[12:24] Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo
Beatrice Borromeo commissioned two custom-made dresses by Giorgio Armani from the label’s Prive collection for her religious wedding to Pierre Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline of Hanover, Saturday. The couple arrive to attend a cocktail party with the Monegasque community at the Monaco Palace square to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the reign of Albert II in Monaco, July 11, 2015. Reuters/Jean-Pierre Amet

The royal family of Monaco is getting ready for a wedding that will be hosted in the Prince’s Palace. Prince Albert’s nephew, Pierre Casiraghi, and his fiancée Beatrice Borromeo will wed in a civil ceremony there on Saturday. Prince Albert shared some details about the big day.

The ceremony will be followed by a second bigger, religious wedding in the bride’s native Italy the following week – on her family’s Borromean Islands. The first service may be a smaller affair, but according to reports, some 700 guests have been invited to the palace. “The wedding service will be in the palace’s salons, then a garden party – because Pierre and Beatrice want it that way. It’s going to be a summer garden party,” Albert, 57, told People.

Prince Albert recently celebrated the tenth year of his reign and is playing a major part in the wedding preparations. He will be hosting a “cavagnëtu”, or a garden party. He said there will buffet tables arranged in the garden along with finger foods and drinks, which will mostly be an informal gathering.

The father of two said that there would be entertainment in the form of folklore dancers and music, and some pétanque (light music) will also be played. He will raise a toast to the couple, but will keep it short. Pierre is Princess Caroline’s younger son and wanted to hold a picnic-style celebration to reflect his upbringing in Provence, sources said.

Pierre and Beatrice’s garden party will be held in a section of the palace that is rarely photographed. It will be on a sheltered terrace that was designed by Albert’s late mother Grace Kelly. The actress-turned-princess wanted to reflect American homes with outdoor space and also had a 1960s style swimming pool built for her children to play and swim in.

The soon-to-wed couple have been together for seven years and were engaged at the end of last year. Earlier this week the groom-to-be was spotted celebrating his bachelor party in a Spanish castle, north of Barcelona. He was joined for the party by friends and family, including his uncle Prince Albert.

RELATED STORIES