Kim Kardashian breaks wedding guest dress rule at $600m Ambani wedding

May 2024 · 5 minute read

Kim Kardashian was just one of many A-list guests at the wedding of billionaire heir Anant Ambani and his fiancée Radhika Merchant in Mumbai on Friday. 

The 43-year-old was joined by her sister Khloe Kardashian, 40, at the Jio World Convention Centre to witness the couple's traditional Hindu wedding ceremony after five months of festivities costing an estimated $600 million. 

The Kardashian sisters embraced traditional Indian attire for the big day – but it was Kim who broke etiquette with her ensemble. 

WATCH: Kim Kardashian breaks Indian wedding etiquette at Ambani nuptials

The mother-of-four wore a sparkling ruby red lehenga that boasted intricate beadwork and tassel detailing, pairing it with a cropped top, and a dupatta – a long shawl-like scarf. 

Kim accessorized with a diamond maang tikka between the middle parting of her hair, dropping to her forehead, and two diamond necklaces. 

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However, Kim's decision to wear red may be seen by some as breaking Indian tradition as the hue is typically reserved for the bride on the wedding day. 

"In Indian culture, the woman is the one who is leaving her house and going to the man's house to be with his family," Niki Shamdasani, designer and co-founder of Sani, told Brides. 

"It's a far bigger change for the woman than the man, so it is appropriate that she be the one commanding the most attention and wearing a bold color like red that symbolizes new life." 

Khloe, meanwhile, opted for a palette of gold and white for her shimmering lehenga, which she teamed with a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder top and gold accessories, including a matching maang tikka. 

Kim and Khloe shared several snaps on their respective Instagram accounts while also revealing that their fans will see their attendance at the wedding featured on an episode of The Kardashians. 

In the days leading up to Friday’s ceremony, the couple took part in several traditional pre-wedding rituals. 

Indian wedding traditions

With over 30 distinct cultures within the South Asian region, each Indian wedding will look different. However, here are a few common customs that are typically incorporated into Indian nuptials… 

  • An astrology-approved date - The Hindu priest, known as a pandit, can consult astrology to determine the most favorable date and time for the ceremony to take place.
  • A do spanning several days - The nuptials and reception take place after two days of more intimate events that tend only to be attended by close friends and family.
  • Red - The colour is considered lucky and thus is often incorporated into the wedding decor, outfits, flowers - the list goes on.
  • A sizeable guest list - A go big or go home approach is taken to the guest list and offending someone by not inviting them to the wedding is a big no-no.
  • Outfit changes - Every different element of the day requires a new outfit, and this applies to the groom
  • Accomplished dance moves - No dad dancing here. Often guests will celebrate the newlyweds with Bollywood-style dances before the couple themselves put on a performance
  • A large party - Everyone invited to the wedding is usually invited to the reception so the evening do is a big one
  • No first kiss - Many deem PDA in front of elders inappropriate so there’s almost never a, 'You may now kiss the bride' element to the nuptials, Brides reported.
  • The groom's grand entrance and the bride's reveal - The groom gets his own procession, otherwise known as baraat, while the bride prepares for her grand reveal, or the kanya aagaman, after her bridesmaids, flower girl, and ring bearer.
  • The couple takes seven steps - in the saptapadi, the bride and groom take these steps to represent the first seven steps you take together as husband and wife.

    • Last Friday saw Justin Bieber perform at the pair’s "sangeet," a night of music and dance. 

    Anant and Radhika then attended a private "haldi" ceremony, which traditionally sees friends and family bless the bride and groom by applying a turmeric paste to their heads, faces, or bodies. 

    Back in March, the couple celebrated their love with a three-day pre-wedding event that featured a performance by Rihanna which reportedly set the family back $6.3 million. 

    March's round of celebrations was held in the family's hometown of Jamnagar in Gujarat, where the Ambani oil refinery is situated. 

    The party, which hosted 1,200 guests including Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, began with a dinner in a bespoke glasshouse before a Moulin Rouge-themed do at their palatial home. 

    The family then took the celebrations overseas in June when they embarked on a luxury cruise along the azure coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy along to the French Mediterranean. 

    The wedding party, which included a slew of Bollywood stars, stopped off at Rome, Portofino, Genoa, and Cannes, enjoying performances from The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli along the way.

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