Everything you need to know about the Ambani wedding in India

Sunday evening finally saw the conclusion of the Ambani wedding celebrations. India's richest family began the pre-celebrations in March, with a three-day event that featured a concert by Rihanna, who was paid about 8 million dollars for the gig, and a menu organized by 65 chefs for 2500 different dishes. This was followed by a Mediterranean cruise, departing from Palermo, which took over 1200 guests to Rome, Cannes, and other idyllic European lagoons. In June, all the guests moved to Portofino, where the couple blocked off the entire town to gather yachts and their owners in one of Italy's most famous bays - sparking the anger and curiosity of residents who invaded the celebrations, forcing the celebrities back onto their boats. The wedding was between Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani (whose wealth is estimated at around $119 billion according to Bloomberg), head of India's major conglomerates, including media, oil, and retail. This weekend, Merchant and Ambani got married in Mumbai in a party that made international headlines not only for the total expenditure, which according to analysts could forever change the Indian wedding industry, but also for the parterre of famous guests who celebrated the nuptials.

From Kim and Khloé Kardashian to Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and including John Cena, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates, there were numerous stars present at the Ambani wedding. Also in attendance were prominent political figures, including Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as dozens of celebrities from the Bollywood world. The event was an unmissable opportunity for Indian fashion brands seeking to establish themselves abroad, such as Tarun Tahiliani, who dressed Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Manish Malhotra, who designed the Kardashian sisters' outfits, and Karan Torani, Arpita Mehta, Shane Peacock, Anamika Khanna, and Falguni. One of the moments that caused the most buzz online seemed to be Justin Bieber's performance at the sangeet ceremony, a week before the wedding. While it's rumored that the Canadian singer was paid 10 million dollars, other performers who took the mic during the three months of celebrations for the Ambanis included Katy Perry, Pitbull, the Backstreet Boys, Rema, Luis Fonsi, along with the most popular Indian singers, such as A.R Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sukhbir.

Besides being a great source of pride and joy, the Ambani wedding represented a new growth opportunity outside their homeland for India's richest family. As owners of Reliance Industries Limited, a company also involved in the retail of maisons like Armani, Zegna, Versace, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, and Balenciaga, which according to MF Fashion recorded a record turnover of 120 billion dollars in the fiscal year 2024, the Ambanis could easily compete with conglomerates like LVMH, which reached 86.2 billion in the same period. The wedding was therefore a great opportunity for networking, as well as for strengthening ties with entrepreneurs who have already noticed the potential of the Ambani empire, such as Zuckerberg, an investor in the telecom company chaired by Akash Ambani, the groom's brother. Besides luxury, the family is also interested in fast fashion: according to Reuters, they are preparing for Shein's entry into India.

It is unclear how much was spent on the wedding of Mukesh Ambani's son and Radhika Merchant, but estimates confirm that it was an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars. The final three days of wedding celebrations were held at the Jio World Convention Centre, an exhibition, shopping, and event center owned by the Ambanis with a capacity of 16,000 people. For the occasion, the center was transformed into a mini-Varanasi, the holy Indian city on the banks of the Ganges known for its bright colors. The effects of the Ambani wedding on the rise of Indian fashion and culture as a new international power began to be felt even before the wedding was completed, with brands like Dior seeing its potential with shows like the Cruise 2023 in Mumbai, and the growth of "affordable luxury" brands in the country.