Tycoon hosts 'mother of all weddings'

The elite of India flock to a celebration where extravagance knows no bounds

While many romantics around the world celebrate Valentine's Day with an intimate candlelight dinner, an Indian couple in Lucknow will tie the knot in the company of 11,000 people.

The bridegroom is the youngest son of one of India's biggest tycoons and, in an extended event that has been called the 'wedding of the year', his elder brother also got married earlier this week.

Even in their heyday, India's maharajas might have struggled to match the extravagance - 11,000 guests, 2,000 cooks, an orchestra from London, and US$200,000 worth of perfumed candles inside just one of the many marquees put up for the celebrations.

Business tycoon Subroto Roy's son, Sushanto, married Richa Ahuja on Tuesday. The younger brother, Seemanto, has chosen Valentine's Day to marry Chandni Toor but the mammoth celebrations will continue until Monday.

Members of the Indian elite are famous for hosting sumptuous weddings. But even they have been stunned by the lavishness of this event. In Mumbai, Bollywood studios have suspended shooting until Sunday, for the first time in the industry's history, because all the big names have been in Lucknow for the two weddings. The city is the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.