Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah hosted a dinner reception on Monday May 22nd evening at the Royal Hashemite Court's Madareb Bani Hashem in honour of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II's imminent wedding to Miss Rajwa Alseif.

Among the guests were Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Iman bint Abdullah II and Salma bint Abdullah II, as well as members of the Alseif family and ladies from across the kingdom.

Local singers Nedaa Shrara, Diana Karazon, and Zain Awad performed traditional Jordanian and Saudi music at the party, as did Haleem Musical Group, Al Salt Girls Band, and Misk Dance Company. It also featured a Zaffeh and Henna for the bride-to-be.

The party was organised by local event planning company

"I'm so happy that you could all be here to celebrate with us," Queen Rania remarked as she welcomed her guests. Today is a special day for us and our entire Jordanian family: our joy is the same... close or distant, you are all in our hearts today."

Her Majesty stated that she, like any mother, had long fantasised about Crown Prince Al Hussein's wedding. "Al Hussein is your son just as much as he is mine - you are his family, and this is your celebration," she continued.

The Queen called her future daughter-in-law as "the sweetest and most beautiful bride-to-be," adding that she is as important to her as her daughters Princesses Iman and Salma.

"I'll never forget how delighted His Majesty and I were when Al Hussein announced his intention to marry Rajwa. Her Majesty observed, "She is the perfect answer to all my prayers for him," before wishing the pair a prosperous and happy future. "May you always be each other's source of happiness and support," she wished.

The Queen further mentioned that a daughter is usually a reflection of her mother, alluding to the Crown Prince's prospective mother-in-law as Azza, whom she praised as a "gem." Her Majesty addressed Mrs. Azza Al Sudairi, explaining that she was in her position two months ago, immediately before Princess Iman's wedding, and understands how she must be feeling. She promised her, though, that "we and Al Hussein will take the best care of Rajwa." This is her homeland, and she is with her family and people."

"As mothers, the one thing we truly want is to ensure that our children are happy," the Queen continued. We frequently question whether we done our best to raise our children. During His Majesty the late King Hussein's final days and before his death, I promised him that I would raise Al Hussein in the manner he desired."                                     

Her Majesty compared Al Hussein to his father, King Abdullah, praising how he treats his bride and his desire to see Jordanians not only come together to celebrate their wedding, but also be involved in its preparations.

"That's when I realised he's a true, self-aware Hashemite, who is both part of you and here to serve you," she explained. The Queen returned to the narrative she recounted about the late King Hussein, saying, "I can now tell His Majesty the late King Hussein that I was true to my word."

Her Majesty finished by thanking and greeting her visitors. "Congratulations to us all, this is your celebration, just as it is ours," she remarked.

Guests expressed their best wishes and congratulations to His Majesty King Abdullah II, Her Majesty, the Crown Prince, and Miss Rajwa at the end of the party.

Look Details:

For the Henna party, the future bride wore a custom made white and gold dress by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi. She paired it with Yellow Diamonds earrings from her maternal Aunt Afraa Al Sudairi

According to the Honayda, the future bride wanted the gown to be fusion of traditional, modesty and modern, her homeland the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. With that in mind, Serafi took inspiration from the Al-Shaby thobe of the Najd region in Saudi Arabia, where Al-Saif’s family is from.  “The thobe is known for its long sleeves. They’re so long, the sleeves become the veil of the bride’s dress,” said Serafi to Arab news.  

 the dress also has nods to Jordanian culture in honor of the bride’s future family.  

Serafi included the seven-pointed white star that is present on the Jordanian national flag, which symbolizes the seven verses of Surat Al-Fatiha in the Qur’an, as well as the “seven hills Amman was built on,” the designer explained.  

“The symbol is a protection for the couple’s eternal love,” she added.

Other details in the dress include Saudi Arabia’s palm trees, which symbolize life and vitality, as well as a verse by famous Tunisian poet Aboul Qacem Echebbi, which translates to, “When my eyes see you, life becomes right,” etched into the dress in Arabic lettering.

“My intention behind designing this dress was to document the eternal love and the history of the royal wedding. And, of course, I have used traditional threads and it is all hand embroidered,” said Serafi.

“This is a big moment for the brand to be part of such a historical (event). It is such an honor and I feel that I’m very, very proud to represent Saudi designers, as well as to communicate to the new generation how to not only honor Saudi Arabia’s historical identity and heritage, but to express it in a modern way,” she added.

Vogue Arabia reported that:  Featuring a handcrafted veil and dress, Rajwa Al-Saif’s pristine white henna outfit comes doused in 3D ornaments, made using a mix of silk, metallic threads and traditional reed strings (a signature element of Najdi embroidery). To create this masterpiece, Honayda Serafi took cues from the bride’s personality, attempting to reflect her innate grace, the rich traditions of her land, and her contemporary spirit.

Look closely, and you’ll notice that Al-Saif’s gown is replete with lovingly made details. Featuring a high round neck and full sleeves, the crepe gown features an inverted triangle-shaped bodice that is inspired by the traditional Najdi bodice design, normally worn as a separate piece. As the body-skimming gown continues, it flares out towards the ankles to create a mermaid-esque shape. The bodice of the gown is elevated using embroidery: soft organza flowers share space with geometric shapes and Arabic motifs, all of which are typical to Saudi Arabia and reflect the beauty and traditions of the bride’s homeland.

Rajwa Al-Saif’s veil has also been embroidered with meaningful designs, making this piece so personal to her journey. Seven Jordanian stars adorn her veil to signify the seven-pointed star that sits proudly on the Jordanian flag. What makes this symbol even more special is its religious meaning: The star on the Jordan flag signifies the seven verses in the opening chapter of the Holy Qur’an, and the seven mountains of Amman.

Along with the stars, the veil also features intricate palm trees as a reference to Saudi Arabia, and even some poetry. The words “I see you, and life becomes more beautiful” have been embroidered into Al-Saif’s veil, from Tunisian poet Abu al-Qasim al-Shabi, known for his Andalusian notes. If you’re a fan of Rajwa Al-Saif’s elegant wardrobe, you may already know that the bride-to-be has a soft spot for special symbols when it comes to her clothing. Back in August 2022, when Rajwa was officially engaged to Prince Hussein, she also commemorated the occasion with her clothing—an abaya that was embroidered with two gold birds, symbolizing two souls in love.”

The veil took 760 hours to complete

An exquisite piece of couture requires hours of effort, and Rajwa Al-Saif’s henna outfit is no different. According to the designer, Al-Saif’s veil took 760 hours to complete, and was worked on by a team of experts, craftsman and women. Extending to 10 meters, the piece was made using handcrafted tulle, a process that normally takes close to 2,000 hours of work. As for her billowing gown, the creation is the result of 340 hours of work.

Honayda Serafi: “I am very proud and honored to be part of this historic union”

Speaking on the occasion, Serafi shared, “I am very proud and honored to be part of this historic union between His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II of the honorable Hashemite family, and Miss Rajwa Khalid Alseif. May they be blessed with happiness and their union be crowned with success.”