The Royal Wedding in Sicily: Prince Don Jaime of Bourbon married Lady Charlotte Lindesay-Bethune in the Duomo of Monreale
It was a big honour for me, but also such a big challenge to organize the wedding celebrations of H.R.H. Prince Don Jaime of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Noto and H.R.H. Princess Charlotte of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Dutchess of Noto here in Sicily!
Three days, seven different locations, more than one hundred people on the backstage to make their dream come true...
Photo by David Wheeler
Royal wedding preparations and the venues
It took more than one year and a half to prepare such an important event, starting from a number of visits of Don Jaime and Lady Charlotte to Palermo to choose carefully all the locations for their wedding celebrations. Being a direct descendant of the last Bourbon king of Sicily, it was very symbolic for Don Jaime to hold his wedding reception at the Royal Palace of Palermo. Two other private palaces were chosen as dinner venues: Palazzo Alliata di Pietratagliata hosted a Friday family dinner, whereas a splendid Palazzo Mazzarino was the most important venue for the Saturday wedding dinner and dancing. On the third day all the guests were invited to Villa Tasca to enjoy an informal brunch in the shadows of centenary trees of its enchanted garden.
"Being a direct descendant of the last Bourbon king of Sicily, it was very symbolic for Don Jaime to hold his wedding reception at the Royal Palace of Palermo"
Prince Don Jaime and greeting reople from the carriage
Lady Charlotte enters Monreale cathedral accompanied by father Lord Lindsay
Prince Don Jaime and Princess Charlotte leave Monreale in carriage
Prince Don Jaime and greeting reople from the carriage
Wedding ceremony in the Duomo of Monreale
The wedding ceremony was announced to be on the 25th of September, 2021 at 11.30 a.m. at the magnificent Duomo of Monreale, one of the most important churches in Sicily.
Since the very early morning a lot of curious people and tourists started to gather around the main square in front of the Duomo of Monreale attracted by the two bagpipe players - an homage to the bride's Scottish roots - and numerous guests dressed in kilts, elegand suits and women wearing extravagant hats.
The bride arrived punctual at 11.15 a.m. the entrance of the Duomo on board of an ancient carriage drawn by four white horses.
Wedding dress by Phillipa Lepley and bridal look
Princess Charlotte was wearing an elegant couture wedding gown designed by Phillipa Lepley. It featured a plain ivory skirt with a remarkable train and a long-sleeved embroidered bodice.
The bride's head was crowned by a diamond and pearl 19th century tiara that passed down through the generations of the Lord Lindsay's family.
Charlotte's flower girls, in a nod to her Scottish origins, were wearing tartan sashes. Lilly of the Valley was the most important flower in this wedding: Charlotte's wedding bouquet was almost entirely composed of these little white flowers, whereas her bridesmaids had them in the flower crowns on their heads.
Don Jaime and Lady Charlotte Wedding
Don Jaime and Lady Charlotte Wedding
Don Jaime and Lady Charlotte Wedding
Don Jaime and Lady Charlotte Wedding
Photos by David Wheeler
The wedding cake by Roberto Pennino
Simplicity and elegance were the two key words that Charlotte pronounced talking about her wedding cake, wishing it would be all white decorated with some white flowers. And it was exactly like this!
A seven-tier cake was prepared by a young but rinomated palermitan cake designer Roberto Pennino. It was 45 kilos of pure Sicilian semifreddo with almonds and marsala wine-scented bisquits!
It was such a challenge to organize this wedding, but thanks to precious collaboration with Sicily Events, we created a great team that managed to put together each piece of this wedding mosaic on its place! There were more than 100 people who worked on a backstage of this wedding between hostesses, waiters, barmen, drivers, security, technical staff and "helping hands". I really would like to thank everyone of them for their contribution for a success of this wedding!
Photo by David Wheeler
Photo by David Wheeler
Photo by David Wheeler
