Latest news with #VarunNavani
Economic Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
How much money the Boston-based Indian couple had to pay to turn Wall Street into a dance floor for their wedding
The Couple Behind the Celebration Music, Magic, and Manhattan Two Traditions, One Celebration You Might Also Like: Wall Street turned into a dance floor for this unbelievable Indian wedding. Who are the bride and groom? Permits, Police, and Precision In an event that stopped both traffic and timelines, Varun Navani and Amanda Soll brought the grandeur of a big fat Indian wedding to the heart of New York City. With a traditional baraat—the groom's wedding procession—cascading down Wall Street, the couple quite literally shut down the most iconic financial street in the it didn't come easy. The couple reportedly filed 28 permits to make their dream celebration possible, shelling out an eye-watering $25,000 to $66,000 (₹21 lakh to ₹56 lakh) per location, as per city records reviewed by the New York Post. That's not a wedding budget—it's a Wall Street-grade who are these headline-makers? Varun Navani is the CEO of Rolai, an AI platform helping people learn data science and machine learning. A Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus (Boston, 2023), he brings innovation to the tech space. His bride, Amanda Soll, is no less accomplished—she serves as the Director of Legal Compliance and Risk Management at from Boston, the couple chose New York City as their wedding stage—and spared no expense turning it into a multi-day celebration began on May 23 at the Conrad Hotel with a welcome brunch and tea. That evening, guests gathered at The Glasshouse for a lively sangeet, filled with song and the real showstopper arrived on May 24, when Wall Street transformed into a dazzling baraat route. Videos now viral on social media show more than 400 guests dressed in traditional Indian attire dancing to the beats of dhols and DJ sets. Groom Varun arrived in a vintage white car, clad in a finely tailored ivory sherwani and layered pearl necklaces. Amanda stunned in a deep red Sabyasachi lehenga, epitomizing elegance and baraat ended at Cipriani Wall Street, where the grand reception unfolded—running from 5:30 p.m. until the early morning cultural fusion didn't end with the baraat. On May 25, the couple hosted a Jewish wedding ceremony at Cipriani, paying tribute to Amanda's heritage. An after-party followed at Slate, keeping the festive energy alive until 4 a.m. The final farewell came on May 26 with a goodbye detail—from venue choices to guest experiences—was thoughtfully curated to blend Indian and Jewish customs in a dazzling off a 400-person event in the middle of Lower Manhattan isn't simple. The city labeled it an 'extra-large' event, requiring extensive NYPD coordination and full block closures. The price tag—ranging between $25,000 and $66,000 (₹21–56 lakh) per permit—reflects the scale and ambition of the far from celebrity status or royalty, Varun and Amanda are a reminder that modern professionals, too, can pull off events that feel straight out of a Bollywood fantasy—if they're willing to plan and pay a city known for deals, deadlines, and data, the Navani-Soll wedding gave Wall Street a rare glimpse of uninhibited joy. For a few magical hours, the financial capital of the world grooved to dhols, draped itself in dupattas, and welcomed tradition with open was a dazzling display of culture and ambition, as Varun Navani and Amanda Soll turned New York's Wall Street into a vibrant celebration of love. With 28 permits, meticulous planning, and a lavish budget, the couple blended Indian and Jewish traditions across a multi-day wedding spectacle. Their grand baraat wasn't just a procession—it was a statement that even the busiest street can pause for joy.
