Inside Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s Wedding Celebrations

Photography: Stories by Joseph Radhik

Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, Anant Ambani, tied the knot with industrialist Viren Merchant's daughter, Radhika Merchant, on July 12, 2024.

Anant Ambani leads the energy vertical at Reliance Industries, and Radhika Merchant is the marketing director at her family’s company, Encore Healthcare. They met through a mutual friend in 2017 and have been dating ever since. 

In 2023, Anant Ambani proposed to Radhika for marriage during their visit to the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. Upon their return, the families hosted Anant and Radhika’s engagement ceremony in January 2023 in a Gol Dhana ceremony. This year, the couple hosted the biggest pre-wedding ceremony India has seen from Mar 1–3, 2024, in Jamnagar, Gujarat. After this, they embarked on a second pre-wedding cruise in the Mediterranean from May 29–June 1, 2024, culminating in the most spectacular three-day wedding celebrations in July 2024. Their wedding went viral for all the right reasons!

Read all about the wedding and pre-wedding celebrations of the year's biggest wedding.

• The 3-day Pre-Wedding Celebration in Jamnagar
• The Ambani Pre-Wedding Cruise to Remember 
• The Grand Ambani Wedding Events in July 2024

Inside 3-day Pre-Wedding Celebration in Jamnagar

Ahead of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding celebrations, the Ambani family performed an 'anna seva' at Jogwad village, near Reliance Township in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The Ambani family members served Gujarati meals to about 51,000 residents. 

According to Forbes, Mukesh Ambani, the 9th richest person in the world, celebrated his youngest son’s 3-day pre-wedding event from Mar 1 to Mar 3. More than 1,000 well-known people worldwide attended the event in honour of it. His guest list included: 

• Business magnates like Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with his wife Priscilla Chan, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger, Gautam Adani and family, Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Aditya Birla Group Chairperson Kumar Mangalam Birla, Wipro's Rishad Premji, Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla, and his family, to name a few.
• Cricket legends include Sachin Tendulkar and his family, and MS Dhoni and his family.
• Bollywood megastars Amitabh Bachchan and family, Shahrukh Khan and family, Amir Khan, Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna, Ajay Devgan and Kajol, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and family, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, Aditya and Rani Chopra, Karan Johar, Boney Kapoor and family, Anil Kapoor and family, to name a few.

Both families chose Jamnagar as their pre-wedding event venue to honour the roots and legacy of the Ambani dynasty. In a recent interview with the press, Radhika revealed that, according to her and Anant, Jamnagar is their karma bhoomi or land of duty. It is not only Anant’s grandmother Kokilaben’s birthplace but also the home ground of Vantara, a project that is very close to the couple’s hearts.

Day 1: An Evening in Everland

An Evening in Everland Set-up (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

An Evening in Everland Dinner Set-up (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Floral Decor by Jeff Leatham  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

India's largest drone show at Anant Ambani's Pre-wedding  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

On March 1, the first day of the three-day pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, his fiance, and his family chose a sophisticated cocktail dress code for an evening themed 'An Evening in Everland'. The bride-to-be was flaunting a custom Versace dress with bespoke jewellery from Kantilal Chhotalal. To Radhika’s utter surprise, the evening venue had been converted into a glass palace, representing Radhika’s favourite spot in New York City—the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The entire glass palace was adorned with flowers by Jeff Leatham. Post-dinner, guests saw India’s largest drone show as 5500 drones took to the sky, shining the story of Vantara with sparkling lights. 

Rihanna performs at Anant Ambani's pre-wedding event  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The grand highlight of the evening was global sensation and pop icon Rihanna’s exclusive performance on the first night of the celebrations. According to sources, Rihanna was paid around $5 million to perform at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding celebration. Radhika changed into a beaded Ashish dress for this event. Guests were seen dancing to the tunes of this grand celebration till 7 a.m.

Day 2: A Walk on the Wild Side and Mela Rogue

Set-up for the 'Walk on the Wildside' Brunch  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Anant Ambani, who holds a directorial position at Reliance's diverse energy ventures, announced the launch of the Vantara (Star of the Forest) program in February 2024 and revealed that this program has been designed to focus on rescuing, treating, and rehabilitating injured and threatened animals worldwide. On March 2, the second day of their pre-wedding celebrations, 'A Walk on the Wildside' at the Ambanis' animal rescue centre in Jamnagar was planned for all guests. To mark the beginning of this enormous initiative, the couple went to great lengths to host all 1500 guests at the rehabilitation centre and shared complete audio-guide systems with them to create a seamless connection with the animals that have been given a new life here.  The dress code for this event was 'jungle fever’, and all guests were encouraged to don jungle-themed attire.

