Prince Mateen of Brunei’s OTT 10-day wedding celebrations, revealed: the Asian royal hired Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian’s photographer, and wife Anisha Rosnah wore more dresses than we can count
Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei is officially off the market, as the royal (who was once dubbed Asia’s most eligible bachelor) has tied the knot with Anisha Isa-Kalebic, aka Anisha Rosnah binti Adam.
The anticipated 10-day wedding ceremony kicked off on January 7, featuring a mix of banquets, a royal court of musicians and a star-studded guest list, and is expected to wrap up on January 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the glittering events – from the outfits to the guest lists.
Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei and Anisha Rosnah’s 10-day wedding
The ceremonies span over 10 days and so far have included a mix of traditions and customs.
Last Wednesday, Prince Mateen, 32, and his then-fiancée, 29, celebrated an elaborate, traditional powdering ceremony known as Istiadat Berbedak, per British media. This is a custom in Malaysia and Brunei where the groom and bride-to-be are blessed by family members, who apply paste on the couples’ hands. Mateen shared several pics of this intimate event on his Instagram.
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The day after, the duo took part in separate male and female-only solemnisation ceremonies at the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque in the country’s capital. Other events have included the Katam Quaran.
The wedding
The prince married his “commoner” fiancée on Sunday, as reported by BBC. Mateen wore a ceremonial uniform while his bride stunned in a long white gown with jewels for the ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman palace, states the source.
The star-studded guest list
According to the BBC, around 5,000 guests were invited to the royal wedding. High-profile attendees included royals from Saudi Arabia and Jordan, while politicians such as Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo and the leader of the Philippines, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, were at the bash too, per BBC.
While there were initially rumours that Prince William and Kate Middleton would be going to Mateen’s wedding too, Kensington Palace later said they wouldn’t be attending, as reported by Barron’s. The same source states that it’s unclear who might represent the royal family of Britain.
There are still a number of ceremonies to come, including a royal banquet taking place today, per The National News.
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The dress(es)
Anisha Rosnah wore several stunning outfits over the course of the 10-day ceremony. Her custom-made baju kurung, which she wore during the Khatam Quran event, was a particularly memorable one.
“Honoured to play a role in the Brunei royal wedding. Witness the grace of Yang Mulia Dayang Anisha Rosnah Adam Isa-Kalebic in our custom-made baju kurung in intricately woven tenunan Brunei (a traditional woven textile), as she embraces elegance during her Khatam Quran event,” the designer Teh Firdaus stated on Instagram.
On the sixth day, the bride, who attended the University of Bath, wore a white lace gown for the Berbedak Mandi ceremony, per British media.
She stunned yet again in a long white dress with jewels and a tiara for the wedding reception.
The photographer
Celeb favourite photographer German Larkin was hired to capture pics of the monumental royal wedding. He previously shot A-listers like Kim Kardashian for Skims, Kate Moss, Angelina Jolie, Blackpink’s Lisa, Michelle Yeoh and the wedding of Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz. It only seemed fitting that one of the world’s top photographers would be summoned for one of the richest families on the globe’s nuptials.
The car
During their wedding procession, the happy couple were seen standing in the back of an open-top Rolls-Royce as they waved to the crowds who had turned out in force to see them on their special day.
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One onlooker said she was “happy to see Prince Mateen marrying the beautiful Anisha”, per AFP, while another said it was a “once-in-a-lifetime moment”.
“I have seen Prince Mateen since he was small,” she said. “I’m very happy for him. This is one way of showing appreciation to the royal family.”
Mateen is the 10th child and fourth son of the sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, meaning it’s unlikely he’ll ever ascend the throne. However, the heartthrob has garnered a huge following on social media with over 2.6 million followers on Instagram alone.
