What a $600m wedding says about India’s attitude to wealth

You might therefore have expected the months-long wedding celebrations of Isha’s brother Anant, which concluded on July 14th, to provoke a similarly positive response. It featured even more international stars (Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and Rihanna), more bling (outfits embroidered in gold along with enough golf-ball sized rubies, diamonds and emeralds) and a higher price tag (the figure $600m has been bandied about). It contributed handsomely to India’s booming matrimony business, which generates perhaps $130bn a year in revenues (only food makes up a bigger share of Indians’ retail spending). Behind the innumerable beautiful saris at the Ambani wedding were thousands of designers, tailors and seamstresses; behind the dances and elaborate backdrops were thousands of choreographers, musicians and carpenters. The wedding filled hotels, private jets, a fleet of golf carts and at least one cruise ship.