Ankur Jain’s girlfriend Erika Hammond rejected his request to marry him in space

A few weeks after Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s extravagant pre-wedding party in Jamnagar, Gujarat, captured the public’s attention, Ankur Jain, another affluent person, is making waves online for his extravagant wedding to Erika Hammond, the creator of Knockout and a former WWE wrestler. Officiated by famous Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass, the ceremony in front of the Sphinx in Egypt became the first of its kind to be performed at the foot of the Great Pyramids. In the middle of planning, the pair had thought of several possible locations for the wedding, with the tech billionaire’s first suggestion being a beautiful ceremony in space. People claim that after Erika rejected his proposal, they exchanged vows in Egypt.

“My first pitch to Erika for the wedding was to get married in space,” Ankur clarified. I said to myself, “I want to live for my wedding day.” We live in New York, and there’s something very unique about being in a whole other universe. We thus made the decision that our wedding would be about spending a special occasion with our friends in a location that seems like a separate universe, and about celebrating the new beginning together. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” said Hammond. Seeing the pyramids is just wild. You can’t express yourself. The fact that this even exists in our culture astounds me.

Ankur Jain’s interest in ancient history started when he traveled to Egypt as a youngster with his family. He vividly recalls his experiences, including working with Dr. Zahi Hawass on his first archeological dig as a youngster. The couple decided that instead of adhering to convention, they would want to create an event that would never be forgotten while planning their wedding. There were no toasts, cake-cutting customs, bridesmaids, or groomsmen during their wedding. Rather, they relied on the event coordinators to create a memorable party.

“I didn’t know the style of the table arrangement or the napkins’ appearance. We don’t do conventional weddings. Why is it that roses cost $20,000 (about Rs 16 lakh)? It is not logical. And when you have the chance to sit and have supper at the foot of the pyramids, none of it should matter,” Jain said.

A sumptuous pre-wedding celebration preceded their marriage and culminated in a three-day South African safari experience that included supper. Then, in a private jet, Ankur Jain and Erika Hammond traveled to Egypt with their 130 guests.