On the eve of their wedding Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and his bride-to-be Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby entertained guests at a pre-wedding party at Akershus Castle in Oslo.The pair began dating after their were introduced by mutual friends in 1999. Several months later, the heir to the Norweigan throne announced his engagement to the blonde beauty – who was a single mom to a four-year-old son Marius – and revealed that they would wed in 2001.Photo: Getty Images
On the big day, August 25, 2001, Crown Prince Haakon arrived early and waited outside Oslo cathedral for his bride. In the first of what was to be many breaks with tradition, the groom was not waiting nervously at the front of the cathedral with his best man, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, but outside the door of the church. His bride had chosen to dispense with going up the aisle on her father’s arm, and instead had decided that she and her future husband would make the journey to the altar together.Photo: Getty Images
Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands were among the first of the royal guests to arrive at the cathedral.Photo: Getty Images
Accompanying his mother, Queen Sofia of Spain, the then Prince Felipe looked dapper dressed in his military regalia.Photo: Getty Images
The bride’s dress, of heavy silk crepe, was breathtaking in its simplicity. A corseted bodice gave way to a flared skirt with two-meter train, and a six-meter veil was crowned by an antique tiara that was a present from Mette-Marit’s parents-in-law. Rather than the traditional bouquet, the bride carried a long garland of leaves, with purple and white flowers woven among them.Photo: Getty Images
Tears could be seen glistening on the Crown Prince’s face just before the moment he said “I do”, and slipped a white gold wedding band on to his bride's right hand. At 5:42pm, the royal couple were pronounced husband and wife after the modern ceremony, which featured music by internationally-acclaimed Norwegian jazz musician Jan Garbarek and text readings by Haakon’s sister, Princess Martha Louise, and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Photo: Getty Images
The streets had been wreathed in red, blue and white flowers, and hundreds of banners fluttered in the breeze. Scores of Norwegian flags were carried by ordinary well-wishers who came in their thousands to cheer their future monarch and his wife-to-be.Photo: Getty Images
As Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit emerged from the cathedral into the clear Oslo evening, the crowd roared its approval. The couple turned to each other and gave the onlookers something to remember: a first kiss as husband and wife. Photo: Getty Images
A Lincoln convertible towncar was waiting for them, and the couple traveled to the Royal Palace for the wedding banquet and, later, the ball.Photo: Getty Images
Upon arrival at the royal palace the couple appeared on the balcony to share their joy with the Norwegian people, as Haakon’s parents had done 33 years ago on their wedding day. Then it was the turn of King Harald and his family to congratulate their son and welcome their new daughter-in-law into the fold. Little Marius, Mette-Marit's son from a previous marriage who acted as page boy during the ceremony, joined his mom and his new stepdad on the balcony to wave to the well-wishers below.Photo: Getty Images