Princess Nathalie Marries Religiously

Today, Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was married religiously to her husband, Alexander Johannsmann at the Evangelical Lutheran church in Bad Berleburg in front of 230 guests. The couple married civilly May 28, 2010. Nathalie is quoted by BT as saying that she is "marrying the best man in the world".

Despite being German born, Nathalie is a Danish citizen like her older sister Alexandra. She is a noted, professional equestrian, and rides with the Danish national team. She competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics under the Danish flag achieving Bronze in Dressage. She hopes to also compete in London next year.

Alexander's family owns a company that transports horses, but before joining this firm in 2005, he studied carpentry and joinery. The couple's son Konstantin was born in July 2010.

36 year old Nathalie's dress was by Danish designer Henrik Hviid, who has dressed all the women of the royal family except the Crown Princess. His last "royal" wedding dress was for the Countess of Frederiksborg's wedding to Martin Jørgensen. From the press release is this description: "the dress is made from heavy ivory satin with a silk organza lining. The top in lace is open necked and long sleeved. From the broad pleated satin belt, the three meter long and two meter broad train starts. The monogramme of the bridal couple is embroidered with pearls and crystals toward the bottom of the train."

Nathalie wore the Irish lace veil first worn by Queen Ingrid's mother, born Princess Margaret of Connaught, and the Cartier tiara that was given to Margaret upon her wedding to the Crown Prince of Sweden by the Khedive of Egypt in 1905. This tiara is only worn by the female descendents of Queen Ingrid and is lent in such events by its owner, Anne-Marie. The placement of the tiara and veil combined with a flattering hairdo worked beautifully on the bride. Nathalie's hair was styled by Daisy's personal hairdresser Poul Nejlund, who expressly made the trip. Nathalie's official witness (Maid of Honour) was her best friend, Emma Hindle from England. Emma wore the same dress that was worn by Princess Theodora at Nikolaos's wedding in Greece last year.

The St. Anne's Girls Choir from Denmark, of which Princess Benedikte is patron, sang Danish and English songs during the ceremony. The 45 girls, aged 14-16, are housed in Germany by local residents.

The flowers were supplied by a florist in Dusseldorf and chosen primarily by Princess Benedikte. The reception tents were decorated with white and pink peonies and the church flowers were predominately white roses.

Among the guests are the Crown Prince and Crown Princess (in another asshole-coloured dress with sad little gold lace cardi and horrible scraped back hair); Greek cousins Alexia (in the festive but non-figure-flattering dress with dated sleeves she wore to the Swedish wedding last year), Pavlos & Marie-Chantal (best dressed in royal blue with diamond clips and a soft, loose updo) and Nikoloas & Tatiana (in a sparkly, spangly light pink dress with plunging neckline). Sister Alexandra (with no sign of her husband Jefferson von Pfeil-Ellguth Klein) was dressed in a flattering but dull-coloured dress while her two children were in white. Daisy was stunning in a striking, figure-hugging navy and white dress. Anne-Marie wore the same watercolour dress she wore to her son's wedding last August in Greece. Henrik and Constantine didn't make the wedding; Henrik is in China for Danish commercial interests.

Additionally, there was Princess Christina of Sweden, Nathalie's godmother, and her husband; the chairman of Lego with his wife; Peter Zobel (father to Rigmor) and a very comely, young Norwegian woman who he insists is not his girlfriend; Christian & Mette Ahlefeldt-Laurvig and his parents Preben & Brita; and Caroline Fleming's parents Nils & Molise Iuel-Brockdorff. Also present, Henrik Wedell-Wedellsborg and his wife; Henrik is the lawyer who drew up Mary's pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Most of the men are regularly invited to hunts at Schloss Berleburg.

The evening's reception for 370 guests, the 230 wedding guests plus 140 others from the larger social circle. The reception was held in the castle courtyard, ending with a musical performance by the Rifle Club of Berleburg. The four course dinner was served in tents in the garden and included the following:

Parfait de foie gras of duck and goose with icewine gelée
Brioches
Atlantic lobster with wild garlic sauce
Medley of green and white asparagus
Poached filet of veal with a jus of champagne truffle
Summer vegetables with Pommes Anna
Tartlets with yogurt mousse and rhubarb
Strawberry terrine, mixed summer berries
Wedding cake

A band played for the dance, including the first dance by the couple to the traditional Danish wedding waltz, music from A Folk Tale.

The previous evening, a barbecue with Cuban salsa music was held for the couple and their guests in the castle garden near the Orangerie. The dress code was casual. The Berleburg family's private chef Martin Belli Jørgensen presided with help from a team including a chef to the Danish royal court. Chef Jørgensen has also cooked for the Danish royal family at several functions including Joachim and Marie's wedding reception, according to Billed Bladet. The menu was distinctly Danish in influence with several products serving as gifts to the couple from Danish farmers. The complete menu is provided by the couple's press agency, ermb:

Creamy pasta with pimientos and peas
Tomato salad with mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar
Avocado salad with shrimps and mango
Marinated potato salad

Beef fillet from Denmark
Marinated chicken brochettes
Tenderloin of pork marinated in soy and fresh coriander
Bratwurst

Scallop brochettes
Tiger prawn brochettes
Barbecued halibut

Tzatziki
Herb butter, lemon butter and mixed fresh pepper butter
Curry sauce
Barbecue sauce

Rhubarb tart
Tiramisu
Swiss baby meringues
Swiss double cream

Danish cheeseboard