Intimate Wedding in a Romantic Portuguese Palace

KENZIE & JAMES
June 2023

From the colour palette, to the menu, passing through the flowers, every little detail of Kenzie and James’ romantic intimate wedding was meticulously planned and styled to not only reflect the couple themselves but the stunning location they got married at.

When it comes to romantic, it’s hard to find somewhere much better than Sintra, with its storybook castles and palaces, the history, the nature surrounding it all. Monserrate was the final choice, an iconic 19th century palace that mixes the classic Gothic style that was so popular at the time with Indian and North African architectural influences to create a building like no other in the world. Monserrate fit the fairytale vibe not only with the palace building itself — the colours, the romantic stonework, the columns and domed ceilings, but in its extensive gardens and outer buildings that were the perfect backdrop for the couple’s photo session. 

The day started slow and easy, back at their hotel, where bridal prep took place, and their families gathered. It was also in the hotel’s stunning gardens that the couple shared a quiet, emotional, romantic moment for their first look before setting off for Monserrate for their beautiful ceremony.

Making the most of the architectural and natural beauty around them, the couple had their ceremony and cocktail hour with the palace itself as the background, in the late afternoon sunshine.

This is where their family-led ceremony took place, punctuated by classical pieces played by a string trio, and decorated with stunning orchids and baby’s breath.

 Choosing not to have a party after their reception meal meant no traditional timing for the first dance. Kenzie and James opted to have their first dance, as well as the bride and father of the bride and groom and mother of the groom dances, immediately after the ceremony. Nature was on their side, as the sun shone beautifully on them.

Once the sun started making its descent, the couple and their guests retired to the palace’s intricately carved Music Room, where they had dinner to the sound of cello arrangements of both classical and contemporary music. The dinner itself reflected the luxurious aesthetic of the venue and their surroundings, with local produce as its main star. 

Another moment they didn’t want to miss was their cake cutting — despite the small number of guests, Kenzie and James had a classic two tier wedding cake, but that was far from traditional in flavour: a beautiful rose sponge with a raspberry coulis that they cut at the end of their dinner, before leaving for the hotel. Their send off was already by the light of the moon and the characteristic chilly mist of a Sintra evening, leaving the palace behind them in the quiet night — a magical experience few people have had!

GET INSPIRED BY KENZIE & JAMES' SINTRA PALACE WEDDING

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Through the years, White Dots Weddings has cultivated strong relationships with other wedding professionals and vendors. We want to thank the incredible teams who worked alongside us to make Kenzie & James’ wedding a reality:

Design, styling and planning: White Dots Weddings

Venue: Parque e Palácio de Monserrate

Catering, decoration & rentals: Backup Events

Flowers: Florista O Desejo

Photography: Aguiam

Videography: I Do Films

Light: Groovebox

Makeup & Hair: B-Lust

Stationary: Molde Design

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