JOHOR BARU: Final preparations have begun for next Monday's wedding of Johor princess Tunku Tun Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Sultan Ibrahim and Dutchman Dennis Muhammad Abdullah which will be held at Istana Besar here.
Pre-event ceremonies began yesterday with the official “Istiadat Meletak Kerja” (initiation ceremony) in the grounds of Istana Besar.
The grounds of the grand palace have since taken on a festive atmosphere with coloured buntings and beautiful flowers and decorations.
It is particularly colourful at night as the trees lining the access road to Istana Besar's main building is bathed in purple, blue, white and orange decorative lights.
A statement from the Johor Royal Press Office said all main streets in the city here have been adorned with state flags and buntings.
The wedding ceremony proper inside the Throne Room of Istana Besar is restricted to only royalty and VIPs.
However, other guests will be able to watch the proceedings from giant screens erected outside the grand staircase leading up to the 151-year-old palace.
The public will be able to follow a “live” relay of the ceremony at Istana Besar through two special light emitting diode (LED) screens set up at Dataran Bandaraya.
"They can also watch the proceedings from the giant screen at the Johor Baru City Council building," it said.
Most members of the Johor royal family are expected to attend a tahlil and doa selamat (special prayers asking for Allah's blessings) and Surah Yassin recital ceremony at the Pasir Pelangi mosque here tonight.
The betrothal ceremony, which is a private function only for family and close friends, will be at 10am at Istana Bukit Serene. This is followed by the 'akad nikah' (solemnisation ceremony).
"Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar has consented for the State Mufti Datuk Muhammad Tahrir Shamsudin to conduct the ceremony as his official representative," said the statement.
The ‘Bersanding' (sitting-in-state ceremony) will be held at 8pm on the same day at the throne room of Istana Besar.
Tunku Tun Aminah, 31, is the only daughter of Sultan Ibrahim and Permaisuri Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris Shah. She is the president of the Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) Football Club and has helped her brother, Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who is the Football Association of Malaysia president, bring Malaysian football to greater heights.
Dennis, 28, had previously pursued vocational education in mechanical engineering and is a former semi-professional footballer in the Netherlands. He was the former manager of the JDT football club Concept Store and Cafe and former marketing manager for the Tampines Rovers Football Club in Singapore.