Bash In Brunei

Brunei's Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah and his bride, Sarah Salleh, walk through the aisle after their wedding ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman Palace in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Sept. 9, 2004. The 30-year-old future king of the oil-rich sultanate married the 17-year-old half-Swiss commoner in Asia's wedding of the year.

Sarah Salleh arrives for a Malay traditional marriage powdering ceremony at the Nurul Iman Palace, Sept. 5, 2004. Her mother is from Switzerland, but gave up her Swiss citizenship in the 1970s and moved to Brunei, where she worked with the Health Ministry. Her father is a manager at Brunei's Public Works Department.

The crown prince arrives for the Malay traditional marriage powdering ceremony at the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, Sept. 5, 2004. The crown prince was educated at Oxford and will be the 30th sultan in a line stretching back 600 years. The Brunei ruling family's extravagance is legendary, and the sultan was the world's richest man before the dawn of the high-tech era and a series of financial blunders in the '90s.

Sarah Salleh, wearing a veil, is accompanied by her bridesmaids for the traditional henna ceremory at the palace, Sept. 8, 2004. The wedding featured two weeks of official celebrations.

Sarah Salleh is unveiled before the henna ceremony, Sept. 8, 2004.

Motorists drive past a billboard celebrating the Royal wedding, at the center of the shopping district in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Sept. 8, 2004. Brunei is one of Asia's smallest but richest countries.

A woman walks by a billboard celebrating the Royal wedding, on display at the center of the shopping district in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Sept. 8, 2004.

Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, right, chats with Brunei's Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah upon arrival for the Royal wedding ceremory at the sultan's 1,788-room palace, Sept. 9, 2004. Royalty and dignitaries from around the world were among the 2,000 guests at the traditional Malay Muslim ceremony.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, right, chats with Saudi Prince Bandar at the royal wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004.

Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, right, chats with Taufik Kiemas, husband of Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, as Megawati, left, listens in, at the Royal wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004.

The crown prince and his bride recite a prayer during their wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004.

The crown prince kisses his mother, Queen Hajah Saleha, as his bride kisses his father, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, after the wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004.

Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah, right, is followed by Sarah Salleh after their wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004.

The couple's motorcade drives past crowds of spectators after the wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004. The couple rode in an open gold-colored Rolls-Royce stretch limousine for a five-mile parade across the capital, accompanied by 103 limousines and vehicles carrying family members and a marching band.

The couple's motorcade drives past crowds of spectators after the wedding ceremony, Sept. 9, 2004. Spirits were only slightly dampened by a tropical downpour that soaked the newlyweds and sent thousands of well-wishers scurrying for cover.