, here’s where some of the fortune of a budget went.
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Glamping like no other
In March, over a thousand guests were invited to the city of Jamnagar as part of the pre-wedding festivities. There, guests including the likes of Ivanka Trump, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, stayed at luxury “glamping” tents and could choose from a 500-dish menu created by around 100 chefs. Pop star Rihanna also performed and was reportedly paid around $6 million.
Guests also visited a 3,000-acre animal rescue center to be run by the groom-to-be.
A four-day Mediterranean cruise
In June, the Ambanis held a four-day Mediterranean cruise with over 800 guests and 600 staff members aboard the ship. The cruise made stops in several European cities including Rome and Portofino before stopping in Cannes for a special masquerade ball at an undisclosed estate. Singer Katy Perry headlined the surprise party.
More parties were held at the other stops and featured performances from the likes of Andrea Bocelli, the Backstreet Boys, and Pitbull. All in all, the four-day trip was rumored to cost around $150 million.
Justin Bieber’s payday
Earlier this month, Justin Bieber made an appearance at the couple’s sangeet, a traditional pre-wedding ceremony according to Indian customs. The “Peaches” star reportedly made around $10 million for his performance and sang some of his greatest hits from “Baby” to “Where Are U Know” and “Love Yourself.”
