Princess Alexandra zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg & Count Jefferson von Pfeil - 1998

[IloveCP]

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Flashback Friday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Wedding Guests

 

[FasterB]

June 5th 1998, civil ceremony of Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Jefferson Friedrich Greve von Pfeil.

www.australianpicturelibrary.au



http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/9435/19990605civilwedding01apl6bh.jpg
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/236/19990605civilwedding02fmp4hw.jpg

I must admit that I´m having a hard time understand this "civil marriage". I don´t remember anything about it and since Pss Alexandra is a danish citizen, she doesn´t need a civil ceremony for the marriage to be legal binding.

I think this the welcoming at the town hall, just like our CPC was received at the town hall of CPH before their wedding.

 

[Tilia C.]

I must admit that I´m having a hard time understand this "civil marriage". I don´t remember anything about it and since Pss Alexandra is a danish citizen, she doesn´t need a civil ceremony for the marriage to be legal binding.

I think this the welcoming at the town hall, just like our CPC was received at the town hall of CPH before their wedding.

I don't think that Alexandra is a Danish citizen. According to Princess Nathalie's Wikipedia page ( Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg ), Nathalie took Danish citizenship in 1996. For Nathalie that makes sense, because the Danishe citizenship enables her to take part in the big dressage championships with the Danish team. (In Germany there are so many world class dressage riders, that it is much more difficult to get onto the national team). From this I guess that Alexandra is still a German citizen.

 

[FasterB]

I don't think that Alexandra is a Danish citizen. According to Princess Nathalie's Wikipedia page ( Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg ), Nathalie took Danish citizenship in 1996. For Nathalie that makes sense, because the Danishe citizenship enables her to take part in the big dressage championships with the Danish team. (In Germany there are so many world class dressage riders, that it is much more difficult to get onto the national team). From this I guess that Alexandra is still a German citizen.

Pss Alexandra is a Danish citizen, She became that on the 19th May 1998 (as did Pss Nathalie), according to her Wikipedia page: http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prinsesse_Alexandra_af_Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

 

[Tilia C.]

Pss Alexandra is a Danish citizen, She became that on the 19th May 1998 (as did Pss Nathalie), according to her Wikipedia page: Prinsesse Alexandra af Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg - Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi

Thank you for this information which is new to me. Since she changed her citizenship so shortly before her wedding, there seems to be a connection.
Maybe she still wanted a civil ceremony at Berleburg, because she wanted to acknowledge her Berleburg heritage in that way?

 

[FasterB]

Thank you for this information which is new to me. Since she changed her citizenship so shortly before her wedding, there seems to be a connection.
Maybe she still wanted a civil ceremony at Berleburg, because she wanted to acknowledge her Berleburg heritage in that way?

So short before? It was over a year before So I still think that this "civil ceremony" wasn´t that, but a welcoming at the town hall of Gråsten.

 

[Viv]

I must admit that I´m having a hard time understand this "civil marriage". I don´t remember anything about it and since Pss Alexandra is a danish citizen, she doesn´t need a civil ceremony for the marriage to be legal binding.

I think this the welcoming at the town hall, just like our CPC was received at the town hall of CPH before their wedding.

That makes two of us! I don't remember anything about a civil ceremony either! BUT:
The only thing I can think of is Alexandra's membership of the Danish Evangelical-Lutheran church! Citizenship and membership of Church of Denmark do no walk hand-in-hand automatically! At least one of the bridal couple must be a member of Church of Denmark for a legally valid marriage!. There could be a hitch there, because Alexandra never was a resident of Denmark and she wasn't baptized in Denmark, as far as I remember! However I'm convinced that detail would have been 'taken
care of ' for a member of the extended royal family.
Or what???

viv

 

[Tilia C.]

So short before? It was over a year before So I still think that this "civil ceremony" wasn´t that, but a welcoming at the town hall of Gråsten.

According to the Wiki page you posted the became Danish on 19th May 1998 and married and 6th June 1998. That makes less than a month.

 

[FasterB]

According to the Wiki page you posted the became Danish on 19th May 1998 and married and 6th June 1998. That makes less than a month.

Ahh, that´s right, they got married in 1998. I mixed it up and remembered it as if they were married in 1999 Sorry, then it is short before, but I think that was due to the paperwork (there is a law about this from the government).

That makes two of us! I don't remember anything about a civil ceremony either! BUT:
The only thing I can think of is Alexandra's membership of the Danish Evangelical-Lutheran church! Citizenship and membership of Church of Denmark do no walk hand-in-hand automatically! At least one of the bridal couple must be a member of Church of Denmark for a legally valid marriage!. There could be a hitch there, because Alexandra never was a resident of Denmark and she wasn't baptized in Denmark, as far as I remember! However I'm convinced that detail would have been 'taken
care of ' for a member of the extended royal family.
Or what???

viv

Viv, about the membership of the church... I think she is a member, since the priest, who married them, was from the danish church in Paris. But I don´t know for sure.

And I still think it´s weird that we are two danes, who can´t remember anything about a civil wedding the day before. But I can clearly remember the welcoming at the Town Hall of Gråsten. So I think that because they were at the Town Hall that people outside DK has concluded that it was due to a civil wedding, but in fact there wasn´t one.

