Ambani Reception: Who Wore What?
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Ambani Reception: Who Wore What?

The wedding festivities of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant have not been merely the coming together of two families but an event that cut across all social circles and engaged the eyeballs of the entire nation. Every detail is minutely worked out, addressing grandeur from ostentations of the ceremonies down to the high-brow guest list. But amidst all of this, overshadowing everything at the reception—this ‘Mangal Utsav’—was the fashion. Stars came out on this night in their best ensembles to mark it as an event etched in Indian fashion history, working the floor like a runway would. A Fusion of East and West: Ambani Reception The bride, Radhika Merchant, was unarguably a fashion queen throughout the evening as she walked out. Her sartorial choices reflect a sophisticated blend of the Indian, specifically described in dope heritage, and timeless modern elegance. She had opted for a dramatic he-two-piece combination by the master himself for the initial part of the reception. First, it was a custom-made gown from Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Moda Sarregna 2024 collection. The structured bodice, well overweight with twinkling embellishments, merged into a skirt made of rich satin. There was a similar fall from her arms and flowing back behind her, just a little like a train, to complete the effect of elegance, befitting a European queen. To balance out that beautiful gown, Radhika looked resplendent, with a coast-to-coast gold and diamond necklace and earrings that looked sleekly royal. Yet, this commitment towards the Indian customs did not quite fade away. In a move that surprised many, she turned into a bespoke Anamika Khanna couture saree for the latter half of the evening.  Nita Ambani: Timeless Vision in Resham Dreams From being the epitome of elegance to breaking style trends, Nita Ambani surely made sure that all eyes were on her with this very well-thought-out outfit. She chose a custom pink multi-resham kadhwa floral woven brocade saree. What added an extra layer of sophistication was the intrinsic real silver embroidery done down to the minutest detail—what really defines her style. It had an archived blouse with real silver zari, which amplified the royal feel of the whole attire even more. Of course, the real pièce de résistance must come from her legendary jewelry collection. Subtracting the several exquisite pieces, this chunky diamond ring referred to as the ‘Mirror of Paradise,’ a 52.58-carat D-color diamond with rich historical antiquity, really stole the show.  Sibling Style Statements: A Balancing Act of Tradition And Trend Isha Ambani Piramal, sister of Anant Ambani, was another style icon who turned many heads. She had been switching up looks all while the celebrations had been on, so for the reception she went in for a beautiful ivory hued Sabyasachi lehenga. The intricate embroidery of white roses all over the lehenga added a delicate touch to it, while the full-sleeved high-neck blouse offered a modernistic bent on the traditional silhouette. The sartorial choices throughout the festivities, from the modern-day Schiaparelli sari to various other ensembles by Manish Malhotra, were good evidence of Isha’s nimble ability to balance tradition with a touch of modernity. A Galaxy of Bollywood Glamour: Glitz, Shimmer, and Sequins If anything, this wasn’t going to be an Ambani-only night; it would be star-studded, with Bollywood’s A-listers coming out dressed in their finest attire. Janhvi Kapoor indeed left the audience awestruck with her sixteen enigmatic looks, each bringing out the young chick in her. Alia Bhatt sported shimmering gold in a Manish Malhotra saree where every intricate embellishment shined like one moved a little. Priyanka Chopra Jonas, never one for shying away from a bold statement, turned heads in a sequined black gown by Falguni Shane Peacock—the shimmering fabric did justice to her statuesque figure. The Kapoor sisters stepped out in full glory—Sonam in a heavily embellished lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, the rich colors and intricate embroidery a testament to her love for traditional Indian wear. More Than Just Fashion The Ambani reception was one such night when fashion was more about ensembles; it symbolised Indian craftsmanship, intricate embroidery techniques, and revived age-old traditions like real silver zardozi work. It could not have come at any better time to showcase the sartorial prowess of Indian designers and give them the platform for international recognition. A Look Back, A Look Forward The Ambani wedding celebrations were a different level of excess and style. It was indeed a peep into the changing tastes of India’s rich and their affinities for global brands, as much as for home-bred fashion ingenuity. Though trends are ephemera, there is one thing which can be betted on unlike anything else—the Ambani reception shall be etched in history owing to its stunning display of fashion, jewelry, and timeless charm of Indian creators.

