Bags, Bling, and Billionaire Weddings

The wedding we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. After months of lavish celebrations, power couple Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant have officially tied the knot in a series of equally luxurious ceremonies and festivities in Mumbai.

Read also: 10 Best Bags and Bling of the Ambani and Merchant Pre-Wedding Celebrations

Image courtesy: Vogue

The union of Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, with Radhika Merchant, the daughter of a millionaire was destined to be a grand affair. All eyes were on Mumbai for the three-day event spanning July 12, to 14, 2024, with the spectacle reportedly costing upwards of $100 million.

Often referred to as “India’s own royal wedding,” this extravagant celebration underscores the Ambani family’s uniquely powerful status. Everyone from Bollywood stars to the country’s most influential politicians was at the top of the extensive guest list.

Image courtesy: Vogue

Among the star-studded guests that attended the three-day festivities, were Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, Jeff Koons, John Cena, and Mike Tyson. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

We take a closer look at some of the exquisite highlights of this extravagant three-day wedding.

Night One

Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani are officially married! 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Radhika Merchant

The bride stunned in custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla for her wedding ceremony. Radhika’s ensemble is Sandeep Khosla’s intricate interpretation of ‘Panetar’ – a Gujarati tradition where brides wear red and white.

Image courtesy: @rheakapoor

Image courtesy: @rheakapoor

She paired her embellished bridal lehenga with heirloom jewels rich in family history. These pieces, previously worn by her sister Anjali at her 2020 wedding, include a cherished choker, polki earrings, a Maang Tikka, and Haath Phool. This sentimental jewelry has been passed down through generations, worn by their mother and grandmother at their weddings. Adding her personal touch, Radhika also paired her bridal look with a stunning diamond and emerald necklace, kadhas, bangles, and Kaleeras, blending tradition with contemporary glamor.

Image courtesy: Vogue

Radhika wore a Manish Malhotra couture ensemble for her Vidaai, the formal farewell to her family following her marriage. Her stylist, Rhea Kapoor, shared the inspiration behind the look on Instagram:

“This exquisite blouse features real gold Karchobi work, inspired by the traditional abho and the rich textile heritage of Kutch, Gujarat, echoing the artistry of the late 19th century. Paired with a multi-paneled Banarasi brocade lehenga in sunset hues, this ensemble is a tribute to India’s timeless elegance. A veil with a lattice design on a beautiful red complements the attire. The dupatta is a Banarasi woven masterpiece.” 

Image courtesy: @rheakapoor

Image courtesy: @rheakapoor

Image courtesy: @rheakapoor

Anant Ambani

Of course, all eyes were also on the groom, Anant Ambani. Anant wore a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla sherwani for the ceremony, adorned with hand embroidery, stones, and sequins for a regal aesthetic. He accessorized his outfits with a series of exquisite animal-shaped brooches, such as an elephant-shaped piece adorned with finely cut diamonds, including round and pear-shaped solitaires at the front.

Image courtesy: @abujanisandeepkhosla

Image courtesy: @bollywoodbubble

Anant’s sherwani for the Varmala ceremony was designed by Sabyasachi and was adorned with emerald buttons – and we don’t just mean emerald-colored. These were actual emerald gemstones. The emeralds didn’t stop there, however, with perhaps the star of the show, a vibrant emerald necklace, and a striking panther brooch made by Heeramaneck and Son for his wedding. The design featured a studded diamond panther crouching on a 720-carat Zambian emerald. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Image courtesy: India Today

While Anant’s ensembles captured attention, it’s his generous gifts to his groomsmen that are making headlines. Anant treated his groomsmen to luxury Audemars Piguet limited-edition watches, each reportedly worth $105,000. A video of the groomsmen, including Shah Rukh Khan and Ranveer Singh, flaunting these opulent timepieces on their wrists has taken the internet by storm.

According to the Instagram account @theindianhorology, the Audemars Piguet timepieces in question are 9.5 mm thick and feature a 41 mm 18K pink gold case with a sapphire crystal back. The dial, also in pink gold, showcases a Grande Tapisserie pattern.

Image courtesy: @malivelihood

Nita Ambani

Mother-of-the-groom Nita Ambani attended the baraat procession in a custom ‘Rangkat’ ghagra by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. The peach silk ghagra was handcrafted over 40 days by master artisans Vijay Kumar and Monika Maurya. 

