This floor-length bride’s wedding dress was inspired by Burmese royalty

Of course, her bridal scent was her own. “I wore the fresh, aromatic Gabar 04 Rise as my signature scent on day one, and the cozy, cashmere, sweet Gabar 05 Lull on day two,” she says. “I also sprayed all my bridesmaids with the same 04 Rise and 05 Lull, to match their personalities and style.” The groom wore Gabar 03 Swim, “the scent he bought minutes after our first date on Pavilion Road in Chelsea,” she laughs. “It was nostalgic to see him wearing it on the big day. We still have the bottle and hope to keep it as a keepsake for life.”

Johannes worked with Welsh tailor and fashion designer Timothy Everest of Grey Flannel for his bespoke suit. “He chose a dark charcoal Loro Piana wool fabric that was incredibly soft and elegant for his two-piece suit,” says Phway. “It consisted of a deconstructed but tailored two-button jacket and narrow, single-pleated British-style trousers.” He also wore Acne Studios shoes in homage to his Swedish heritage, and a very sentimental black-dialed Omega De Ville watch.

Instead of a traditional welcome drink or rehearsal dinner, the couple decided to welcome their guests to Portugal by celebrating Swedish Midsommar in honor of Johannes’ home country. “We started with a sunset picnic and flower crown making, to the sounds of a local jazz saxophonist, Hugo Batista,” says Phway. “Then we played games, including the traditional Swedish game of Kubb, and did the Swedish frog dance around the maypole. We loved the idea of ​​getting people out of their comfort zones and getting silly to break the ice!”

The couple opted for a traditional Buddhist ceremony for their wedding, inspired by Phway’s Burmese heritage. Led by her parents and the couple’s friend Evan Coles, with piano accompaniment by Johannes’ sister Anna, it included a hand-wrapping ceremony, known as the Burmese Buddhist ritual of ‘Suliya Yipyat’. “Our hands were first gently wrapped in a long white cloth by Johannes’ mother, and then my parents came and poured holy water from ceremonial jars over our wrapped hands,” she explains. “Once our hands were unwrapped, my parents proceeded to present each of us with flower crowns and our wedding rings, concluding the ritual. The ceremony was largely held in beautiful silence, with the sound of the river in the background and the wind blowing through the treetops. It was so surreal and magical.”