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How a Boston couple turned Wall Street into a big fat Indian wedding: The jaw-dropping cost will leave you stunned
In an event that stopped both traffic and timelines, Varun Navani and Amanda Soll brought the grandeur of a big fat Indian wedding to the heart of New York City. With a traditional baraat —the groom's wedding procession—cascading down Wall Street, the couple quite literally shut down the most iconic financial street in the world. But it didn't come easy. The couple reportedly filed 28 permits to make their dream celebration possible, shelling out an eye-watering $25,000 to $66,000 (₹21 lakh to ₹56 lakh) per location, as per city records reviewed by the New York Post . That's not a wedding budget—it's a Wall Street-grade investment. The Couple Behind the Celebration So who are these headline-makers? Varun Navani is the CEO of Rolai, an AI platform helping people learn data science and machine learning. A Forbes 30 Under 30 alumnus (Boston, 2023), he brings innovation to the tech space. His bride, Amanda Soll, is no less accomplished—she serves as the Director of Legal Compliance and Risk Management at Mastercard. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Hailing from Boston, the couple chose New York City as their wedding stage—and spared no expense turning it into a multi-day extravaganza. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ AJ (@djajmumbai) You Might Also Like: 'Indians everywhere...': Harsh Goenka reacts to viral Wall Street baraat video, netizens bring Trump into online chatter Music, Magic, and Manhattan The celebration began on May 23 at the Conrad Hotel with a welcome brunch and tea. That evening, guests gathered at The Glasshouse for a lively sangeet , filled with song and dance. But the real showstopper arrived on May 24, when Wall Street transformed into a dazzling baraat route. Videos now viral on social media show more than 400 guests dressed in traditional Indian attire dancing to the beats of dhols and DJ sets. Groom Varun arrived in a vintage white car, clad in a finely tailored ivory sherwani and layered pearl necklaces. Amanda stunned in a deep red Sabyasachi lehenga, epitomizing elegance and tradition. The baraat ended at Cipriani Wall Street, where the grand reception unfolded—running from 5:30 p.m. until the early morning hours. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Devarshi Shah (@devarshishah7) Two Traditions, One Celebration The cultural fusion didn't end with the baraat. On May 25, the couple hosted a Jewish wedding ceremony at Cipriani, paying tribute to Amanda's heritage. An after-party followed at Slate, keeping the festive energy alive until 4 a.m. The final farewell came on May 26 with a goodbye brunch. You Might Also Like: Wall Street turned into a dance floor for this unbelievable Indian wedding. Who are the bride and groom? Every detail—from venue choices to guest experiences—was thoughtfully curated to blend Indian and Jewish customs in a dazzling cityscape. Permits, Police, and Precision Pulling off a 400-person event in the middle of Lower Manhattan isn't simple. The city labeled it an 'extra-large' event, requiring extensive NYPD coordination and full block closures. The price tag—ranging between $25,000 and $66,000 (₹21–56 lakh) per permit—reflects the scale and ambition of the celebration. But far from celebrity status or royalty, Varun and Amanda are a reminder that modern professionals, too, can pull off events that feel straight out of a Bollywood fantasy—if they're willing to plan and pay accordingly. In a city known for deals, deadlines, and data, the Navani-Soll wedding gave Wall Street a rare glimpse of uninhibited joy. For a few magical hours, the financial capital of the world grooved to dhols, draped itself in dupattas, and welcomed tradition with open arms.
NDTV
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Couple Paid Up To Rs 56 Lakh For Each Of 28 Spots Booked For Wall Street 'Baraat'
Varun Navani and Amanda Soll's extravagant baraat shut down Wall Street and gave New York a taste of a colourful Indian wedding celebrations. The couple filed for as many as 28 permits to make this possible for their big day, as per the city records viewed by the New York Post. Mr Navani and Ms Soll spent between $25,000 (Rs 21 lakh) and $66,000 (Rs 56 lakh) per location to shut down Wall Street for the special occasion. A video of the grand Indian wedding celebration was shared on Instagram by DJ AJ. "We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person baraat- who would've ever thought? Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime kind of magic," the DJ wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ AJ (@djajmumbai) In the video, which has garnered over 2 million views so far, people, dressed in their traditional best, are seen grooving to the peppy beats of dhol and electrifying music. Who Are Varun Navani And Amanda Soll? According to their LinkedIn profiles, Mr Navani is the CEO of Artificial Intelligence platform Rolai, while Ms Soll is the director of legal compliance and risk management at MasterCard. The couple hails from Boston, Massachusetts. As per their wedding page on The Knot, the couple's wedding festivities kicked off on May 23 at the Conrad hotel. This was followed by a Sangeet ceremony at The Glasshouse. On May 24, the celebrations started with brunch and tea at the Conrad. The couple also hosted a reception for their guests. For the big day, Mr Navani picked a finely tailored sherwani, layered with pearl necklaces. Meanwhile, his bride looked stunning in a deep red Sabyasachi lehenga. Another round of breakfast was organised by the couple on May 25 before their Jewish wedding. It was held at Cipriani, followed by an after-party at Slate.