Image courtesy: @abujanisandeepkhosla

In true Nita Ambani style, the ensemble was complemented by stunning jewelry – with a necklace showcasing 100 carats of yellow diamonds. Crafted by jeweler Kantilal Chhotalal, the five-strand necklace reportedly took 1,000 hours to create. She paired the necklace with matching yellow diamond Nizami earrings, diamond hairpins, and a yellow diamond Maang Tikka. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Isha Ambani

Complementing her mother Nita Ambani, Isha wore a matching ‘Ranghaat’ ghagra. Isha’s custom pink outfit by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla dazzled with metallic Zardozi hand embroidery, while her matching Katori blouse sparkled with its Swarovski crystal embellishment. 

Image courtesy: @abujanisandeepkhosla

Isha didn’t stop there with the glitz and glamor, as her necklace certainly stole the show. The necklace, from Kantilal Chhotalal’s “Garden of Love” collection, showcases rare colored diamonds set on custom-cut portrait diamonds and reportedly took 4,000 hours to create. The centerpiece is a heart-shaped blue diamond, framed by intricate butterfly and flower motifs, surrounded by rare pink, blue, green, and orange diamonds shaped like a garden. 

Image courtesy: @abujanisandeepkhosla

Shloka Ambani

Shloka Ambani exuded regal elegance in a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla lehenga, reminiscent of her 2019 wedding attire but reimagined with subtle pink undertones. Elevating her look were her stunning jewelry choices – a diamond necklace rumored to be nearly 350 carats and impressive pear-shaped diamond drop earrings totaling 75 carats.

Image courtesy: @dmjatia

Image courtesy: @dmjatia

The Guests

Turning our attention to the extensive A-list guest-list, who fully embraced the ‘Indian ‘Traditional’ dress code. . .

Kim Kardashian made a grand entrance with her sister Khloe for the first evening’s events. Putting their signature bodycon Kardashian stamp on traditional Indian occasionwear, Kim wore a custom scarlet red sari by Manish Malhotra, paired with an exquisite diamond necklace, hand chain, and Maang Tikka by Lorraine Schwarz. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Julia Chafe, a jewelry influencer, got the lowdown from Lorraine Schwartz on Kim’s impressive diamond jewelry. Reportedly, Kim’s necklace showcased a marquise-shaped diamond around 35 carats, with a 23-carat oval diamond on top. She also wore 20-carat pear-shaped drop diamond earrings. Between her handpiece, necklaces, headpiece, and earrings, she was adorned with nearly 150 carats of diamonds. 

Meanwhile, Khloe opted for a more subdued color palette with a custom white, gold, and silver beaded look, also by designer Manish Malhotra, equally dripping in diamonds! Surprisingly, neither star opted to carry luxury handbags to the first event – instead, Khloe chose a traditional Polti pouch that matched her outfit. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Fashion icon and stylist to the stars, Law Roach, paired a traditional chikankari anarkali designed by Manish Malhotra with contemporary accessories. Roach added jewels by Shruti Sushma and a touch of Hermès elegance with a black Kelly Dépêches 25 Pouch with gold hardware, all punctuated by striking trompe-l’oeil Schiaparelli boots.

Image courtesy: @luxurylaw

US influencer and jewelry reporter Julia Chafe shared her ‘get ready with me’ routine on TikTok fans, for the Ambani-Merchant wedding. Julia opted for an exquisite gold and white lehenga from Manish Malhotra. Previewing two handbag options, Julia chose the gold sequin Fendi Baguette over a white embellished Lady Dior. 

Image courtesy: @juliachafe

Mona Kattan, the co-founder of Huda Beauty, arrived with her husband Hassan Elamin. Mona dazzled in a gown adorned with pearls, complemented by the Judith Leiber Couture Lipstick Seductress crystal-embellished clutch bag. Meanwhile, Hassan showcased his stylish choice with the Goyard Palace MM Trunk Bag.

Image courtesy: Reuters

Natasha Poonawalla radiated in a custom ‘Sehra’-inspired Dalai sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, adorned with intricate beadwork and precious stones. Complementing her ensemble, Natasha chose a selection of striking jewelry pieces, including a layered pearl necklace, Maang Tikka, elaborate Chandbaalis, Haath Phools, and stacks of rings and bangles. Adding a personal touch, her vintage headgear was repurposed from her grandmother’s wedding neckpiece, featuring exquisite meenakari work in a stunning gold-toned design.

Image courtesy: @sashajairam

Image courtesy: @sashajairam

Celebrated jewelry designer Ashna Mehta showcased her exquisite jewelry bag brooches. She adorned her Hermès Kelly Cut with personalized initials in diamonds and an elegant evil eye design.

Image courtesy: @ohmygashna

Priyanka Chopra looked radiant in a striking custom couture lehenga in vibrant yellow, designed by Tarun Tahiliani for his upcoming collection. She accessorized with exquisite Bulgari jewelry. Nick Jonas complemented his wife in a textured sherwani by Sabyasachi, accessorized with a brooch from Jewels by Devon.

Image courtesy: @taruntahiliani

Janhvi Kapoor made an entrance in gold, in a custom lehenga by Falguni Shane Peacock, made from real gold. To complete the look, Janhvi accessorized with equally impressive jewelry, from  Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas.

Image courtesy: @falgunipeacock

The Hilton family was well-represented, with Nicky Hilton Rothschild stunning in a net sari adorned with silver crystals by Manish Malhotra. She completed her look with drop diamond and ruby earrings. Meanwhile, sister-in-law Tessa Hilton chose an embroidered ensemble featuring swans, sequins, and floral designs. Tessa accessorized her outfit with a silver Self Portrait Rhinestone Crescent Bow Micro Bag.

Image courtesy: @tessahiltonofficial

Image courtesy: @tessahiltonofficial

Night Two

Now officially ‘Mr and Mrs’, Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant proceeded to host the second day of celebrations, the ‘Shubh Ashirwad’ ceremony held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Radhika Merchant

Radhika Ambani’s bridal lehenga for the second day was as stunning as the events of the first day. This time, she chose a blend of couture by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla infused with contemporary design elements, incorporating the artistic collaboration of Indian artist and sculptor Jayasri Burman along with Rhea Kapoor.

Image courtesy: Vogue India

The show-stopping lehenga features 12 panels, each meticulously hand-painted on special Italian canvas, adorned with intricate hand embroidery in real gold zardozi, a sea of sequins, and a blouse entirely embroidered in Resham. Radhika paired the look with an impressive array of emerald, diamond, and pearl jewelry. 

Image courtesy: Vogue

Nita Ambani

Radhika’s mother-in-law, Nita Ambani, wore custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla couture for the second day’s ceremony. The garment featured exquisite hand embroidery inspired by the architecture and temples of Kashi, adorned with a scattering of sequins and precious stones to complete the ensemble. 

Image courtesy: @anaitashroffadajania

True to Nita Ambani’s signature style, her jewelry took center stage, as she paired her outfit with emeralds from her personal collection, designed and set by Viren Bhagat.

Image courtesy: Vogue

Isha Ambani

Isha Ambani opted for an ivory silk lehenga set paired with exquisite diamond jewelry for the second ceremony. However, her jewelry went beyond diamonds – Isha’s necklace showcased 9 gemstones, each representing a planet, known as ‘Navratna.’ The necklace included sapphire, ruby, jade, emerald, diamonds, coral, and fire opal.

Image courtesy: @anaitashroffadajania

Image courtesy: @anaitashroffadajania

The Kardashian sisters returned with more show-stopping looks for the second day’s events. Leaving their hotel, Khloe dazzled in a vibrant pink lehenga complemented by a matching pink Hermès Mini Kelly in ostrich. Meanwhile, Kim glittered in silver adorned with an opulent array of Lorraine Schwartz diamond jewelry.

Image courtesy: @harpersbazaarhk

Image courtesy: @harpersbazaarhk

Later in the evening, Kim appeared in a striking red three-piece ensemble by Gaurav Gupta, accentuated with contrasting pure emerald jewelry from Lorraine Schwartz.

Image courtesy: @kimkardashian

Image courtesy: @kimkardashian

Law Roach attended day two of the festivities – opting for a sleek all-black ensemble, paired with crystal-embellished sandals, and of course, the Hermès Kelly Dépêches 25 Pouch. 

Image courtesy: @luxurylaw

Julia Chafe teamed her evening two look with the white embellished Lady Dior.

Image courtesy: @juliachafe

Ashna Mehta switched up her look and adorned a Hermès Kelly Cut in crocodile leather with her personalized jewelry bag brooches.

Image courtesy: @ohmygashna

Mona Kattan radiated in a striking yellow satin dress designed by Sark Majed, accessorized with jewelry from Diamantina Fine Jewels. She completed her ensemble with Louis Vuitton’s Micro Malle Bag, from the brand’s Cruise 2024 collection. Hassan Elamin once again accessorized his look with the Goyard Palace MM Trunk Bag. 

