Inside the unimaginable £250 MILLION Amani nuptials

With a quarter-billion pound budget, a guestlist to rival the Met Gala and a host of former world leaders dancing the night away, the Amani wedding is arguably the biggest in the world.

After seven long months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations and festivities, including performance by Rihanna and Justin Bieber, as well as pre-wedding cruise, Anant Ambani, the son of India‘s richest man, has finally wed pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant in a grand star-studded ceremony.

Among the guests were former UK Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair,  FIFA president Gianni Infantino, as well as Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, John Cena and dozens of Bollywood stars.

Kim  Kardashian stole the show in traditional lehenga skirt adorned with intricate beaded detailing, while Khloe stunned in a dramatic pink ensemble.

A lucky few witnessed the celebrations – estimated to have cost approximately £250million – from inside the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

One of them being gemstone wholesaler and influencer, Julia Hackman Chafe from New York, who snagged an invite to the grand star-studded ceremony as the plus one of Indian internet personality, Orry.

The influencer flew to India ‘s largest city to see the son of the country’s richest man wed his pharmaceutical heiress bride.

Meanwhile,  glamourous Carrie Johnson changed into a second traditional Indian wedding outfit as she her husband Boris and their three children headed to the festivities.

The former PR chief stunned in a silver lehenga as she held hands with children Romy and Wilf before before changing into a lace all-white number.

Meanwhile, Boris looked smart in a simple suit with a green tie before switching to a more traditional shalwar kameez for the festivities.

Alongside A-list celebrities , and political and business leaders Boris and Carrie brought their three children Wilf, four, Romy, two, and Frank, one, who all opted for traditional Indian dress.

Boris, wore a smart suit and green tie as he sweetly carried his youngest son into the venue. Later, he danced the night away with Wilf on his shoulders while greeting other wedding guests.

Waving his arms in the air, Boris showed off his best dad dancing moves while partying with other guests. 

But for the second day, he went for more traditional attire. 

Carrie meanwhile stunned in a silver lehenga  as she held hands with Romy and Wilf.

The 36-year-old wife of the former Prime Minister shared a behind the scenes looks of the nuptials, which included a huge flower sculpture of a tiger inside the lavish venue.

Dressed by Bollywood stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi, Carrie added a cape to the silver dress, which included ornate detail and embroidery.

The former Tory PR chief showed off her toned stomach and arms in the snap while adding layers of jewelry to the look. 

Carrie styled her hair in gentle curls while tying half of it back in a traditional wedding look.

Meanwhile, taking to TikTok and Instagram, influencer Julia  has given the internet a glimpse into the wedding celebrations, ceremony, and dinner room, with her claiming it was ‘the most beautiful ceremony… ever’.

The influencer took to the event dressed in a lengha from designer Manish Malhotra and dripping in Lorraine Schwartz jewels – the jewellery designer behind Meghan Markle’s $62,000 pinky ring made with ‘diamonds gifted from the Middle East’.

Bright flags and lights lined the entranceway for Julia and the other VIP guests as they stepped in the venue.

A table filled with luxury sweets, including macaroons, and flowers waited for guests as they first arrived, with the table itself being so lavish, Julia questioned: ‘Am I Alice in Wonderland?’

It wasn’t long before she bumped into stars including, John Cena, actress Priyanka Chopra and her singer husband Nick Jonas, Bollywood producer and actor Salman Khan, and former UK PM Boris Johnson, who was ‘just chilling’, according to Julia.

The influencer captured the baraat – Anant’s arrival at the venue on a white horse, as per Indian wedding tradition. ‘Seeing Anat in person for the first [is] surreal’, she said’.

The groom danced with guests after his arrival as multi-coloured confetti fell from the ceiling in a moment Julia described as ‘pure magic’.

Guests then took to their seats for the traditional Hindu wedding ceremony. Julia said: ‘Then we sat for the wedding ceremony – the most beautiful ceremony I’ve ever had the pleasure to watch’.

The bride made her grand entrance on an electric wooden boat that moved on a track, before Anant and Radhika exchanged vows under a large altar with white domes. ‘Pure beauty,’ Julia explained.

The groom’s mother, Nita Ambani, 60, finished the ceremony with a poem reading about the value of daughters.

