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A Modern Bohemian Wedding in Portugal

By Shayna Seid | Photography by 

Atmosphere

Agata Cristina Moreira and Michael Jorge Moreira got engaged in Palm Desert after moving from Portugal to the U.S. together. For their August wedding, they chose the same venue that Michael’s sister had chosen for her nuptials, Aqueduto Eventos in Povoa de Varzim. “We loved that vintage, bohemian kind of look with a tiny bit of modern mixed in—very earthy with a lot of greens, nudes, and white colors and some gold details,” Agata says of their event’s aesthetic. 

To find her wedding dress, Agata made an appointment at The Dress Theory in San Diego and went with her parents-in-law. Her stylist, Maddy, pulled a few options—one she didn’t particularly like but agreed to try on. Of course, the Sia gown by Rue De Seine was the one she fell in love with once she saw it on her. “It was the second dress that I tried, and I felt it right away,” she says. “I FaceTimed my mom—she lives in Portugal—and we just started crying together; it was so emotional.”

Agata’s “something borrowed” was a pair of earrings from her future mother-in-law. And Michael chose to wear a full look from BBRAUNE. His sister was in Portugal, so they FaceTimed so Michael could pick out the color and fabric for his suit. One month before the wedding, the groom visited Portugal for final measurements.

On August 9th, 2019, Agata walked down the aisle with her father in her hometown’s church, which was built in the 16th century. “I just couldn’t wait to see her and see her dress,” Michael says. “It was kind of how I imagined it to be; she was stunning.”

The bride and groom had agreed not to exchange personal vows, but Michael surprised her by reciting his. “Everything that he said was so pure and beautiful, I will never forget,” Agata says. “I even have a picture of his vows on my phone, so I can read it any time I want. When he finished, I looked back and everyone was crying, including me.”

Once announced as husband and wife, everyone headed to the reception space. “Our table was one of my favorite things,” Agata remarks. “It was so beautifully decorated, so romantic with lots of candles and white roses hanging from the ceiling…just magical, I cannot get over it.”

The newlyweds had their first dance to “Always Remember Us This Way” by Lady Gaga, which was one of the couple’s favorite moments of the day. And at around 4:00 a.m., after much merriment, the couple and their remaining friends went outside to continue celebrating well into the early hours of the morning.