27 SEPTEMBER 2004

More than 500 guests gathered in Tegernsee, southern Germany, to see Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria tie the knot with businessman Daniel Terberger in the society wedding of the year.

Undeterred by pouring rain, hundreds of well-wishers lined the bridal route to catch a glimpse of the princess, who was radiant in a ivory-coloured Duchess satin dress with her golden hair swept up into a chignon. Her sparkling tiara held in place a 200-year-old veil made of Brussels lace, which had also been worn by two of her sisters at their weddings.

At the festive reception, guests including political and celebrity figures were regaled with a menu comprising lobster ravioli, cream of spinach with poached quails' eggs, boeuf bourguignon and Count Pückler ice bombe with chocolate sauce

A few days prior to the wedding, 300 people had been invited to a special reception at the Schloss Nymphenburg by Prince Franz, Elizabeth's uncle and the current head of the House of Wittelsbach, which ruled Bavaria between 1180 and 1918.

The princess, who is the second-youngest daughter of Prince Max of Bavaria, met her 37-year-old bridegroom at the beginning of 2000 in one of the world-famous cafes in Vienna, the city where she was working at the time.