India.com
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Who is Varun Navani, Indian-origin Gujarati techie whose 'baraat' halted Wall Street? Here's how much he paid to book this famous venue
Image: Instagram/Screengrab An Indian wedding that brought New York's famous Wall Street to a halt, is trending on social media platforms, and netizens are amazed at how the groom, Varun Navani– an Indian-origin techie of Gujarati ancestry– managed to pull off the remarkable feat of blocking one of busiest spots in The Big Apple. The wedding on Wall Street According to media reports, around 400 guests attended the extravagant wedding ceremony, which went viral on the internet after video of the event, showing the bride and the groom, as well as the 'baraatis', dancing to popular Bollywood numbers on Wall Street. Another notable thing about the event which stood out was that even non-Indian guests had donned traditional Indian party attires, giving the ceremony a uniquely Indian look, as if it was taking place somewhere in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, or any other Indian metro city. 'We shut down Wall Street for a 400-person Baraat, Who would've ever thought?! (sic),' wrote the DJ who played at the wedding event as she shared several videos from the ceremony on his Instagram page @djajmumbai. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DJ AJ (@djajmumbai) How much did Varun Navani pay for booking the Wall Street? As per media reports, Wall Street can be rented for $11,000 with proper permits, while the cost of blocking each area in the vicinity ranges between $25,000 to $60,000. These included roads, sidewalks and alleyways in New York's bustling Financial District, commonly known as the Wall Street. With over 400 guests, the event had the typical vibe of an extravagant Indian wedding procession, with the New York Mayor's Office describing it as an 'extra large' event. Who was the bride? Varun Navani married Amanda Soll, a risk–management legal compliance director at MasterCard, in a grand wedding at the Wall Street, which has earned him the moniker 'The groom of Wall Street', a play on words of the famous Hollywood flick 'The Wolf of Wall Street' starring Leonardo Di Caprio. According to reports, Amanda was draped in a red Sabyasachi lehenga, looking very much like an Indian bride, as her friends and family attended the key event. Meanwhile, Varun had donned a stylish ivory sherwani, and made his entry in a vintage white car accompanied by groomsmen. The grand wedding has gone viral on social media, and is being talked about across India as well as the United States. Who is Varun Navani? Varun Navani is a Gujarat-born techie who now resides in Boston, and is the founder of and CEO of Rolai– an AI platform that provides adoption solution and data analytical skills for higher education institutions. Notably, Varun Navani was featured in the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 list from Boston in 2023, as per his LinkedIn page.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
What is Green Fee? Hawaii introduces first-of-its-kind tourist tax
In a landmark move, Hawaii has become the first U.S. state to implement a climate impact fee, introducing a new tax on tourists to support environmental initiatives. Announced on Tuesday, the fee is designed to fund climate change resiliency efforts and preserve the islands' natural resources. Also Read: Who are Varun Navani and Amanda Soll? Meet Indian couple whose baraat shut down Wall Street According to a press release by Governor Josh Green's office, the nation's first 'Green Fee,' Hawaii's Act 96, will increase the state's transient accommodations tax (TAT) by 0.75%, bringing the total to 11% on nightly lodging rates. Set to take effect on January 1, 2026, the added revenue will directly support climate resiliency and environmental protection efforts across the islands. The fee will apply to the travellers who will stay in hotels, short-term accommodations, and, for the first time, cruise ships. Previously exempt from the TAT, cruise ship passengers will now be included under the new law, which aims to promote 'equity across the tourism industry.' For travelers, the added cost on a $300 nightly hotel stay, the new 0.75% Green Fee amounts to just $2.25 per night, as reported by USA Today. The new Green Fee is designed to generate funding for climate change mitigation, environmental stewardship, hazard mitigation, sustainable tourism, invasive species control, wildlife conservation, beach management and restoration, and a green jobs youth corps. In a statement, Green said, 'As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action. We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future." Also Read: Who is Robert Armstrong, columnist who coined the term Trump Always Chickens Out (TACO)? The new Green Fee tax is projected to generate around $100 million each year. While specific projects will be finalized in the next legislative session, the funds are slated to support a wide range of initiatives, including environmental stewardship, climate and hazard resiliency, and sustainable tourism across the Hawaiian Islands.
