Bilt Rewards CEO, Ankur Jain recently married former WWE star Erika Hammond in an intimate Egyptian wedding ceremony on April 26, 2024. They exchanged vows in front of the Great Pyramids, in the presence of only 130 guests. While the couple’s wedding location might surprise many, it was not the only unique thing about their soiree. Ankur and Erika’s marriage was officiated by the world's foremost Egyptologist and Jain's family friend, Dr Zahi Hawass, and the couple had no bridesmaid and groomsmen or a wedding cake.
According to a report by the People, Ankur initially wanted to get married in space, but his bride had shot down his idea. Later, they agreed that they would like to begin a new phase in their lives in Egypt, as the duo has an affinity for ancient history and society. Apart from their four-day extravagant wedding in Cairo, they also had a pre-wedding getaway in South Africa. Their itinerary included a safari dinner in the heart of the South African jungle, as well as an adventurous jungle safari experience.
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Erika was born to Tonya and Will Hammond in 1991 in the city of Texas. She joined World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) NXT Diva in 2013. After her departure from WWE, she began her career in fitness in Los Angeles and then shifted her base to New York City.
Ankur’s wife has also created an app called Strong by Erika, a boxing-inspired HIIT and strength workout program. She is also the creator of Knockout, a boxing-inspired group fitness class offered at designated Equinox, a fitness company, located in New York City.
Meanwhile, Ankur Jain is a Wharton School of Business graduate. According to his LinkedIn profile, he is the founder and CEO of Bilt Rewards and Kairos. Ankur is also part of the X-Prize Foundation, a non-profit organisation that designs and hosts public competitions to encourage technological development and he also serves as a member of the Pacific Council on Foreign Relations. Previously, Ankur was also the Vice President of Products at Tinder.
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The Indian-origin tech billionaire first met Erika when he started working out at the celebrity-favourite gym, Rumble Boxing, where she was a fitness instructor and also one of the founding members. After knowing each other for a while, the two started dating. According to the report by People, Ankur asked Erika out while they were working out and she was with zero makeup covered fully in sweat. And that's exactly when Erika knew, he was the 'one' for her.
Ankur and Erika got engaged in November 2022, and the Bilt Rewards CEO was the one who had popped the question to her. Moreover, the couple always wanted to host an over-the-top ceremony to celebrate their wedding. And so they did! From private jets to marrying at the base of the Great Pyramids in Egypt, in front of the Sphinx, they made their dream come true. While Erika said a wedding is once in a lifetime experience to the People, Ankur shared:
“We’re New Yorkers and there's something so special about being in a completely different world environment. So we decided, our wedding is about having a moment together to celebrate the new beginning, having a really special party with our friends somewhere where you're in a different world.”
Ankur and Erika never wanted a traditional wedding, they just wanted to experience the precious moments of their big day. Hence, they left everything to their planners and remained oblivious to the preparations. Moreover, the bride revealed to the People that she had no idea what the napkins looked like or how the tables were set. And Ankur Jain added:
“We're not traditional wedding people. Why do you have to spend $20,000 on flowers? It doesn’t make sense. And none of that should matter when you're getting an opportunity to sit and have dinner at the base of the pyramids!”
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While Ankur and Erika had a minor hiccup when they were flying out of South Africa after their pre-wedding soiree in the country, they still began their wedding festivities in Cairo on April 24, 2024, with their late-night Modern Cairo-themed welcome reception at the Muhammed Ali Palace. Their friends were very cooperative, waiting for the couple’s arrival and then having a blast until 5 a.m.
The next day, the couple arranged a private tour of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, which also included areas generally not open to the public. This was followed by an Ancient-Egypt x Met Gala-themed dinner at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which still has not been opened. The dinner also featured traditional performances and aerial dancers.
On their big day, Ankur’s parents, Naveen and Anu Jain walked him to the ceremony, and then Erika made her grand entry on the tunes of the popular violinist, Lindsey Sterling, who played Ed Sheeran’s Perfect. She opted for Indian designer, Rahul Mishra’s couture. Revealing the idea behind her resplendent golden gown, Erika said:
“It was important to me to draw inspiration and celebrate my fiancé’s Indian culture, ancient Egyptian culture, and Western traditions. Since we weren't doing an Indian wedding, I wanted a little bit of Indian inspiration, mixed with a Cleopatra feel. His designs are modernised Indian. So like the sari gowns.”
After their wedding ceremony, they had a New York-inspired dinner featuring all of their favourite dishes, and then the couple invited guests down to another area for the afterparty. Ankur and Erika did not opt for a classic wedding cake; instead, they opted for affogatos and three dessert stations from their favourite New York confectioners.
We wish Ankur Jain and Erika Hammond a happily ever after.
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