Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson's Wedding

Who: Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson

When: May 14, 2004

Where:  Our Lady Lutheran Cathedral in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Ceremony: As the bride made her entrance the cathedral was fragrant with the perfume from a multitude of pink and red roses and crysanthemums which lined the path to the altar. A variety of festivities, from military parades to rock concerts in honor of the couple led up to this day, and outside thousands of Danes watched the nuptials on large screens, while within the walls of the house of worship the ceremony was witnessed by Princess Caroline of Monaco and her husband Prince Ernst, Prince Albert of Monaco, England's Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and the next royal couple to say their vows-- Crown Prince Felipe and his fiancee Letizia Ortiz.

The Gown: The groom was overcome with emotion at the first sight of his princess bride as she walked down the aisle in an ivory gown constructed of duchess satin by Danish designer Uffe Frank. The gown had an iridescent sheen which captured the lights inside the cathedral, a neckline which caressed her shoulders, three-quarter sleeves, and a train bordered in the finest Chantilly lace from France.  She donned a demure veil of Irish lace, worn a century earlier at the wedding of Crown Princess Margret of Sweden, and upon the head of the woman entering into Europe's oldest monarchy was a diamond tiara, bestowed on her by the parents of the man she loves--Denmark's Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. Within the bride's bouquet, which was a mixture of white roses and stephanotis, were sprigs of Snow Gum, a touching reminder of her homeland, Australia.

The Rings: Jeweller Flemming Hertz designed the bride's band of white gold sprinkled with twenty-four diamonds, as well as the groom's simple 18-carat gold band. The designer is the only person entrusted with the secret sentiments inscribed on both rings.

The Reception:  The city was awash in the colors of the Danish flag, waved by a crowd of thousands as the royal couple was led through the streets in an open carriage drawn by six white steeds. Overhead a choir serenaded the newlyweds from windows of the buidings which lined the square. The romance of the moment was not lost on the bride, who leaned over to kiss the cheek of her new husband, much to the delight of the throng of Danish citizens. The couple kissed again on the balcony of Amalienborg Palace before leaving for the reception, which was held at Fredensborg Castle. During the royal repast Prince Frederik made a touching toast to his new wife, and before the evening ended the couple danced the "Wedding Waltz", a royal Danish tradition, as the most lavish display of fireworks in the history of the country lit up the night sky.

The Honeymoon:  In the wee hours of the morning the newlyweds climbed into a black Rolls Royce, complete with tin cans tied to the bumper and "Just Married" written on the back windshield, compliments of the prince's brother, to embark on a romantic honeymoon in Tanzania.

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