Image courtesy: @hassanelamin

Image courtesy: @monakattan

Indian actress Athiya Shetty took a contemporary approach to the dress code, opting for a chic Anamika Khanna two-piece with an embroidered pale pink trouser suit. She completed the look with a bejeweled metal minaudière from Malaga Bags. 

Image courtesy: @athiyashetty

Image courtesy: @athiyashetty

Bollywood style icon and actress Khushi Kapoor stunned in a Tarun Tahiliani bridal ensemble from the upcoming Couture 2024 collection. Her outfit featured a floral embroidered lehenga, lavishly adorned with beads, crystals, pearls, and sequins. Khushi completed her look with an equally embellished heart-shaped bag.

Image courtesy: @khushi05k

Natasha Poonawalla continued her golden theme for another evening, once again donning a custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla creation. She paired her outfit with the same impressive emerald ring from the previous night and an equally stunning necklace.

Image courtesy: @abujanisandeepkhosla

Night Three

The wedding festivities concluded on July 14, with the final event, Mangal Utsav, or the reception, which over 14,000 people attended. 

Radhika Merchant

For the reception, Radhika dazzled in an East-meets-West ensemble, featuring a gold filigree corset by Dolce & Gabbana from the Alta Moda Sardegna 2024 collection, paired with a couture sari designed by Anamika Khanna.

Image courtesy: Vogue

Image courtesy: Vogue

Nita Ambani

Mother-of-the-groom Nita Ambani wore a custom pink Manish Malhotra floral brocade sari embellished with real silver embroidery, paired with an archival blouse. And the jewels. . . as if it couldn’t get any more sparkly, for her final event, Nita complemented her pink look with striking diamonds.

Image courtesy: @manishmalhotra05

Image courtesy: @manishmalhotra05

Shloka Ambani

Shloka Ambani donned another custom Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla lehenga for the reception, styled with diamond jewelry from her personal collection.

Image courtesy: @djatia

Image courtesy: @djatia

Best Dressed Reception Guests

With 14,000 guests in attendance, fashion eye candy abounded, from traditional Indian attire to more contemporary offerings, and everything in between.

Here are our top picks for stylish fashion guests. . .

Law Roach turned his attention to Chanel for his night three look, with an incredibly rare hammered gold Bullion Bar Minaudière Clutch from the Spring/Summer 2006 runway. 

Image courtesy: The Hindu

Image courtesy: @luxurylaw

Star of Dubai Bling, Safa Siddiqui, opted for a Falguni Shane Peacock India plum-colored lehenga,  accessorized with a Judith Leiber Silver Hand War and Peace clutch. Meanwhile, her friend Mona Kattan styled a light pink dress from the same designer, also with a dazzling touch of Judith Leiber.

Image courtesy: @monakattan

Actress Bhumi Pednekar wore a sculptural Gaurav Gupta outfit, accessorized with contemporary jewelry from Raj Maharani Couture Jewels. To complete the look, Bhumi carried a bejeweled clutch from Malaga Bags.

Image courtesy: @bhumipednekar

Bollywood actress Aditi Rao Hydari embraced tradition with a stunning gold lehenga. She complemented her look with statement gold earrings and an intricately embroidered bag, keeping her accessories elegantly traditional.

Image courtesy: The Hindu

Nicky Hilton arrived at the reception in a glittering sari-inspired design by costume designer and couturier Leepakshi Ellawadi. Her sister-in-law, Tessa Hilton, also opted for Ellawadi’s expertise, wearing a vivid red floral ensemble with lace-adorned sleeves.

Image courtesy: @nickyhilton

Image courtesy: @tessahiltonofficial

Influencer Diipa Khosla looked stunning in a metallic custom ensemble from AKHL Studio. She opted for minimal accessories, pairing her look with a Cartier watch and a blend of gold and silver jewelry that perfectly complemented her outfit.

Image courtesy: @diipakhosla

Image courtesy: @diipakhosla

Actress Ananya Panday looked effortless in a mint green floral embroidered ensemble by Anamika Khanna, paired with jewelry from Renu Oberoi. 

Image courtesy: @stylebyami

Image courtesy: @stylebyami

With all eyes still on the big day – who was your best-dressed guest? Let us know. 

Published: July 15th, 2024
Updated: July 15th, 2024

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