She was the second daughter of Philip V of Spain and Elisabeth Farnese. Baptised with the names María Teresa Antonia Rafaela, she was known as "María Teresa". She was engaged to Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France, son of Louis XV of France. The official marriage took place at the Palace of Versailles on 23 February 1745. The marriage was an idea to try and better relations between France and Spain after Louis XV had not married Mariana Victoria of Spain, María Teresa Rafaela's older sister. 