In a country of lavish weddings, this wedding party takes the cake

When a member of one of India’s wealthiest families gets married, big-name guests and spectacular pomp and circumstance are nothing unusual. But it’s not every day that guests include royalty, business titans, Bollywood stars and Rihanna for a three-day pre-wedding extravaganza months before the actual ceremony.

The lavish festivities that kick off Friday for Anant Ambani, whose father heads Reliance Industries, have captured public attention in India despite – or perhaps because of – the way they underline yawning inequality in a country struggling to grow economically. has known, but where millions of people still live in deep poverty. poverty.

Mr Ambani, 28, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, will welcome guests at a sprawling venue in the western Indian state of Gujarat, along with his fiancée, Radhika Merchant. Ms Merchant, 29, comes from a family that owns healthcare companies and is trained in Indian classical dance.

The couple kicked off the festivities earlier this week with a community celebration: hosting thousands of people from neighboring villages and serving Gujarati delicacies.

But for the main event starting Friday evening, more than 1,000 guests are expected, including some of the richest people in the world. Notable guests include Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Bob Iger of Walt Disney; current and former prime ministers of Canada, Sweden and Qatar; the King and Queen of Bhutan; and Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Planned luxury perks include charter flights for guests and people available to iron their clothes or help apply their makeup.

The guest list is part of the spectacle. Guests are not just friends (or not even), but attractions in themselves. In addition to enjoying the spectacle, many will appreciate the chance to stand at the bar next to India’s most influential business family. Mr. Iger’s presence in particular seems well-timed: Nita Ambani, Mukesh Ambani’s wife, is reportedly about to become chairman of the board of directors of the company created by a merger of Reliance with Walt Disney’s Indian media assets.

There is precedent for extravagant Ambani weddings. A ceremony for Anant’s sister in 2018 included two former US secretaries of state, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, both reportedly danced to bhangraa kind of pop music from the Indian Punjab region.

This time, the Ambani family has commissioned women artisans from the region to weave handmade shawls as gifts to the guests and as a tribute to Indian heritage. Dozens of specialist chefs will prepare dishes, with the estimated number ranging from 500 to 2,500 according to some media accounts.

The average annual salary in India is about $2,750, but lavish celebrations are a regular feature of Indian weddings, even for those of modest means. The Ambanis fractured like any other family, albeit on a completely different scale.

A video invitation that does gone viral sets the agenda. The theme of Day One is ‘An Evening in Everland’ and the dress code is ‘elegant cocktail’. On day two, “Walk on the Wild Side,” guests are asked to wear animal print clothing ahead of an evening of dancing and music.

Comfortable footwear is recommended on the final day, when guests will tour an animal rescue, rehabilitation and conservation project that is a favorite charity venture of the groom.

That evening, guests, dressed in traditional Indian attire, will witness ‘Hastakshar’, the signing ceremony between the couple, at a temple.

The actual wedding isn’t until July. It will probably be very chic too.

Alex Travelli reporting contributed.