Anant Ambani, son of India's wealthiest billionaire, Mukesh Ambani, and wife Nita Ambani, married Radhika Merchant on July 12, 2024, in Mumbai. Their wedding was a grand affair, featuring multiple extravagant events in India and Europe, luxurious attire and jewellery, and performances by Indian and international celebrities such as Rihanna, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. Also read | Justin Bieber wins crowd at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s sangeet with his songs
In case you did not know, Preston Bailey, a renowned event designer known for his luxurious wedding designs, was involved in curating Anant and Radhika's wedding, as per a June 18 The Wall Street Journal report.
Musicians' high fees for performances at weddings
Speaking to insiders, like Preston, 'an event designer who has planned weddings like Ivanka Trump’s and last year’s Ambani wedding', and several others, the report mentioned how the rich have paid top dollar to hire musicians for wedding functions, and Canadian singer Justin Bieber 'reportedly earned $10 million for performing at the Ambani wedding', adding that 'through a representative, Justin Bieber declined to comment'.
“Even the DJs charge a million dollars,” Preston said in the report that mentioned how, increasingly, 'name-brand DJs like Gryffin and Martin Solveig are becoming in demand too, as couples look to turn the wedding afterparty into an Ibiza nightclub'.
{{/usCountry}}“Even the DJs charge a million dollars,” Preston said in the report that mentioned how, increasingly, 'name-brand DJs like Gryffin and Martin Solveig are becoming in demand too, as couples look to turn the wedding afterparty into an Ibiza nightclub'.
{{/usCountry}}Ambani wedding designer planned Ivanka's wedding
The Ambani wedding's opulence and extravagance drew significant attention, with estimates suggesting it cost around $600 million. The couple's outfits were designed by top international fashion houses like Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, as well as leading Indian designers like Tarun Tahiliani and Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.
The couple's pre-wedding celebrations included a three-day party at the Ambani home in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with guests like Ivanka Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Bill Gates. Interestingly, the report added that Preston also designed the 2009 wedding of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump. Preston was quoted as saying, “Luxury weddings have turned theatrical.”
Unlimited budget to personalised details
Designing high-end weddings where nothing is too much requires creativity, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of the couple's vision. In the same report, Preston shared details of how he brought even the most elaborate wedding visions to life.
Preston shared that he recently commissioned a $500,000 holograph of a bride’s deceased grandfather to share well wishes, saying that 'for billionaires, if it’s exciting, they’ll go for it'. He added that clients typically 'hope to show the guests something they’ve never experienced before'.
Preston has reportedly 'built $600,000 structures, rented 10-foot candelabras and ordered custom furniture from Egypt' and typically works with silk flowers for overhead installations, which can cost $25,000 to $75,000.
He recalled a time when flowers shipped from the Netherlands for a wedding in Kuwait got stuck at the airport due to an alleged customs issue – and 'he had to send someone with $3,000 or $4,000 cash, as at that point you’re willing to do anything'.