Mumbai, 13 July– In one of the most extravagant weddings of the decade, Anant Ambani, the younger son of Mukesh and Nita Ambani, is set to marry Radhika Merchant, the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant. The high-profile wedding ceremony will take place on Friday evening at 9:30 PM local time.

The festivities began with the traditional Safa Bandha or Bar Yatra ceremony, with guests gathering at Antilia, the Ambani family's grand residence in Mumbai. Anant Ambani made a grand entrance on a horse-drawn carriage, accompanied by a large procession. The garland exchange ceremony is scheduled for 8 PM, followed by the Satpaka ceremony at 9:30 PM, where Anant and Radhika will be officially wed.

This billion-rupee wedding is being held at the Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai, attracting an array of distinguished guests from India and abroad. The guest list includes Bollywood stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Priyanka Chopra with Nick Jonas. International celebrities like Kim Kardashian were also spotted. Unfortunately, Akshay Kumar could not attend due to COVID-19.

Political figures like Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to bless the newlyweds. Other notable attendees include Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Thackeray family, and former British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair. Esteemed guests from various fields such as Peter Diamandis, artist Jeff Koons, coach Jay Shetty, former US Secretary of State John Kerry, and former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will also grace the occasion.

The wedding celebrations will span three days, beginning with the auspicious marriage ceremony on Friday, followed by another ceremonial event on July 13, and concluding with a reception on July 14. The Ambanis have meticulously planned the event, hiring three Falcon jets and 200 private planes to transport distinguished guests to Mumbai.

According to Forbes, the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant is estimated to cost between Rs 4,000 to 5,000 crore, a fraction of the Ambanis' total assets. The groom, Anant Ambani, will wear an orange sherwani adorned with an elephant brooch, reflecting his love for animals. The Ambani family will don coordinated outfits, with the women in pink lehengas and the men in sherwanis, including Mukesh and Akash in pink and Isha's husband Anand Piramal in silver.

The wedding menu is as opulent as the event itself, featuring an array of delicacies ranging from local favorites like phuchka, chaat, curd, and shingara to international dishes such as pasta, vada pav, bombolones, leek quiche, fresh cream cheese, and petit pois. The menu also includes dishes prepared by a famous tea shop in Benares, a favorite of Nita Ambani.

The couple's pre-wedding event in Jamnagar, Gujarat, included a variety of local and international cuisines, with a total of 2,500 posts organized for the celebration. However, none of the pre-wedding food items are included in the wedding menu, indicating an even grander selection for the main event.

As the world watches, the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant promises to be a spectacle of unparalleled luxury and grandeur, marking a significant milestone in the lives of the couple and their illustrious families.