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Unveiling The Ambani-Merchant Wedding Spectacle
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Unveiling The Ambani-Merchant Wedding Spectacle

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant tied the knot in Mumbai on Friday at an over-the-top celebration that pulled out all the stops, and more than a few A-list guests from around the world. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant: The much-awaited wedding of Anant Ambani, son of India’s wealthiest man, finally culminated before thousands of guests after seven months of superlative pre-wedding festivities. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra attended the event in Mumbai, as did former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. The wedding also drew a string of Indian celebrities from Bollywood giants Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt to former president Ram Nath Kovind, the chief ministers of various states and a bevy of members of the country’s adored cricket team. No expense was spared by the Ambanis, the family behind India’s largest private corporation, Reliance Industries. That’s because Anant’s grandfather founded the conglomerate; now, it’s run by his dad, Mukesh, whose net worth is over $122 billion, according to Forbes. In a rain-sodden Mumbai, police had shut down roads around the Ambani-owned, 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center, ahead of a red carpet-style arrival event. Attendees mirrored the affluence, streaming past photographers in custom sarees, lehengas, and kurtas designed for the event—the leading look that is set to prompt the trends in Indian wedding shopping this season. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra: At Ambani Wedding: Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra on the red carpet at the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Mumbai, India. Mr. John Cena entered the red carpet: John Cena embroidered in blue sherwani In addition to the B-town brigade, there were more international guests who adhered to the traditional dress code that evening. A diverse group of people, Mr. John Cena entered the red carpet in an embroidered sky blue sherwani, teamed with white pants. Jonas followed by adding the right touch of bling with a baby pink version made in a bouclé-style woven fabric, embedded with sequins, and matching satin trousers. He arrived with his wife and actor, Priyanka Chopra, who looked resplendent in an intricately embellished sunshine yellow sari. Stylist Law Roach: Stylist Law Roach styled up his traditional Indian ensemble with a pair of Schiaparelli shoes. The fashion crowd were out in full force too. Her loyal stylist Law Roach had a mauve velvet jacket on, purple tunic, and a pair of Schiaparelli gold-toed shoes. Across the way there was designer extraordinaire and New York Fashion Week front row staple Prabal Gurung in a rose colored sherwani with aviator sunglasses. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, who skipped the red carpet altogether, showed up on social media in gold and red saris, respectively. Kim’s was an off-the-shoulder tasseled bodice and Khloé’s had long ornate sleeves, stacked necklaces, and an opulent maang tikka. In an Instagram story, Kim intended to hint that the film crew was in tow for a shoot for an episode of the show “The Kardashians.” Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was glittering with jewels on her nuptials: Inside the venue, which had been transformed into a replica setting of the holiest Indian city of Varanasi, the likes of Chopra and Cena were seen celebrating. Videos posted on social media also captured the moment at which members of the Ambani family stormed the stage, eventually rocking it out in unison with Indian singer, Daler Mehndi. Other acts of the night were Afro beats sensation Rema, who sang his viral song, “Calm Down”.   For the bride-groom duo, the groom first appeared on the red carpet in a golden sherwani paired with sneakers, which he then replaced with another pair for the ceremony. With the bride shining in hand-embroidered bridal couture by Indian label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, their groom followed the Gujarati tradition of wearing red and white in an opulent, red-trimmed ivory ensemble. “It had a 16-foot-long veil with stones and sequins and a long ghagra, or traditional skirt, having a detachable train nearly seven feet long,” her stylist Rhea Kapoor shared on Instagram. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and wife Cherie Blair hit up the red carpet in traditional Indian dress: An Extravagant Event The Ambani family has not publicized much about the proceedings in the run-up to Friday’s wedding, although guests and star performers had been in the thick of speculation for weeks. Local press and Indian social media users have also pored over speculation on everything from the dinner menu to items of jewelry that might be on display from the family’s sizable collection. The creative director for the event was none other than one of India’s most celebrated fashion designers, Manish Malhotra. The noted couturier crafted for the subsequent Ambani family, custom creations that were part of the nuptials that spanned over a month.

