Two days into the ten-day Brunei royal wedding, we've been treated to our second bridal look by Prince Abdul Mateen's fiancée Anisha Rosnah. In pictures by Muash Rosman shared on Twitter account @CoutureAndRoyals, the bride looks ethereal in an elegant ivory gown by Teh Firdaus swathed in lace as she admired pieces of jewellery during the Berbedak Mandi ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman. A round neck, long sleeves and a column skirt made up the classic silhouette, while embellishments and lace added luxurious details.
The neckline and modest sleeves were reminiscent of her sister-in-law Princess Azemah of Brunei's gown for her wedding with her first cousin Prince Bahar ibni Jefri Bolkiah almost exactly a year ago in January 2023. The key differences were the heavy embellishments and mermaid skirt chosen by Azemah, alongside her bridal tiara and bold red lipstick.
Meanwhile, Anisha wore a lace-trimmed veil secured into her brunette hair, which had been parted at the side and twisted into an elegant low bun and kept her makeup minimal, including fluffy brows, long lashes, eyeliner and flawless skin. Accessorising to perfection, she wore a sparkly brooch and pearl drop earrings, but her large diamond engagement ring was noticeably absent.
The Berbedak Mandi is a ceremony to bless the soon-to-be groom and bride by close family members at their home. It marks one of many celebrations that will take place between 7 and 16 January, alongside a ceremony of the proposal of marriage to receive the Royal Command, performances by royal court musicians, the exchanging of vows at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, and the royal banquet.
Anisha swapped her white gown for a striking red ensemble for her powdering ceremony, featuring brown leather detailing, a waist-cinching belt and gold trim. She added chunky bangles and a lavish headdress that was initially hidden by a ruby veil, choosing more glamorous makeup with a smokey eye and soft wine lipstick.
Days before their wedding kicked off, Mateen's fiancée shared another peek at her enviable style as she took part in the Khatam Al-Quran ceremony on 3 January. She chose to wear a custom bridal white gown by Teh Firdaus with long sleeves, dazzling embellishments and a shimmering silver print. Anisha added a white hijab and her dazzling diamond ring, which fans couldn't help but spot.
The designer took to Instagram to share photos of the gown, alongside the message: "Honored 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, as she embraces elegance during her Khatam Quran event."
The Sultan of Brunei's son was considered one of the most eligible royal bachelors before meeting Anisha, whom he is thought to have been dating for several years. During an interview with GQ Thailand, the Prince described himself as "sweet and simple", which were some of the qualities that he was also looking for in a partner. He said he wanted to meet "someone who is genuine and real. Someone who is very simple, that’s what I like." Mateen's engagement to Anisha was announced by his father in October 2023.
When he's not preparing for his royal wedding, the Royal Brunei Air Force helicopter pilot has a keen interest in sports. In fact, the accomplished polo player represented his nation in 2017 and 2019 at the Southeast Asian games. Meanwhile, his bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the Sultan’s special advisor, Pehin Dato Isa, and reportedly runs the fashion brand Silk Collective.
"I like to relax when I’m not doing sports, or performing my duties. Let’s just say I like my free time and I like to spend it with my close friends chilling and watching movies," said Mateen.
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