Monaco royal weddings: Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene

When the royal announcement came that Princess Caroline's son Andrea Casiraghi would marry his long-term partner Tatiana Santo Domingo on 31 August, the Monegasque nation rejoiced.

With only a week to go, the final preparations are being made and the world will soon find out if Andrea and Tatiana will wed inside the Palace, in front of hundreds of guests, or whether they will marry in an intimate ceremony before close friends and family.

HELLO! Online takes a look back at the extravagant wedding celebrations of Princess Charlene to Prince Albert II that started with a civil service, as is customary in Monaco, followed by a lavish religious ceremony the next day on 2 July 2011.

 

 A 3,500-strong congregation plus 800 more celebrities, royals and family members were ushered into the inner courtyard of the palace to witness the ceremony.

Princess Charlene walked down the aisle with her father Michael Wittstock, followed by six bridesmaids dressed in traditional costume. 

Princess Charlene dazzled in a gorgeous Armani dress that featured two trains. Simple in design and impeccably constructed, the dress was cut from 130 metres of silk, studded with 40,000 crystals and embellished with 20,000 teardrops fashioned from mother-of-pearl. 

Among the guests were members of Europe's royal families. From left to right: Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

The main courtyard of the royal palace was turned into an open-air cathedral for the day of Prince Albert II of Monaco's wedding to South African beauty Charlene Wittstock on 2 July 2011. 

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene exchanged rings during the ceremony, with the groom being the first to put a ring on his bride's finger. As is customary in a Catholic wedding, the bread and wine were blessed and then the couple took communion. 

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene shared their first kiss as husband and wife. 

The married couple were greeted with a huge round of applause as they entered the main square of the palace, and were showered with petals. 

The newlyweds made their way to the Sainte Devote church by car, after their religious wedding ceremony, and were greeted with cheers from Monaco's well-wishers who lined the streets outside the palace. 

Thousands of well-wishers watched the procession of the royal newlyweds to the Sainte Devote church, waving flags and cheering loudly as they passed. 

Following the ceremony, the wedding party moved on for the official dinner and gala at the Opera Garnier. Princess Charlene changed into an equally exquisite Armani gown. The five-tier cake was decorated with proteas, South Africa's national flower. 

The wedding celebrations carried on into the evening, with an official dinner and royal ball. 

Fireworks lit up the night sky, as Monaco celebrated the second evening of Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene as husband and wife.