The Wedding Of Grace Kelly, Actress, To Prince Rainier Of Monaco

PRINCESS GRACE DOLLS AND FIGURINES AT THE FRANKLIN MINT
Beautiful Grace Kelly, Princess Grace Of Monaco Dolls And Costumes

AUTHENTIC BRAND NAME WATCHES AT DISCOUNT PRICES
Accutron Watches
Bulova Watches
Caravelle Watches
Citizen Watches
Gianni Versace Watches
Seiko Watches

The Wedding Of Grace Kelly, Actress, To Prince Rainier Of Monaco

How Grace Kelly And Prince Rainier Met

Known as the wealthiest bachelor in the world, Prince Rainier broke off plans to marry a girlfriend because she was infertile. Grace Kelly met Prince Rainier in May, 1955, when Grace was attending the Cannes Film Festival and had agreed to be photographed with the Prince for "Paris Match." She was 26 years old. The Prince was just a few days shy of being 32. After the photo shoot, the Prince and Grace visited the Prince's gardens and small zoo.

Their second meeting was a dinner date and a meeting with Grace's family.

The Engagement Of Grace Kelly To Prince Rainier Of Monaco

In December, 1955, the engagement of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was announced. He first gave her an friendship ring of diamonds and rubies. Her engagement ring was a twelve-carat emerald-cut diamond ring.

Grace and Prince Rainier attended several functions and events in Monaco on the days before the wedding. On April 18, 1956 in the Palace's throne room, Grace and Prince Rainier celebrated their civil wedding After the ceremony there was a toast in the Palace's Court of Honor.. The next day, on April 19, 1956 the religious wedding took place in Monaco's Cathedral. It was a beautiful wedding. MGM filmed the wedding. Her wedding dress was created by Helen Rose, who designed her clothes at MGM. Grace's wedding ring was a 10 karat diamond ring. Aristotle Onassis, King Farouk of Egypt, and Ava Gardner were among the wedding guests. The Bishop of Monaco conducted the ceremony. After the religious wedding, the newly weds went to the Chapel of St. Devote to offer Grace's bouquet. Grace Kelly was now Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco.

The Monegasques gave them as a gift: a Rolls Royce and diamond necklace with earrings. The wedding banquet was held on the Palace's Court Of Honor. Later that afternoon, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier set sailed for their honeymoon around the Mediterranean.

When Princess Grace got back from her honeymoon, she learned that she was pregnant. It was during this time that she made most of the decisions for the renovations of the Palace; like creating a nursery for her children. Princess Caroline was born on January 23, 1957. A year later, on March 14, 1958 Prince Albert II was born. Seven years later, on February 1, 1965 Princess Stephanie was born. Grace loved her children and wanted them to grow up as normal children. The family spent their holidays in Philadelphia, several parts of the United States, around the Mediterranean, and at their family home in Roc Agel. Sadly Jack Kelly, her father died on June 20, 1960.

Grace and Prince Rainier had two weddings: one was a civil wedding, and the other a religious ceremony.

Grace and her 65-member wedding party sailed to Monaco on the ocean liner Constitution on April 4, 1956. Prince Rainier gave Grace the yacht "Deo Juvante II" as a wedding gift.

April 18, 1956 was the civil ceremony in the palace's baroque throne room. Grace wore a pale pink taffeta dress with cream-colored Alencon lace, white kid gloves, and a Juliet cap. Rainier wore striped trousers, a white vest, gray tie, and a black morning coat. They exchanged their vows in French. There were only 80 guests at the civil ceremony. They held a reception for the citizens of Monaco after the ceremony so that each one could shake hands with the new princess.

A gala celebration was held at the Opera House that evening.

April 19, 1956, at 9:30 a.m., 600 guests at the St. Nicholas Cathedral witnessed the religious wedding ceremony at a high mass that was celebrated by the Bishop of Monaco. The flowers decorating the altar and church included white lilacs, hydrangeas, lilies, and snapdragons. It was called "the wedding of the century" by the press. It is estimated that 30 million people watched the wedding on television.

The matron of Honor was Grace's sister, Peggy. There were six bridesmaids. They all wore yellow organdy dresses. The six junior attendants (4 girls and 2 boys) were all dressed in white.

Guests included Cary Grant, Aga Khan, David Niven, Gloria Swanson, Aristotle Onassis, Ava Gardner, heads of state, and diplomats.

The people of Monaco gave the couple a cream and black Rolls-Royce convertible. The luncheon reception was held in the Palace Court of Honor. They sliced the six-tier wedding cake with the Prince's sword.

Their honeymoon was a cruise aboard the "Deo Juvante II" with stops in Villegranche, Spain, and Corsica. Grace reportedly was frequently seasick.

Grace Kelly’s Wedding Attire

Prince Rainier wore a Napoleonic military type of uniform that he designed himself.

Grace's wedding gown was a gift from the MGM Studio and designed by Helen Rose. It was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt made of twenty-five yards of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace. She wore a Juliet cap that was decorated with seed pearls, orange blossoms, and a veil of 90 yards of tulle. The chief hairstylist at MGM Studios, Sydney Guilaroff, styled Grace's hair for her wedding. Grace carried a small Bible and a bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley.