On 30 April 1581 Margherita Farnese arrived in Mantua as the bride of Vincenzo I Gonzaga. In contrast to generations of Gonzaga brides before her, Margherita's ceremonial entry into the city began at the Palazzo Te, where she was formally received by her new husband and father-in-law. After visiting the Palazzo Te, Margherita entered Mantua and processed through the city to the Gonzaga dynasty's primary residence, the Palazzo Ducale. Artillery salvos boomed from the city walls, fireworks lit the sky, hundreds of richly dressed soldiers and courtiers accompanied the bride, and a crowd of thousands thronged to welcome the young princess. In staging Margherita's entry at the Palazzo Te, the Gonzaga intended to harness the palace's magnificence, opulence, and wit in order to impress the Farnese family. In addition, the building's associations with virility and its fecund garden setting created a space in which Margherita and Vincenzo could enact their newly acquired status as husband and wife.

Margherita's marriage to Vincenzo ended just two years later in disgrace. Despite the brevity of their union, Margherita's entry set the stage for almost forty years of bridal performances at the Palazzo Te. Following Margherita's entry in 1581, the Palazzo Te served as the official entry point for three additional Gonzaga brides: Vincenzo's second spouse, Eleonora de’ Medici, who arrived in 1584; Margherita of Savoy, who married Francesco IV in 1608; and Caterina de’ Medici, who came to Mantua as the bride of Ferdinando Gonzaga in 1617.