Who: HRH Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones

When: June 19, 1999

Where: Vows were spoken inside St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The engagement: The long term couple welcomed the media into the garden at St. James Palace on January 6,1999 in order to proudly display the adornment which had been placed upon Sophie's finger -- a delicate, three diamond engagement ring fashioned by royal jewelers Aspry & Garrard.

The Ceremony: As a televised audience of 200 million looked on, a throng of eight thousand locals fortunate enough to have been chosen to represent the residents of Windsor lined the drive leading up to Windsor Castle, witnessing the bride's arrival in a vintage black Rolls Royce. The bride acknowledged the cheering crowd before entering the house of worship, where a new phase of her life as the Countess of Wessex would begin.

As the clock struck 5 P.M. the passionate strains of "The Marche Heroique" echoed through the chapel as the bride made her way past such illustrious witnesses as Sir Andew Lloyd Webber and David Frost to stand at the altar by her intended. A forty-five minute ceremony followed, in which the bride was presented with a wedding band which, in the royal tradition, was fashioned from Welsh gold. At the conclusion of the nuptials, the Toccata from the 5th symphony and The Coronation March-- Crown Imperial escorted the newly betrothed up the aisle.

The Dress: Although the service was considered low key by royal standards, the bride's wedding attire was a study in regal elegance. The Countess of Wessex chose British designer Samantha Shaw to concoct a coat dress constructed of ivory silk organza and silk crepe, with 325,000 crystals and pearls fastened along the neck, full-length sleeves and the train. A cathedral-length veil composed of silk tulle and sprinkled with crystals was fastened to a diamond tiara belonging to the groom's mother, the Queen of England. Other embellishments included a matching set of black and white pearl earrings and necklace with a cross adornment which was a gift from the bride's intended, who designed the jewelry with his love in mind. Sophie walked down the aisle on ivory silk crepe slippers with three inch heels created by Gina Shoes, and in her hands she carried a cascading bouquet of ivory roses, lily of the valley and ivory freesia, which would later be preserved for posterity by Precious Petals in a three dimensional picture frame.

The bride chose children to serve as bridesmaids and pages. The angelic assemblage wore velvet indigo capelets over the girls pale silk taffeta frocks and the boys white silk taffeta shirts and dark blue trousers.

The groom, who opted for a morning suit by John Kent, added a splash of color with a yellow vest and blue tie. Tucked inside was a token from his beloved-- an 18-carat gold Hunter pocketwatch on a gold chain.

The mother of the groom, remembering the day over fifty years before when she pledged her troth to Prince Philip, wore the pearl necklace, dainty pearl and diamond earrings and diamond brooch she donned on her own wedding day. Lovely in a lilac lace and chiffon gown by Sir Hardy Amies, a feathered hat in a similar hue completed the ensemble.

The Reception: Five hundred fifty guests gathered in the State Apartments of Windsor Castle for a feast fit for a king, complete with smoked haddock with rice and mushrooms in pastry, beef stroganoff and fresh raspberries for dessert. Attendees also nibbled on a seven-tier wedding cake adorned with sugar roses and fruit by Upper Crusts Country Kitchen before taking to the dancefloor, where it was reported that the Queen danced along with her grandchildren to The Village People's "YMCA."

The Honeymoon: The couple chose Birkhall Lodge, located five miles from Balmoral, for their four day honeymoon. The venue's romantic past (Prince Philip, the groom's father, proposed to the future Queen of England at the locale) makes the lodge a sentemental favorite among members of the royal family.

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