Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene greeted crowds after the ceremony.
The son of the late Grace Kelly, Monaco's Prince Albert II, has wed former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock.
In the glitzy town of Monaco, locals have been celebrating, saying it is about time the reputed playboy settled down, not just for his sake but for the principality's future. They married In a simple civil service and the 53-year-old prince gave his bride a wink, kissed her hand then saved a peck on the lips for the balcony, where the couple waved to their subjects who had been watching the ceremony on big screens.
A lot is counting on this marriage: without an heir, Monaco returns to French rule.
In 2002, fearing the Prince would die without a legitimate heir, Monaco changed its constitution to allow a princess to inherit the throne.
But fears were eased when Wittstock, 33, spoke a quiet "oui" when asked if she would take the prince as her husband, becoming Her Serene Highness in the throne room of Monaco's palace.
The bride wore an ice blue suit, with her blonde hair swept from her face, while the long-time bachelor wore a dark suit.
Prince Albert thanked the crowd for the warm welcome they had shown his princess on the balcony after the royal kiss.
"Vive le Monaco, thank you and happy celebrating," he told the crowd, his bride at his side.
Residents of the tiny city state on the French Riviera, known as Monegasques, hope the newest princess in the age-old House of Grimaldi will provide a boost to the gambling hotspot and financial enclave.
One of the favourite stomping grounds for the ultra-rich in past decades, with its Monte Carlo Grand Prix car race and sumptuous casino, the locale lost some of its lustre with the death of Albert's mother, Princess Grace, in 1982.
Friday's civil ceremony, followed by a free open-air concert by French star Jean-Michel Jarre, was a mere prelude to Saturday, when some 3,500 guests will assemble in the palace courtyard to witness the more formal union.
Monaco officials say they expect some 100,000 well-wishers and the curious to descend on the principality over the weekend.
Media reports that Wittstock was having second thoughts threatened to dampen the festivities earlier this week.
But palace officials denied a report in French weekly L'Express on Tuesday that she had tried to leave from nearby Nice airport on a one-way flight to South Africa, and had required intense convincing by the prince and his entourage to stay.
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