Jonathan Stone for Art-Sheep

Forget everything you know about dream loves and fairytale weddings, as you’re probably too young to remember the royal wedding of the century, the day that united Monaco royalty with Hollywood royalty.

On April 19, 1956, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco got married. A beautiful love story that inspired the media, as it was basically a fairytale coming true. The American actress and the native prince. From the day of their engagement till their wedding day, they were constantly on the news.

Years after the greatest marriage of the 20th century’s pop culture, the story of Grace Kelly, a girl from Philadelphia who became a princess, continues to inspire little girls all over the world. And even though the Princess of Monaco found her happy ending with Prince Rainier, little girls shouldn’t adore her for that. Among others, Kelly was the founder of AMADE, a non-profit organization that promotes and protects the “moral and physical integrity” and “spiritual well-being of children throughout the world, without distinction of race, nationality or religion and in a spirit of complete political independence.”

The photo collection below is consisted of rare black-and-white images of Grace Kelly’s and Prince Rainier’s engagement, their wedding preparations and their wedding day.

via vintag

The engagement

03MonacosPrinceRainierandGraceKellyattimeoftheannouncementof

02GraceKellyandPrinceRainiershowherengagementringtohermother

05GraceKellyandPrinceRainierattheWaldorf-AstoriaHotelinNewYo

04GraceKellyandPrinceRainierarriveattheWaldorf-AstoriaHoteli07SmilinginabriskMarchwindandsurroundedbyphotographersandfan

08GraceKellytakesamomentarybreatherwhilepackingherthingsbefo

10GraceKellypackingforhertriptoMonacoMarch1956

09KellyinsideaNewYorkjewelrystorewheresheperusedpossiblegift 11GraceKellyMarch1956

12GraceKellyandherpoodleOliver1956

14GraceKellyleftandoneofhertwosisterseitherPeggyorLizanneNew

13GraceKellywithhermotherMargaretMajerKellybeforeleavingNewY 17GraceKellyleavesaHollywoodstudiolotforthelasttimebeforeher 18OnApril41956GraceKelly--herbridesmaidsherrelativesherdogan 19GraceKellyaboardthelinerSSConstitutiononwhichshetraveledto

The preparations

15SeamstressesworkonGraceKellysweddingdressandveilconceivedb 16Awomanputsthefinishingtouchesonthepearl-studdedprayerbookf

20GraceKellyinMonacoApril1956

21GraceKellyinMonacobeforeherweddingApril1956

22GraceKellyandPrinceRainierinMonacothedaybeforetheirwedding

The wedding

23PrinceRainierIIIandGraceKellyascendthestepsofMonacoPalace 24GraceKellyandPrinceRainierkneelduringMassattheirreligiousw

25GraceKellypraysbeforeherweddingtoPrinceRainierIIIApril1956

26GraceKellyandPrinceRainierjoinhandsastheBishopofMonacoMgr 01GraceKellyandPrinceRainierwedSt

27WeddingceremonyofPrinceRainierIIIofMonacotoGraceKellyApril

31FireworkslightuptheskyaboveMonacoincelebrationofthewedding

28PrincessGraceandPrinceRainierIIInewlywedsApril1956

29PrincessGraceandPrinceRainierIIInewlywedsarewhiskedawayina

06GraceKellyandPrinceRainierdancenotlongafterannouncingtheir

32GraceKellyandPrinceRainierIIIofMonacoApril1956