Mela Rouge-themed Carnival Decoration  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika Merchant's performance at Mela Rogue  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant perform with their friends  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Later that evening, the Ambani family hosted 'Mela Rouge', a playful spin on the original conceptual film Moulin Rogue. All guests were advised to bring their dancing shoes and put their best foot forward at this party. Renowned illusionist and endurance artist David Blaine gave an enthralling performance for all guests. Multiple family performances followed this. The evening was chimed with Bollywood performances, including Ace designer Manish Malhotra dancing to the Bollywood wedding anthem 'Bole Chudiyaan', with young talents like Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Pandey, Sara Ali Khan, and Khushi Kapoor; Diljeet Dosanjh’s exclusive performance; the 3 Khans - Aamir, Shahrukh and Salman Khan’s groovy performance; and Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s short couple performance.

Day 3: Tusker Trails and Hastakshar

Hastakshar Ceremony Decoration  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika's dreamy bridal entry  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The adorable couple at their Hastakshar ceremony  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Nita Ambani's Bharatnatyam performance after the Hastakshar ceremony  (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

March 3, the last day of the pre-wedding gala, began with ‘Tusker Trails', an activity that allowed all guests to immerse themselves in Jamnagar's natural beauty and breathtaking scenery. The final event of the day was the formal hastakshar. The bride-to-be wore an iconic traditional ensemble, a concept sari from Tarun Tahiliani. The groom-to-be carried an ivory sherwani by Rohit Bal, accessorised with diamond buttons by Raghavendra Rathod, and a custom brooch by Lorraine Schwartz. Guests donned heritage Indian attire to celebrate India's cultural richness. After a breathtaking bridal entry, the couple signed their wedding papers legally on this day. Marking a classic and emotional end to the events, Nita Ambani performed a Bharatnaytam-style dance, adding to the divinity of the night. 

The Ambani Pre-Wedding Cruise to Remember

Following the lavish Jamnagar event, the second pre-wedding ceremony of the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding unfolded over a four-day Mediterranean cruise from May 29 to June 1. Named “La Vita e Un Viaggio” (life is a journey), the cruise embarked on a 4,380 km journey from Italy to the south of France and back, showcasing stunning European cities. Like the star-studded first ceremony, this event was packed with global celebrities and performances by artists including Katy Perry, Pitbull, Andrea Bocelli, and DJ David Guetta.

The itinerary included soirees across iconic European cities like Cannes, Barcelona, and Genoa, featuring themed parties, including a Toga party, masquerade ball, and even the birthday celebration of the Ambani’s granddaughter. The guest list of this grand celebration boasted the who’s who of Bollywood, including the three Khans, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Ananya Panday, and even MS Dhoni. 

Day 1: Welcome Lunch & Starry Night Gala

Guests boarded the cruise ship on May 29 in Palermo, Italy, marking the first day of the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding celebrations in Europe. They were greeted with a welcome lunch and a "Starry Night" gala. The global band Backstreet Boys surprised everyone with an exceptional performance.

Starry Night on the Cruise (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Backstreet Boys performing at the Starry Night Gala (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani make an entrance to the after-party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Day 2: A Roman Holiday and Toga Party

The next leg of the  Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding cruise took guests to Rome. Dressed in tourist chic, they explored the city in style for a “Roman Holiday” affair. This was followed by a Greco-Roman-themed Toga party featuring a performance by David Guetta.

Themed-decorations for the toga party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The mother-son duo at the toga party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

David Guetta performs at the toga party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The bride-to-be in her themed ensemble at the party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Day 3: Le Masquerade and Veda’s Birthday Celebration

The third day of the  Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding cruise began with the birthday celebration of Akash and Shloka Ambani’s daughter, Veda, titled “V Turns One Under the Sun.” A black-tie masquerade followed this, and the day concluded with a themed after-party called “Pardon My French.”

Le Masquerade ball decorations (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Performers at the Le Masquerade ball (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Le Masquerade venue — Château de la Croix des Gardes, Cannes (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Katy Perry performs at Le Masquerade ball (German Larkin)

The couple at the ball (Himanshu Patel, Epic Stories)

Pitbull performs at the after-party (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Day 4: La Dolce Vita

The final event of the  Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding cruise, La Dolce Vita, translating to "Sweet Life," was a five-hour extravaganza featuring performances by stars, including global icon Andrea Bocelli. This celebration concluded with a spectacular firework display in the Bay of Cannes, marking the cruise's return to Portofino, Italy.

