Stars to shine at Monaco wedding

Monaco - Prince Albert II of Monaco and his bride Princess Charlene have welcomed hundreds of world leaders, fellow royals and stars of sport and fashion to their tiny Mediterranean realm on Saturday.

Charlene Wittstock appeared tense but poised at her civil marriage ceremony on Friday in the throne room of her palace, but relaxed slightly at a buffet reception for Monaco's people, where she posed for pictures and hugged babies.

Later, she and the prince joined an estimated 80 000 people, double the normal population of the state, at the waterfront for a spectacular sound and light show by veteran French electropop pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre.

Extravagant scenes

On Saturday, the Armani-clad bride and her beau plan to cross the city state in an open topped Lexus hybrid, a gesture to the prince's green credentials amid otherwise extravagant scenes of champagne quaffing and fireworks.

The wedding feast will be held at Monaco's landmark casino.

The most senior guest will be France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose pregnant wife Carla Bruni is holidaying at her family's nearby villa, and Britain's royals will be represented by Elizabeth II's son Prince Edward.

Several more European and African kings and princes will be there, along with supermodels such as Naomi Campbell and several sporting friends of Albert and Charlene, who have both represented their countries at the Olympics.