Julia explained: ‘Afterwards, Nita gave a speech about the value of daughters that really sang to my soul. She is the true definition of elegance…and intelligence.’

The influencer concluded: ‘The love in the room was palpable. Such a beautiful ceremony.’

After the ceremony, guests explored the lavish set up, which included a lassi shop (an Indian beverage) and an antique shop, ‘we’re in a magical world’, Julia said.

It wasn’t long before guests took to the dancefloor to celebrate the newlyweds with dancing and live performances.

It wasn’t long before guests took to the dancefloor to celebrate the newlyweds with dancing and live performances.

The glamorous, long-awaited event is reported to have cost around a staggering £250million – without taking into account the couple’s estimated £100million accumulation of luxury wedding gifts and the hosting of several of the world’s most iconic A-list celebrities.

Latest images from the wedding scenes show the bride draped in a heavy cream and red Indian bridal dress – called a lengha, adorned in jewels and a beaded headscarf as she holds hands with her new husband, Anant.  

The happy groom was pictured beaming down at his new wife while donning a red beaded jacket – called a nehru – as the pair tied the knot in a traditional Hindu ceremony at the Ambani-owned, 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center.

Police reportedly closed off roads surrounding the venue ahead of the massive star-studded wedding celebration that took place on Friday afternoon.

Along with the extravagant jacket, Anant wore crisp white trousers and a pair of trainers featuring an extravagant gold logo.  

Earlier in the day, he posed alongside his proud parents; the managing director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani, chairperson of the Reliance Foundation.

The Ambani family and a list of Bollywood stars were among the first guests photographed on the grand nuptial’s lavish pink carpet.

A-list guests who jetted out to Mumbai to attend what could be India’s biggest wedding this year included Kim and Khloe Kardashian, John Cena, and former British prime minister Tony Blair. 

Justin Bieber performed at a pre-wedding party for guests known as a ‘Sangeet’ and was paid a reported £7 million while according to sources, Adele, Drake or Lana Del Rey will provide the entertainment at a reception on Sunday evening.

Mr Ambani, 67, who is listed by Forbes as the world’s ninth richest man and worth £100 billion has already gifted the couple a £62 million luxurious villa on Palm Jumeriah in Dubai which spans 3,000 square feet, has ten bedrooms, and comes with its own private beach. 

The couple were also given a £500,000 Bentley Continental GTC Speed and a dazzling array of custom-made jewellery and clothes worth millions of pounds.

Mr Ambani’s glamorous wife Nita, 60 gifted her daughter-in-law a stunning pearl and diamond choker, worth an estimated £10 million which is just one of dozens of bespoke multi-million-pound pieces made for her. Anant was given a £2 million Cartier brooch.

Specialist weavers in India have spent the past few months making a series of rare silk sarees using gold and silver thread valued at more than £100,000 each.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie were also in attendance, alongside Kim and Khloe Kardashian, wrestler Jon Cena and Nick and Priyanka Chopra-Jonas.    

The glamorous, long-awaited event is reported to have cost around a staggering £250million – without taking into account the couple’s estimated £100million accumulation of luxury wedding gifts and the hosting of several of the world’s most followed A-list celebrities.

Latest images from the wedding scenes show the bride draped in a heavy cream and red Indian bridal dress – called a lengha, adorned in jewels and a beaded headscarf as she holds hands with her new husband, Anant.  

The happy groom was pictured beaming down at his new wife while donning a red beaded jacket – called a nehru – as the pair tied the knot in a traditional Hindu ceremony at the Ambani-owned, 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center.

Police reportedly closed off roads surrounding the venue ahead of the massive star-studded wedding celebration that took place this afternoon.

Along with the extravagant jacket, Anant wore crisp white trousers and a pair of trainers featuring an extravagant gold logo.  

Earlier in the day he posed alongside his proud parents; the managing director of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani, chairperson of the Reliance Foundation.

The Ambani family and a list of Bollywood stars were among the first guests photographed on the grand nuptial’s lavish pink carpet.

Nick Jonas, 31, looked dashing in a pink sparkling nehru as he joined his stunning wife for a loved up display on the pink carpet.

