All the pictures and videos you missed from Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta’s celebrity-studded wedding

Some weddings are so epic, so larger-than-life, and so indelible that they make you wonder—will there ever be a wedding more extravagant than this? When the Reliance Group scion Akash Ambani married Shloka Mehta [businessman Russell Mehta’s daughter], theirs was one such celebration. Thanks to an unlimited big-day budget, the couple took their walk down the aisle, back in March 2019, to a whole new level with a roster of ceremonies, a bridal trousseau of dreams, and even a performance by Chris Martin on the sangeet.

You might have already seen a slew of pictures from the nuptials, but we dove deep to find photos you probably haven't seen before and details you might have missed earlier.

The love story

Shloka Mehta met Akash Ambani when they were toddlers studying at Mumbai’s Dhirubhai Ambani school. Post her secondary education, Mehta went on to pursue a degree in anthropology at Princeton University and later, got a master's degree in law and anthropology from London School of Economics. Ambani, an alumnus of Brown University, reportedly proposed to Mehta on the very last day of their school. The milestone was celebrated with a private engagement party in Goa in March 2018 in the presence of Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, his mother Kokilaben, and other close family members. For the ring exchange, the groom-to-be kept it smart casual in white trousers, a nautical T-shirt and blue blazer, while the bride-to-be opted for an antique blue tiered lace Needle & Thread London gown.

The wedding invitation

The Ambani family put in a lot of thought for Akash and Shloka's wedding invitation. Inspired by Pichwai paintings, the striking red box sat on a tray lined with pearls and flowers. The leaflets inside were each decorated with different colours and pop-ups. Over and above the details of the various events, the leaflets also bore information and meaning behind motifs and depictions that are common to Hindu weddings. 

The wedding

The dreamy decor and design

Akash Ambani’s union with Shloka Mehta gave the proverbial “big fat Indian wedding” a new meaning. March 9, marked the big day for the couple at the Jio World Centre in BKC, Mumbai. The guests walked in through entrances covered in Japanese cherry blossoms and several cascading installations crafted with foliage. Inside, the venue looked straight out of a fairy tale, doused from pillar to post in vibrant flowers. Shamiyana-style garlands graced the ceilings, and standing in the middle of the foyer was a large peacock, which fanned out its large plumage in an impressive display. The focal point inside the main area was a mammoth statue of Lord Krishna posing with a flute. A colossal conch shell made up of pink flowers sat behind the idol in bright contrast.

Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Nita Ambani light up Akash Ambani's baraat

Just like most Hindu weddings, the celebrations kicked off with an exuberant baraat. The groom, dressed in a baby pink sherwani by Sabyasachi, rode towards his future wife in a flower-decked vehicle. Accompanying Ambani on his big day and dancing to celebrate his wedding were his closest family members and friends. Sister-of-the-groom Isha Ambani, twinned with Akash, in a blush lehenga by the same designer, while their parents matching looks in deeper shades of the hue with identical embroidery. Some of the most high-spirited snippets from the baraat show a beaming Nita Ambani dancing with Shah Rukh Khan. Also, spotted busting out their dance moves were Ranbir Kapoor, Ayan Mukerji, cricketer Hardik Pandya and Karan Johar under a shower of confetti, with singer Mika Singh serenading the crowd. 

Shloka Mehta and Akash Ambani's picture-perfect pheras 

Post his larger-than-life baraat, Akash Ambani switched up his look into an ivory sherwani. He greeted his bride for their varmala ceremony, walking hand-in-hand with his parents as the traditional folk song ‘Albela Sajan’ played in the background. Decked in a red and gold lehenga, the bride made a stunning entrance, as her brothers walked her down the aisle in a red canopy. The emotional pheras were followed by a sindoor and mangalsutra ceremony. The newly-weds then recited their seven vows of marriage. “We cherish and respect each other, and will fulfil the responsibilities of married life forever,” said Akash Ambani as his promise for his wife. “In happiness and sorrow, we shall conduct ourselves with dignity. In sickness and in health, we shall be together,” concluded Shloka Mehta. 

The Pinterest-worthy bridal lehenga

Relying on one of her favourite couturiers Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Shloka Mehta opted for a traditional crimson ensemble. Revealing the details of the outfit, the designers said, “The wedding lehenga is a romantic ode to love. The most intricate zardozi jaali is lavishly hand-embroidered with jadau and zardosi cutwork. The blouse is a bejewelled wonder. A shoulder dupatta features a trellis and borders with exquisite floral motifs.”  he canvas of her exquisitely embroidered bridal outfit was granted additional sparkle with statement jewellery, where uncut diamonds and emeralds playing a starring role. The piece de resistance of the wedding look was the ornate polki and gemstone choker, which was layered with an elaborate rani haar. The bridal staples of nath, matha patti, jhumkas and jooda served as the finishing touches.

The celebrity guests

Influential names from Bollywood spotted at the wedding included Alia Bhatt, Janhvi Kapoor, Karan Johar, Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan along with sister Karisma Kapoor and others. Global leaders like the UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon and wife, former British PM Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai and wife Anjali Pichai, Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings marked their presence too. Sports people like Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya and many others were also there to congratulate the couple.

Scroll through to check out all the pictures from Akash and Shloka Ambani's wedding album

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