In less than two weeks, Norway will experience an extravagant royal wedding: On Saturday, August 31, 2024, Princess Märtha Louise will say “I do” to her fiancé Durek Verrett. The three-day celebration will take place at Hotel Union, a historic spot in the country’s village of Geiranger. Although the bride and groom announced the date and location of their nuptials back in September, a few key details of their big day have since emerged.
While the couple’s ceremony will commence on Saturday, they’re hosting a multi-day soirée that begins on Thursday, August 29. According to Hello!, the first day of festivities will include a welcome party in the garden of the hotel with a “sexy and cool” dress code. The following day, guests will tour the Geiranger Fjord by boat, and in the evening, they’ll attend a Latin American-themed party back at the hotel, per the publication.
Saturday will feature the main ceremony, officiated by parish priest Margit Lovise Holte, and the reception. Hello! reported that the dress code of the primary event will include glamorous attire: long ball gowns for the female attendees (any color but white, a strict request from the couple) and tuxedos for the male guests.
While the couple has instructed guests to wear fancy garments, Märtha’s big-day look remains a mystery. Since the bride donned a sleeveless gown by Norwegian designer Wenche Lyche for her first wedding 22 years ago, she will likely wear another ensemble by a local designer for her upcoming nuptials. She also previously donned an heirloom crown, the replica of Queen Maud’s Pearl Tiara, so she’ll probably sport a royal diadem with her wedding outfit, too.
A large group is expected to make an appearance at this royal soirée. First and foremost, the bride’s family will likely attend. Märtha’s three daughters, Maud, Leah, and Emma, from her first marriage to the late Ari Behn are suspected to be bridesmaids, according to Hello!. The bride’s parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, will also probably be on the guest list, along with her brother, Crown Prince Haakon, and his family: his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and their children, Princess Ingrid and Prince Sverre—plus, Mette-Marit’s child, Marius, from a previous relationship. The outlet predicts other royals from around the world will also show up to the event.