JOHOR BARU - Final preparations for the wedding of the Johor Sultan's only daughter and her Dutch-born beau have begun, the palace said on Thursday (Aug 10), four days before the much-anticipated event.
Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Binti Sultan Ibrahim, 31, and Dennis Muhammad Abdullah, 28, will marry in a grand ceremony on Aug 14 at the 151-year-old Grand Palace, or Istana Besar, in Johor Baru.
The Istana grounds have been decorated with coloured buntings, manicured flowers and other decorations, while all main streets in the city are adorned with State flags and buntings, the palace said.
The wedding celebrations began on Wednesday with the official Initiation Ceremony, known in Malay as Istiadat Meletak Kerja, on the grounds of the Grand Palace, the palace said in a media release.
On Thursday night, a Tahlil and Doa Selamat (special prayers asking for Allah's blessings) and 'Bacaan Yassin' (recital of the Surah Yassin from the Quran) will be held at Pasir Pelangi Mosque. Most members of the Johor Royal Family are expected to attend the event, the palace said.
The wedding day will begin with the betrothal ceremony at Istana Bukit Serene at 10am. It will be a private event attended only by the bride's and groom's family and close friends.
The couple will then go through the 'Akad Nikah', or solemnisation ceremony.
The wedding ceremony proper will be held inside the Throne Room of Istana Besar, and is restricted to only royalty and VIPs. The other guests will be able to watch the proceedings from giant screens under white canopies erected outside the grand staircase leading up to the Grand Palace.
The 'Bersanding' or sitting-in-state ceremony will be held at 8pm on the same day at the throne room of the Istana Besar.
Members of the public will be able to watch the "live" telecast of the wedding ceremony on two LED screens set up at Dataran Bandaraya - the main square of Johor Baru - as well as on the giant screen at the Johor Bahru City Council building.
State Mufti Datuk Muhammad Tahrir Shamsudin will conduct the ceremony as the Sultan's official representative, the palace said.
