The wedding ceremony, undoubtedly the year’s main social event in Seville, united 30-year-old Bárbara and 62-year-old Cayetano Martínez de Irujo. Despite the skeptics, their love story had a happy ending. This outcome was not only thanks to the friends who introduced the couple at a Marbella party in 2015, but also to the bride’s father, businessman Javier Miryán Adjbaa, who fulfilled the honorary role of giving her away.
Interest in Bárbara’s parents grew as they continued to remain completely out of the public eye. For example, the bride’s mother, María Lourdes Allende España, could not be identified either at the entrance or exit of the Sevilla church of Los Gitanos. This further demonstrates how strongly the family shields itself from cameras and public scrutiny. It is known that she comes from a prominent business family in the province of Álava, which founded Grupo IMA, a major player in the timber industry.
The desire for privacy is entirely understandable among major entrepreneurs, whose market position is more secure the less media attention they receive. In these traditional circles of Spanish business, appearing in the press is seen as a bad omen and a cause for concern. All celebrations are usually held behind closed doors, with no chance of outsiders catching a glimpse. This wedding was likely a real headache for the family, as remaining unnoticed outside a church surrounded by reporters was almost impossible. Some distinguished guests, like Alfonso Diez, the widower of the Duchess of Cayetana, entered the church through a side entrance. It’s likely the bride’s mother did the same.
However, the bride’s father could not avoid the cameras. As the one giving the bride away, he was obliged to escort his daughter to the altar, traveling with her in the ‘Duquesita’—a small carriage drawn by a pair of horses. Thus, Javier Miryan Adjbaa, also known as Bashar, made his reluctant public appearance, stoically enduring the barrage of camera shutters at the church entrance.
Very little is known about Barbara’s father’s business activities. It has only been confirmed that his family covered the costs of the banquet for three hundred guests at the groom’s estate ‘Las-Arrouelas’, following an old tradition. He was born in Lebanon, though his ancestors have Syrian roots, and he obtained Spanish citizenship back in the 1980s.
Bashar’s face, despite all the attention and dozens of cameras pointed at him, showed no emotion. These first shots made it clear how strikingly similar father and daughter look. Barbara’s features unmistakably reveal the Eastern heritage of her paternal line. Silently, he led his nervous daughter by the arm, placing complete trust in the organizers. At the church doors, he patiently waited while her veil was straightened. There was no further opportunity to see them together, though for a brief moment, when the church doors opened slightly, there was a glimpse of them approaching the altar, where Caetano Martínez de Irujo awaited in full dress uniform. Observers couldn’t help but wonder about the similarities of character between father-in-law and son-in-law, since, as the saying goes, we often seek qualities of our parents in our chosen partners.
