Prince Jean d'Orleans, Duke of Vendome's Wedding

lovetripper.com ^ | Saturday, May 2, 2009 | staff

[Cincinna]

Already pronounced husband and wife in a March 19th ceremony at the town hall in Paris' 7th arrondissement, the union between Prince Jean d'Orleans, Duke of Vendome and Philomena de Toros y Steinhart was blessed during a religious ceremony held on May 2, 2009.

Well-wishers standing outside Senlis Cathedral in Senlis, France witnessed a steady stream of royals, including Prince Guillaume and Sybille of Luxembourg, the Duke and Duchess of Wurtemberg, The Infanta Pilar of Spain and Prine Philippe and Mathilde of Belgium, stroll by before the bride stepped upon the blue aisle runner which would lead her to the altar.

Wearing an ornate Christian Lacroix creation accented with gold embroidery, a dainty blue bow sewn onto the garment harmonized with the baby blue outfits worn by the tiny attendants, who cared for the gown's train and the lace-edged veil which clung to the turquoise tiara atop the bride's blonde tresses.

Following the exchange of vows, the newlyweds and their guests gathered at Chateau de Chantilly for the reception.

[goldfinch]

I think you mean 46, btw. She does look a little overdressed and a little uneasy.

Yep. 46, not 45. The bleached blonde in the hot pink dress with match high, high, high heel pink shoes.

Something about her just doesn't fit. Don't mind me...I am a people watcher with an active imagination. Her story is probably not nearly as interesting as the one I have created for her in my mind.

[Cincinna]

It is almost the oldest equation on Earth... those with Titles marry those with Money.

Many daughters of American industrialists married into the European aristocracy, and gave those impoverished titles and influx of huge wealth.

They have absolutely no power in France

[ops33]

Well, according to Wikipedia (yeah, I know) there is a Bonapartist pretender to the French throne. He is Charles Napoleon, styled Napoleon VII, Prince Imperial.

Not that it really makes any difference.

[Cate]

Oh my gosh... the pictures of the little kiddos are very cute. I wonder how many times they had to practice for this big day :):)

[Cincinna]

I guess he will just have to get in line.

Bonaparte was a Corsican commoner. When he made himself Emperor of France, he made all his brothers and sisters Prince and Princesse. This the many Prince and Princesse Napoleon in today’s Gotha.

[DJ MacWoW]

Thanks for the ping.

So I'm looking at pic two and said to my daughter, "I wonder who the corpse is that she's dragging down the aisle with her " and she says, "He's for luck. Something old, something new....."

[Cincinna]

I think that is her Dad , walking his daughter to the Church.

[heartwood]

I believe you’re right about the color - IIRC blue symbolizes the house of Bourbon.

[Krodg]

I guess its the little sweatery thingy over the gown that put me in mind of Fashionista MO...

At least she wore the belt under the sweater.

[neb52]

No there is no Hapsburgs in that line. At least not remotely recent. Mostly close Orleans relatives, a few Spanish and some small German Principality.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

She is gorgeous, her gown divine and very proper and I, for one, love the Persian turquoise, as my family’s jewelry — handed down for the last 200 years is also diamond and Persian turquoise. I wear it very occasionally and with great pride. I love needlework which the French and Spanish are very famous for and brought the best I could afford home with me from my European visit. Her mantilla is exquisite.

[Cincinna]

How fortunate you are to have such a treasure.

I, too, love Persian Turquoise. It seems to be a relic of the past. It has a depth of color and hue that is not found in our Turquoise from the American South West.

I think Christian Lacroix, the French designer, who created her dress, did a magnificent job for Dona Philomena. The Bolero, and its filigree embroidery over the simplest white dress, and the 200 year old heirloom veil transformed into a Mmantilla for this Spanish lady was a stroke of brilliance. Lacroix,the great designer from the South of France, has taken the place of Yves Saint Laurent as the Master. I have always loved his clothes.

[Cincinna]

They are not members of the House of Bourbon. The House of Bourbon doesn’t recognize them at all.

[deadsteve]

I think I went to high school with that broad.

[April Lexington]

Strange things, these titles. Do they really exist outside of the minds of those who have them? Its like the old conundrum... if a tree falls in the middle of the forest and nobody is around to hear it fall, does it make a sound? Am I supposed to recognize someone as special because of dead ancestors? Once you lose your throne, you should be de-royaled. You lose.... you lose! Marrying rich American bimbos may keep jingle in your formerly royal jeans, but what is royalty without a throne? I say, no throne, no royal status. or...something like that...

[April Lexington]

Having said all of that... I do strongly support Queen Elizabeth II because she really is a Queen and she has been one of the best British monarchs of all time. And, frankly, if Britain didn’t have her, it would be less of a place today.

[April Lexington]

They are not members of the House of Bourbon. The House of Bourbon doesn’t recognize them at all.

Funny that! I have bourbon in my house right now!

[Cincinna]

*** FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST *** FASHION PING LIST*** FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ***

MORE PHOTOS

CIVIL MARRIAGE OF JEAN AND PHILOMENA

DONA PHILOMENA CHEZ CHRISTIAN LACROIX FOR A FITTING

DIADEM AND ACCESSORIES FOR THE WEDDING

[Cincinna]

I very much like the smple elegance, and restrained good taste of the dress worn to the Civil wedding. Civil weddings are required in France.

I love the addition of the whimsical note in the shoes.

[tinamina]

Wow, the classiness of it all. But do you think they look related?