MGM Designer Helen Rose working on Grace Kelly's wedding dress
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Known for her beauty and style, it is only fitting that Grace Kelly had a fairytale engagement and wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco. Grace met Prince Rainier in 1955 at the Cannes Film festival where she agreed to be photographed with the prince. She was 26 at the time and the prince was 32. Six month's later, their engagement was announced to the world. Prince Rainer proposed with a 12 carat emerald cut diamond ring with two baguettes, mounted in platinum. The ring can be seen in the movie "High Society" which Grace starred in that year. Also given to Grace was a friendship ring with rubies and diamonds. The prince was said to be one of the wealthiest bachelors in the world. Grace was a Hollywood icon and the world was captivated by the intermingling of Hollywood and old-world royalty.
You can see a super-sized photo of the ring here.
You can see a super-sized photo of the ring here.
Check out the terms of the pre-nup; Grace was required to take a fertility test prior to the wedding, Prince Rainer requested a 2 million dollar dowry from Grace's family in the event of a divorce and Grace would relinquish all rights to their children. Once married, Grace did not make any more movies.
The couple had both a civil and religious ceremony. The civil ceremony was held in April of 1956 in the palace's throne room. Grace was dressed in a pink taffeta dress with cream-colored lace. For accessories, she wore white gloves and a cap. They couple exchanged their vows in French in front of 80 guests. A reception for the citizens of Monaco was held following the ceremony and a gala celebration was held at the Opera.
The religious ceremony attended by 600 guests at St. Nicholas Cathedral was held at a high mass and presided over by the Bishop of Monaco. The wedding, dubbed by the media as "the wedding of the century" was televised and watched by millions all over the world. The Prince wore a military type uniform he designed himself. Grace's gown was a gift from MGM studios. It was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown made of hundreds of yards of silk taffeta, tulle and lace. Her veil was supposedly 90 yards long. Six bridesmaids and six junior attendants all marched down the aisle as well. Celebrity guests in attendance included Aristotle Onassis, Ava Gardner, Cary Grant, diplomats, etc. A luncheon reception was held at the Palace Court of Honor. The wedding cake was cut with the Prince's Sword. As a wedding present, the prince gave Grace a yacht. The people of Monaco gave the couple a Rolls Royce as a wedding present. Grace and Prince Rainier honeymooned aboard a cruise ship which made stops in Spain, Villefranche, and Corsica.
Their marriage endured the test of time and together the couple had three children; Caroline, Albert and Stephanie. Tragically, Grace died in a car accident in 1982 when she was 52 years old. The prince died in 2005 after a long battle with multiple health problems. It was said that he never got over the death of his beloved wife. He was buried in a marble tomb next to his wife. The princess lives on via her memorabilia; her wedding gown and accessories have been on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art while her engagement ring has been exhibited by Sothebys of New York.
See the Grace Kelly's wedding dress on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art here.
The author just celebrated her one year anniversary and sports a beautiful ascher cut ring. She and her husband put together the website: http://www.ultimate-engagement-ring-guide.com to help you find the perfect ring. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julie_Shields