Kim Kardashian stepped out in her second look of the day – a show stopping ruby red outfit – ahead of the grand event later this evening.

The influencer, 43 – who earlier stunned in white while enjoying a rickshaw ride with sister Khloe, 40, looked glam in a sparking red lehenga with tassels and a high waisted skirt.

The reality star accessorized with stacked diamond necklaces and wore a diamond pendant which rested on her forehead. Her hair was styled in natural looking waves and her makeup was camera ready.

Khloe Kardashian wowed in an intricately beaded cream and gold two-piece with matching sash. She accessorised the look with statement gold jewellery set around her neck and face. She topped it off with a pair of stylish black sunglasses.

John Cena donned a sky blue jacket which featured a grey floral pattern and silver buttons. He teamed the dress coat with white trousers and brown leather loafers.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino and his wife Leena Al Ashqar were also spotted at the wedding. The Italian-Swiss football administrator donned all black while his Lebanese wife looked glamorous in a tailored saree.

Mukesh Ambani was also seen on the carpet with members of his family, including his son Akash, daughter-in-law Shloka, daughter Isha and son-in-law Anand Piramal.

Earlier on sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian were spotted joining in with the pre-wedding celebrations; with the SKIMS founder making a bold move by slipping into a bridal white ensemble ahead of the grand nuptials.

Taking to Instagram, Kim shared a glimpse of her glamorous wedding look, which consisted of a white off-the-shoulder crop top and a matching skirt as she and Khloe boarded a rickshaw to head to the ceremony.

Khloe also showed off her incredible figure in a sexy nude dress, with both stars also sporting bindis on their foreheads ahead of the Hindu wedding. 

Earlier on Kim Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra were seen arriving in Mumbai ahead of what could be India’s biggest wedding this year.

The entrepreneur – who recently caused a stir by featuring Euros star Jude Bellingham in a skimpy SKIMS ad – was spotted waving to fans alongside her sister Khloe Kardashian.

It appeared the mother-of-four, 43, opted to go braless in a green halter-neck dress, while Khloe, 40, chose a more casual fit, including a white crop top and patchwork jeans.

Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas were also photographed arriving in India’s largest city, with the actress showing off her playful side by making a hilarious sign to the cameras.

The couple appeared laid back in loose fitted two-pieces, which each bore distinctive design patterns. They were seen waving to cameras as they disembarked from their vehicle with security. 

Anant Ambani’s wedding to Radhika Merchant is geared to be one of the most lavish weddings ever witnessed and gets underway today. The happy couple were expected to receive more than £100 million worth of gifts to mark the extravagant festivities.

Workers began preparations this morning at India’s iconic JIO World Convention center, including the stageing of an extravagant red carpet and opulent decor.

The area features lush silver panels, cream-coloured walls, stunning candle arrangements and fresh flower bouquets. Workers were photographed cleaning the area ahead of the events VVIP guests. 

And it seems security will be tight for the lavish event, as magician and Britain’s Got Talent contestant Lewis Fuller spoke to FEMAIL about his experience performing at Akash Ambani’s wedding in 2019.

‘At the events I had a security escort assigned to me, he was with me 24/7, he would even walk me to the bathroom and wait outside – that felt like a pretty bizarre situation for a young lad from Kent,’ he said. 

Lewis, who is making his Ed Fringe debut at the Gilded Balloon in August with his new magic, music & comedy show: Ungentlemanly Conduct, added: ‘I first performed for the Ambani family at the pre-wedding celebration party at one of the family homes.

‘It was so massive and jaw-droppingly beautiful, it was like another world. As I arrived, we went through numerous security procedures and I noticed there were armed guards outside the home.

‘The majority of the guests and performers were not allowed to have their mobile phones with them, but I use my phone in some magic tricks, so I was one of the few people allowed to keep mine.’

The ostentatious event will last three days and is estimated to have cost a staggering £100 million with the guest list including the likes of Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump, Bill Gates; David and Victoria Beckham, and other industry titans; as well as Bollywood stars, pop stars and leading politicians.

Justin Bieber performed at a pre-wedding party for guests known as a ‘Sangeet’ and was paid a reported £7 million while according to sources, Adele, Drake or Lana Del Rey will provide the entertainment at a reception on Sunday evening.

