The last wedding of the Portuguese royal family took place on May 13, 1995. After more than 25 years, many are eagerly awaiting next Saturday, October 7. Infanta Maria Francisca, 26, the second of the three children of the Dukes of Bragança, will marry lawyer Duarte de Souza Araujo Martins, 32.
The wedding has been prepared for months: everything starts on October 6th, the day of reception of international guests, which include, for example, the children of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, representatives of the Italian nobility or the royal families of Belgium. .
The party won’t take place until the next day, Saturday. The first part of the celebration will be closed to the general public. The religious ceremony scheduled for 3 p.m. will be presided over by Cardinal Patriarch Dr. Manuel Clemente is intended for family members and close guests. It will be held in the Basilica of Mafra Monastery, which stopped receiving visitors on September 30 due to preparations for the event.
Those responsible for the building explained that “the tight security operations inside and outside the building make it impossible to open the palace to the public for reasons related to internal security and, above all, the concerned authorities.”
The celebration will be broadcast on TVI: the broadcast begins at 2:30 pm and María Cerqueira Gómez will be one of the presenters. To follow everything that happens inside the church, giant screens will be placed in Terreiro D. João V With live broadcast. After the bride and groom are officially married, the popular ceremony will begin.
The square will host “a colorful entertainment program with the participation of popular bands and other groups from various regions of the country, without forgetting the ringing of bells,” Casa Real announced. Everyone is invited to participate.
Guests
He adds that the wedding between María Francisca and Duarte de Souza Araujo Martins will include about “1,200 guests, including prominent figures of social and political life from the four corners of the world, including members of foreign royal families.”
The list of confirmed attendees includes President of the Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; Prime Minister António Costa and Princes Louis and Sebastian (sons of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg), as well as “representatives of the royal families of Liechtenstein and Belgium, and the Italian and Southern nobility.”
food menu
After the popular party, the guests and the couple leave for Sintra, to the home of the Dukes of Bragança. The dinner menu has already been revealed and of course contains typical Portuguese dishes.
The meal was designed by Hélio Loureiro, a chef with 40 years of experience who has published more than 30 culinary books. From cod pastries to cream pastries – including pesaro ham from Bragança, and veal and oysters from Ria de Aveiro – the goal is “for Portugal to be well represented at the table,” he told Observador.
In the cloisters of the Mafra Monastery, the cake made by Helio will also be served. Its decoration is inspired by Gondomar’s carving. “I know this says a lot to the royal family and I know the Infanta loves these traditions. To have such a Portuguese element, for those coming from abroad, is also interesting,” he says.
With the walnut filling, it will be made using royal icing – a mixture of powdered sugar, cream of tartar, lemon juice and egg whites – while the base will be silver, with some filigree elements.
As for the size of the cake, there is no doubt that it will be large and heavy: it will weigh 150 kilos, and will contain about 60 kilos of sugar and another 60 kilos of nuts, in addition to 250 eggs. It will be built on several levels, but the exact number of floors is not yet known. The cake will arrive directly from Porto, but will only be assembled in Mafra so nothing gets spoiled along the way.
Dresses
The little girl will wear two models, one for the ceremony and the other for the party, in Sintra, both designed by designer Luzia do Nascimento. The professional maintains a close relationship with the family, and Francesca has complete confidence in her.
Regarding the width of the raw fabric you will walk down the aisle, it is known to follow a very simple line, with a princess silhouette, train and little to no embroidery. The second will be lighter and will not have a tail, making it suitable for dancing moments.
Gift list
Despite their family heritage, María Francisca and Duarte de Souza Araujo Martins are a couple like everyone else when it comes to the needs of everyday life. Like many newlyweds, they’ve made a list of gifts they’d like to receive for use in their new life as a married couple – and it includes things we all know and use.
The list includes tableware from Vista Alegre (€13,927), specifically from the Famille Verte and Sagres collections, a Moulinex air fryer (€199), a Nespresso coffee machine (€95.20), a Siemens dishwasher (€615.20), an iRobot vacuum cleaner. (€759.20), Míele induction hob (€749), Limoux living room shelf (€3608), Siemens refrigerated wine cellar (€1839), two cabinets (€345 and €695), kilim rug (€550), chairs For a dining table (199 euros), two sofas (2045 euros and 799 euros), a sideboard (1224 euros) and much more.
Take advantage of this opportunity and click through the gallery to see some of the most eye-catching wedding dresses of 2023 (so far).
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