- Civil Ceremony
- Church Ceremony
- Carriage Tour
- Balcony Scene
Church Ceremony
The church ceremony took place at the Nieuwe Kerk. This church is normally used for expositions and is the church for the investiture of the King/Queen of the Netherlands. The marriage of Willem-Alexander and Máxima was the first Royal marriage to take place at the Nieuwe Kerk.
The couple married in presence of over 1200 guests. Although Máxima is catholic, the service was Dutch Reformed. This however did not mean there were no catholic elements in the service at all. The Ave Maria was played and Dr. Rafael Braun, a Catholic Priest and family friend of the Zorreguieta's, read a lesson (in Spanish) and said prayers. Also normally not used in Dutch Reformed weddings is asking the witnesses for their consent. For Willem-Alexander's witnesses this was done in Dutch by reverent Carel ter Linden. For Máxima's witnesses this was done in Spanish by Dr. Braun.
The service was marked by the touching love and the beautiful music, but also by the missing of the bride's parents and the farewell to her country Argentina: brought in music by Astor Piazzolla's tango 'Adiós Noniño'. The bride was unable to hold her tears.
Before the Prince and Princess left the church, the National Anthem was played, but not the usual verse 1, but verse 6 ('Mijn schild ende betrouwen'). The couple left the church on the notes of the Hallelujah from The Messiah by Georg Frederick Handel.
More pictures:
- The couple receives the blessing
- Máxima can't hold her tears
- Willem-Alexander has trouble with the ring
- Putting on the rings
- Leaving church (picture by me)
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