Queluz National Palace, a grand 18th-century estate once host to Portuguese royalty, provided Marie and Brian with more than just a regal backdrop to their Portugal destination wedding, but a venue wholly distinctive. 

“I’ve always wanted to do a destination wedding,” Marie says. Naturally, this desire led her to view her travels in terms of ideal wedding locations. That’s why, when she attended a work conference in 2024, bringing along her fiancé Brian, visions of getting married in Portugal swirled in her mind. 

“We knew we wanted a destination wedding and had been looking at other options for a garden wedding at a historic palace,” Marie says. “When we saw the light blue exterior of Queluz National Palace and the beautiful gardens, we immediately knew we wanted to be married there.”

Also known as “Portuguese Versailles,” it comes as little surprise that the couple’s hearts were stolen from the start. Its grandeur is undeniably dreamy for a simple visit, let alone an event as storybook-driven as a wedding day!

Navigating international wedding planning, however, is rarely without a few plot twists. For Marie and Brian, the biggest stressor came with customs complications. Portugal Customs held up a large box of essential wedding decor (including their audio guestbook phone, customized croquet sets, and croquet gates) the couple had shipped ahead of time.

“We ended up having to buy new items and fly with our croquet sets and audio guestbook,” Marie says. While security required them to check the croquet sticks, everything arrived safely on the flight. When the cement ground in the palace’s Malta Garden couldn’t hold traditional croquet gates, their wedding planner, Inês Barata Abrantes of Lisbon Wedding Planner, stepped in with a clever fix: molding clay stands so the gates could stand upright on their own.

The wedding week’s festivities kicked off with an “All White Boat Party” cruise along the Tagus River via Lisbon by Boat. Honoring Brian’s love for the New York Times daily games, the event featured a custom “Sip and Solve” crossword puzzle with 27 questions about the couple, along with a “ring hunt” and a “find that guest” game for the younger attendees. Welcome bags tied the event together, complete with curated local treats and a personal touch reflecting Marie’s love for tea: a handmade 3D paper chinoiserie teapot containing rose bud tea leaves paired with a matching porcelain teaspoon. Marie also hosted a Rehearsal Tea at Pestana Palace in the royal D. Manuel Suite.

On the wedding day, thoughtful details and musical motifs woven throughout the schedule made the expansive palace grounds feel intimate and personal. Guests were welcomed early to tour the historic estate before the 5:30 p.m. ceremony began in the main garden.

Walking down the aisle to a live cello and violin string duo playing “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, Marie wore a Maggie Sottero gown accessorized with an oversized custom bow made by Seng Couture, the first of three bow-centric looks she wore across the celebrations. Officiated by a close friend, the ceremony held space for loved ones both near and far, including framed photos on the bench for a dear friend undergoing cancer treatments and readings of love poems by the late Andrea Gibson. The couple read their vows from a vintage powder blue copy of Wuthering Heights, the very first gift Brian had given Marie on their second date at MoMA. (Totally iconic, right?)

Following the ceremony, guests moved to the Malta Garden for “Cocktails and Croquet.” Marie designed custom maps outlining three unique courses within the hedge mazes: “Pearl Path,” “Bow Tie Bend,” and “Charlie’s Garden Chase,” the latter named in honor of their sweet doggo back home. Guests signed a Polaroid guestbook and left recorded messages on a vintage audio guestbook phone.

Dinner, cake, and dancing took place on the magnificent Robillion Terrace. Making a grand entrance onto the balcony above to Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” Marie (now in her second dress) tossed her bouquet from above. The dinner ambiance was heightened by a live saxophonist playing along to a custom playlist Marie created when they first started dating, while a sentimental slideshow projected home videos overhead. Bow-shaped napkins pinned with pearl rings brought the bride’s signature design motif right to the tablescapes.

After a sparkler-lit walk to the cake cutting, the newlyweds took to an elevated platform for their first dance. Marie personally choreographed the routine using online videos to “I’ll Cover You” from Rent, kicking off a night of dancing under the stars.

Reflecting on this epic experience, Marie emphasizes the value of being actively involved in each step of the process. “I was very hands-on with wedding planning and in communication with my wedding planner about every small detail… I think maintaining that communication ensures your vision truly comes to life.”

Looking back on their regal day in Lisbon, every unexpected pivot paid off, much like the ending to a palatial novel.

Vendors: Photographer: Jesús Caballero; Wedding Planner: Lisbon Wedding Planner; Wedding Venue: Queluz National Palace; Catering & Cake: Casa do Marques; Hair & Makeup: Maria Sazonova; Videography: C2P Filmes; Saxophone: Wonderflow Sax; String Duo: Managed by Gueorgui Dimitrov; Content Creator: CC Films Studio; Welcome Party Venue: Lisbon by Boat; Rehearsal Tea Venue: Pestana Palace; Wedding Dresses: Maggie Sottero & Wtoo by Watters; Bride’s Shoes: Loeffler Randall; Groom’s Suit: Emporio Armani; Groom’s Shoes: Ferragamo