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Unveiling the Fashion Extravaganza of Radhika Merchant’s Wedding Festivities
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Unveiling the Fashion Extravaganza of Radhika Merchant’s Wedding Festivities

The wedding celebrations between Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani were nothing less than a fairytale—full of opulence, heartwarming moments, and, of course, captivating fashion. Right from the vibrant hues of the mehndi to the regal elegance on the wedding day, each attire was crafted with utmost care to set the tone for the respective occasion. Now, let’s talk more about what Isha Ambani Piramal, Neeta Ambani, and others wore to these festivities. Isha Ambani Piramal: During the Wedding Celebration of Radhika Merchant Isha Ambani Piramal was a sight to behold in her excellent choice of outfits throughout the wedding celebrations. Mehndi:  A beaming, gleeful Isha resonated the festive spirit at the mehndi ceremony, attired in a sunshine yellow lehenga by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. That lehenga was indeed a work of art – the fine embroidery appeared to dance to every rhythmic movement. Dainty mirror work, which is almost the signature style for the designer couple, gave just the right amount of bling to the creation. Isha completed her look with a statement choker necklace, jhumkas drawing special attention to that beautiful smile, and melodiously clinking bangles on the wrists – all in gleaming gold.  Sangeet Ceremony:  Only as the joyous celebrations moved into the sangeet ceremonial night, Isha turned in for a much more glamorous avatar. Isha donned a heavily embellished golden lehenga by Manish Malhotra. This lehenga was a dazzling spectacle with intricate zardozi work that shimmered under the lights. To add in the meticulous craftsmanship of the lehenga, a matching dupatta took care of the detailing for a totally coordinated look. Equally opulent were Isha’s jewelry choices for the ceremony. Wedding: She wore a pale pink lehenga from the studio of Rohit Bal—one of those pieces of work which just reiterates very strongly that he indeed is a master of timeless elegance. Fine, hand-woven Benarasi silk— obeisance to silk fabrics for its luxurious feel and rich heritage—was used to craft the lehenga. On this lehenga, delicate floral embroidery lent additional beauty to the overall ensemble. Isha’s jewellery for the wedding ceremony was minimalist, yet statement-making. Her choice was of kundan jewellery set, naturally pairing with the soft hues of the lehenga, and subtle make-up that only marked her natural looks.  Neeta Ambani: A picture of elegance Mehndi:  For the mehndi ceremony, Neeta Ambani exuded grace in a royal blue and gold sharara set by Falguni and Shane Peacock. Done in chikankari work, which is minute embroidery done in a special kind of stitching, it added class to this classic Indian ensemble. The golden embroidery on the outfit added a touch of luxury to the overall attire as it gave a proper balance to the rich color that had been used for the outfit. A matching embroidered dupatta completed the look. Neeta’s jewelry choices were equally exquisite. She wore statement diamond jewelry, a dazzling necklace that was elongating the neck, and carried a golden clutch that added a touch of modern sophistication.  Sangeet Ceremony: While the celebration had reached the rooftop during the sangeet ceremony, Neeta Ambani opted for a more glam look. She enveloped herself in shimmering silver and went for Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s shimmering silver lehenga. Though an intricate piece of craftsmanship, worked out with warp and weft that had diamantes and crystals across, it was meant to capture light to effect a mesmerizing play.  Wedding:  For any bride, a wedding ceremony is the most significant occasion, and Neeta Ambani chose a red and gold Sabyasachi Mukherjee-designer saree. Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a designer of great repute, known for bringing to the fore traditionalist Indian textiles and design aesthetics. This saree was truly a riot of colors, done in the finest silk and curtain-like in its fall with intricate zari work. A Constellation of Celebrity Style It was a celebrity-driven ramp of sorts, with Priyanka Chopra looking every bit the bride in a bold gold lehenga to Deepika Padukone shining like a queen in a regal golden saree, and Gauri Khan donning an elegant pastel-colored lehenga. Alia Bhatt, Shloka Mehta, Kiara Advani, and Malaika Arora were absolutely ravishing in their respective lehengas and sarees. Janhvi Kapoor picked a chic, very vibrant printed lehenga, while Arjun Kapoor complimented them all with his black sherwani. The wedding celebrations of Radhika Merchant and Ant Ambani were truly a kaleidoscope and an enriched tapestry of tradition with streaks of modernity. Guest attire choices were truly a fine fusion From Isha Ambani Piramal’s graceful rendition of classic Indian silhouettes to Neeta Ambani’s regal take on the traditional saree, to the bold choices of celebrities like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the celebrations turned out to be a visual treat alongside showcasing how Indian fashion has grown with the need to be unapologetically rooted in its culture.

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