There are luxury weddings and then there are the celebrations of the world’s one percent, which, as you can imagine, are larger than life (and then some). For Anant Ambani, the youngest child of Mukesh Ambani—the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, with an estimated wealth of $116 billion—that over-the-top soirée is coming in July 2024. But the groom-to-be, who will wed Radhika Merchant in just a few short months, is kicking off his celebrations a little early with a weekend-long pre-wedding party that starts tomorrow, March 1, 2024. The three-day event, held in Jamnagar, India, will be attended by the world’s elite, including Mark Zuckerberg, Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, and members of Bhutan’s royal family. And based on what we’ve heard so far? It’s going to rival the world’s biggest, most iconic weddings—and it’s really just the engagement party.
Guests headed to Ambani and Merchant’s affair had some homework: According to The Times, attendees received a nine-page-long dress code guide, which outlined mandatory fashion requirements for the weekend’s many events—the first of which is a Friday-night cocktail party with an “evening in everland theme,” reports People. On Saturday, all celebrants will journey to the family’s animal rescue and have been asked to wear jungle-inspired attire for the outing (comfortable shoes have been encouraged). A fancy gathering will follow that evening; guests will done intricate Indian attire for the “Mela Rouge” soirée.
The third and final day of the pair’s pre-wedding weekend will start with another nature-focused event, where the group will get up close and personal with elephants, reptiles, and big cats. The duo’s pre-wedding weekend will wrap at their epic goodbye bash that night.
If the itinerary sounds next-level, just wait until you hear about the scheduled entertainment: Throughout the weekend, attendees will be treated to performances by Rihanna (yes, Rihanna!) and Punjabi music star, Diljit Dosanjh. Stylists and makeup artists will also be on-site to help the group navigate all of those wardrobe changes. While we’ll have to wait for the weekend before we see any photos, if this pre-wedding party is anything like Ambani’s sister’s nuptials, which took place in 2018, we’re in for a treat. Her union cost a reported $100 million—and even included a performance by Beyoncé.