Mr Ambani, 67, who is listed by Forbes as the world’s ninth richest man and worth £100 billion has already gifted the couple a £62 million luxurious villa on Palm Jumeriah in Dubai which spans 3,000 square feet, has ten bedrooms, and comes with its own private beach. 

The couple were also given a £500,000 Bentley Continental GTC Speed and a dazzling array of custom-made jewellery and clothes worth millions of pounds.

Mr Ambani’s glamorous wife Nita, 60 gifted her daughter-in-law a stunning pearl and diamond choker, worth an estimated £10 million which is just one of dozens of bespoke multi-million-pound pieces made for her. Anant was given a £2 million Cartier brooch.

Specialist weavers in India have spent the past few months making a series of rare silk sarees using gold and silver thread valued at more than £100,000 each.

One weaver told MailOnline that they had received an order for 100 of them.

The Ambanis also reportedly booked 100 private jets to fly their illustrious guests from around the world to India for the festivities and all five-star hotels in Mumbai have been booked out for their stay, which is being paid for by the family.

Insiders estimated that once all aspects of the wedding are taken into account, from travel arrangements to hotels, gifts, clothing, food and entertainment the final cost could be close to a stunning £500 million.

One insider told MailOnline: ‘The figures are truly astonishing and hard to believe. But when it comes to this wedding, literally no expense has been spared.

‘It has been in the planning for more than a year and hundreds of people have been working on it because the Ambanis want this to be a wedding the world will never forget. They are not shy to show off their wealth, especially when it comes to family occasions, and this is a ridiculously expensive wedding party that has lasted many months.’

In March, three days of pre-wedding festivities in the western Indian town of Jamnagar saw Rihanna perform for guests. She was paid £5 million for a 90-minute appearance.

And in preparation for this week’s celebrations Mr Ambani hired a luxury cruise liner called Celebrity Ascent for 800 guests who embarked on a four-day Mediterranean cruise and enjoyed private performances from stars like Katie Perry, Pitbull, and the Backstreet Boys.

All the stunning costumes for the bride and members of both families were designed by Manish Malhotra, India’s leading designer who is also the wedding’s creative director.

He has been working closely with Mrs Ambani who is one of the country’s leading philanthropists and has been the driving force behind the look and feel of the occasion.

The traditional marriage ceremony gets underway at 3pm India time with a ‘baraat’ which is a procession made up of the groom and his friends and family who will be dancing while accompanied by live musicians.

They will make their way to Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre, a sprawling cultural and business hub with a capacity for 16,000 people which was built by the Ambani family and where all three days of festivities will take place.

The wedding ceremony will be conducted by Hindu priests chanting ancient Sanskrit verses and the couple will walk around a sacred fire. They will also take seven vows to solemnise their marriage.

On Saturday, a traditional ‘divine blessings ceremony’ known as ‘The Shubh Aashirwad’ will take place at the same venue which will also host a glitzy reception on Sunday.

The dates for the ceremonies were chosen by a Hindu priest according to auspicious days on Anant and Radhika’s birth charts. They are both aged 29.

Around 100 chefs will prepare a range of Indian and European delicacies for guests who were all been given instructions on what to wear to keep in line with the theme of the wedding.

Guests attending this weekend’s events will also be given gift boxes containing a range of opulent items.

During the pre-wedding celebrations in March, guests received Louis Vuitton bags, specially designed duffle bags, gold necklaces, high-end footwear, luxurious nightwear, and handcrafted scented candles.

This is where Anant and Radhika will live, keeping in line with Indian tradition for couples to remain with the groom’s family after their marriage.

Radhika is the daughter of Indian pharmaceuticals tycoon Viren Merchant and works for his company while Anant is employed by his father.

Both studied at universities in the US and met through mutual friends in 2017 and began dating soon after.

Mr Ambani has two other children and is chairman of Reliance Industries, India’s biggest company by market capitalisation with extensive interests in energy, telecommunications and entertainment.

In 2018 he threw his daughter, Isha, the most expensive wedding India had ever seen at the time which cost a reported £80 million.

Beyonce performed and guests attended receptions in Italy’s Lake Como, as well as Mumbai and Rajasthan.