The final destination — Portofino, Italy (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Decorations for La Dolce Vita (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Food stalls at the event (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Andrea Bocelli takes the stage at La Dolce Vita (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Portofino lit up on the final pre-wedding day (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The Grand Ambani Wedding Events in July 2024

After the two lavish pre-wedding ceremonies, the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding began with a Sangeet, followed by a Haldi ceremony and a Grah Shanti Pooja. The main wedding event was a three-day celebration in Mumbai from July 12 to 14. The “Shubh Vivaah” on July 12 was followed by the “Shubh Aashirwad,” and the festivities concluded with a grand reception, the “Mangal Utsav.” Let’s delve into the details of these spectacular events without further ado.

Sangeet Ceremony

The Sangeet, held on July 5, marked the beginning of the final leg of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding celebration. The bride, groom, and their families performed to celebrate the couple's union. It was a spectacular musical night at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center, with attendees from Bollywood and beyond. A private concert by Justin Bieber was the highlight of the evening, remaining a hot topic for many days to come.

The couple performs at their Sangeet (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Justin Beiber’s live concert (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The couple with Justin Beiber at their Sangeet. (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

 

 

 

 

 

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Haldi Ceremony

Following the Sangeet and Mehendi ceremonies of the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding, the Haldi ceremony took place on July 11. The couple joyously participated in the playful tradition, covered in haldi as friends and family smeared each other with turmeric paste. Adorned in a dupatta made of real flowers, Radhika looked radiant like a dream.

The radiant bride in her phool dupatta at the Haldi (Courtesy: Rhea Kapoor’s Instagram)

The joyous Haldi celebration (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Grah Shanti Pooja

The Grah Shanti Pooja took place before the main ceremony of the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding, honouring the family's ancestral deity, Randal Maa. This sacred ritual blessed the union with a peaceful and harmonious marital life before their weddings.

Nita Ambani welcoming Radhika Merchant at the Grah Shanti Pooja (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The couple at the Grah Shanti Pooja Ceremony (Photo by Epic Stories)

Shubh Vivaah

July 12, 2024, was the most awaited day as Anant Ambani married his long-time partner, Radhika Merchant, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The celebration, preceded by the most spectacular pre-wedding festivities, culminated in the “Shubh Vivah”. The guest list included over 2,000 attendees, including Bollywood's biggest stars, sports personalities, politicians such as former British PM Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, businessmen, and even Kim and Khloe Kardashian!

Anant Ambani made a stylish entrance on horseback during his baraat. The star-studded baraat danced alongside the groom, including Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Anil Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh. After the grand entrance of the baraat and the bride, the jai mala ceremony commenced. This was followed by the kanyadaan and pheras and concluded with an emotional video.

The baraat dancing in joy at the Shubh Vivaah (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Anant’s grand entrance at the Shubh Vivaah Ceremony (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika Merchant’s bridal entry (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika Merchant’s bridal entry (Epic Stories)

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in their wedding day look (Epic Stories)

The playful Varmala at the Shubh Vivaah (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Beautiful moments from the wedding (Epic Stories)

The wedding in action — Sindoor Daan ceremony (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

The Vidaai Ceremony after the wedding (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Shubh Aashirwad

The newlywed couple began their married life with blessings from their elders at the Shubh Aashirwad. This event was graced by the honourable PM Narendra Modi, who blessed the radiant couple. The Shubh Aashirwad marked the couple's initiation with heartfelt wishes for their future, accompanied by a pooja to the goddess Saraswati.

Lord Ganesha’s holograph at the Shubh Aashirwad Ceremony (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Radhika Merchant in Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant at the pooja (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

Mangal Utsav

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s wedding reception, the Mangal Utsav, occurred on July 14. Over 14,000 guests attended to extend their best wishes as the couple embarked on their journey as a married couple. This final event featured the new Ambani bahu in a striking golden ensemble, while the groom complemented her in black. 

Radhika Merchant’s look for the Mangal Utsav (Greg Swales)

 

 

 

 

 

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The couple dressed for their wedding reception (Stories by Joseph Radhik)

From friends and confidants to partners and now life partners, Anant and Radhika have shared a long journey. We've been alongside them throughout the Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding celebrations, witnessing the depth of their love as they posed and danced, their infectious joy spreading around them. Their love deserved all the celebration it received and more. Here's wishing them a joyous and prosperous married life as they begin this new chapter together!