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Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and Letizia Ortiz's Wedding
Who: Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and Letizia Ortiz
When: May 22, 2004
Where: The Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Spain
The Ceremony: Huddled en masse beneath a sea of umbrellas, the
denizens of Madrid refused to let a torrential rainfall deter them from
witnessing Spain's future queen as she emerged from the black Rolls-Royce
and entered Almudena Cathedral. The thunder outside was drowned out by
the mingled voices of an angelic seventy-member choir as over
1,400 guests, including such dignitaries as former South African President
Nelson Mandela, Jordan's Queen Rania, and Prince Charles of England, watched
the former TV presenter make her way down the aisle, past the multitude
of white roses and chrysanthemums brought in for the occasion, toward
her intended, who bestowed a kiss on her cheek before the Catholic ceremony
commenced. During the service, as is the custom, the bride and groom
exchanged thirteen gold coins as a symbolic gesture that they would
share their worldly goods.
The gown: Working for over half a year, famed fashion
designer Manuel Pertegaz, who has clothed such American icons as Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis and Audrey Hepburn, created an ivory-colored gown
applauded for its overall refinement. Small theatrical touches
were added with a 15-foot-long train and flared collar and cuffs, which
were embroidered with heraldic symbols. The future queen donned
a platinum and diamond tiara worn at the nuptials of the groom's
mother, Queen Sophia. The groom wore a dark blue military uniform.
After The Ceremony: The peal of bells echoed throughout the city
as the newly wed couple exited the cathedral. Over 15,000 geraniums and
tulips lined the path taken by the vintage 1948 Rolls Royce Phantom IV as
the pair were driven through the streets to greet their public. Like
so many Spanish brides before her, Letizia Ortiz offered her bouquet to
the statue of the Virgin Mary which watches over the Basilica of
Antocha. Along the route the couple were serenaded in a variety of
musical styles, ranging from flamenco to a bagpipe band, which greeted
them upon their arrival at the palace, where the groom again kissed his
bride on the cheek just as the sun peered through the clouds.
The Honeymoon: The future sovereigns began their life together
as man and wife with a tour of the Spanish countryside, where the
duo were spotted taking souvenier snapshots in the towns of Cuenca,
Albarracin and Zaragoza. Reliving their own recent memories, the
newlyweds next travelled to Jordan to attend the nuptials of Prince Hamzah
and Princess Noor before jetting away to parts unknown for private time
together.
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