 

[Viv]

about the membership of the church... I think she is a member, since the priest, who married them, was from the danish church in Paris. But I don´t know for sure.

Well, you're either baptized into the Church in Denmark OR if baptized abroad, you become a member if you register a such when moving to Denmark. If A was baptized in Denmark, she's considered a member!

viv

 

[FasterB]

Well, you're either baptized into the Church in Denmark OR if baptized abroad, you become a member if you register a such when moving to Denmark. If A was baptized in Denmark, she's considered a member!

viv

I know that... My father is Pastor Emeritus

 

[Saschana]

I don't know whether there was a legal wedding as well or not. I am not a expert on German law concerning the approval of getting married in other countries. In Germany it is law that you must have a legal ceremony, only religious ones are not valid. I know that legal ceremonies performed in other countries are also valid but maybe religious weddings are not. So it could be that they also had to get married legally to get marriage approval in Germany...

 

[FasterB]

In DK the religious wedding is legal binding.

 

[Sternchen]

I don't know whether there was a legal wedding as well or not. I am not a expert on German law concerning the approval of getting married in other countries. In Germany it is law that you must have a legal ceremony, only religious ones are not valid. I know that legal ceremonies performed in other countries are also valid but maybe religious weddings are not. So it could be that they also had to get married legally to get marriage approval in Germany...

Not really, as german authorities often recognize the marriage certificate without having it translated. Otherwise you will need an Apostille, which is granted from the danish Foreign office.

 

[Viv]

I don't know whether there was a legal wedding as well or not. I am not a expert on German law concerning the approval of getting married in other countries. In Germany it is law that you must have a legal ceremony, only religious ones are not valid. I know that legal ceremonies performed in other countries are also valid but maybe religious weddings are not. So it could be that they also had to get married legally to get marriage approval in Germany...

A Danish church wedding will be acknowledged in Germany by means of a translated wedding certificate with an apostille from the Danish Foreign Ministry! Most countries would accept such a document, but there used to be problems with some US states!

Sternchen wrote: quote ....german authorities often recognize the marriage certificate without having it translated. unquote

Maybe you know something about that, and I'll take your word for it!

Viv

 

[FasterB]

There´s a photo from this wedding that I can´t find. It´s a photo of Princess Alexandra on her way down the stairs inside the castle... I think it´s in B/W.

Can someone track that one down?

 

[FasterB]

I wrote to the DRF about this civil wedding and this is the answer from Gustav Grüner, who is private secretary for Pss Benedikte.

Den 6. juni 1998 blev Prinsesse Alexandra og Greve Jefferson gift. Brylluppet holdtes på Graasten Slot og vielsen fandt sted i Graasten Slotskirke.

Dagen før - den 5. juni - var parret med flere på Gråsten Rådhus for her at modtage byens gave. Ved denne lejlighed var der ikke tale om en vielse.

Med mange venlige hilsener

Gustav Grüner

TRANSLATION

On June the 6th 1998 Princess Alexandra and Count Jefferson got married. The wedding was held at Gråsten Castle and the ceremony itself took place in the church at Gråsten Castle.
The day before - June the 5th - was the couple at Gråsten Town Hall to receive the present from the city. At this occasion there was not talk about a ceremony.

Sincerely,
Gustav Grüner

So in short: There was no civil ceremony!

 

[Viv]

That's the spirit, FasterB!

Next job is finding the photo of Pcs. Alexandra in her wedding finery! I vaguely remember it; I believe that you're referring to the "wedding dress shot" taken before the bride is off to the church.
Unfortunately I don't keep the issues of Billed-Blad that far back. There's not enough room in the attic!

Viv

 

[FasterB]

That's the spirit, FasterB!

Yes, the spirit is "ad fontes"

Next job is finding the photo of Pcs. Alexandra in her wedding finery! I vaguely remember it; I believe that you're referring to the "wedding dress shot" taken before the bride is off to the church.
Unfortunately I don't keep the issues of Billed-Blad that far back. There's not enough room in the attic!

Viv

That´s exactly the photo I´m talking about. Pss Alexandra is on her way to the church and she´s walking down the stairs... The more I think about it the more I think it´s in colour, not B/W

 

[Viv]

Yep, there's nothing like a proper source ....

Viv

 

[IloveCP]

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Wedding Wednesday: Princess Alexandra of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg's Gown

 

[Josefine]

were there no swedish reprenation at this wedding?

 

[IloveCP]

Another replica.

http://www.billedbladet.dk/Kongelig...er/Billeder/Kongelige/2009/BRUDEKJOLER/6.ashx

If you call it a replica.They don't have the double sleeve!

 

[IloveCP]

I kinda like her dress! It is very unique and original.I love the sleeves.

 

[DaughterofFrance]

It's nice that she went with an original dress but, I really dislike it. There's sonething about the design that did not appeal to me.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Princess Alexandra wore the Khedive of Egypt Tiara. She also wore the antique Irish lace veil worn by Crown Princess Margareta of Sweden and Queen Ingrid.