Some people considered courtships and betrothals to last for years. Venusians certainly did not believe in long courtships.

"A year, at least?"said Makoto.

"Far too long."she had said.

"You can't get married before the crown prince and princess."Ami told her.

"They still won't be married for another eight months, at least! My parents did not even court for that long!"

It seemed like everywhere, everyone found something to postpone. Of course, Serenity and Endymion's wedding would take place soon.

"Then, there is the question of his allowance."said Artemis.

"How much did my father have? Or any prince consort for that matter?"she asked irritably. "You just give him the same."

"Your father was a prince of Bacchus, a younger brother of the Princess of Bacchuss. Your grandfather, a prince of Neptune. Both brothers of planetary princesses. They didn't receive much from their native planets. They had to receive their income here. Lord Kunzite, would be a king in his own right, on Earth. He is given an allowance there. And of course, you would, too, as his consort, on Earth, so we would have to see to that, too."

This last part did seem to catch Minako's attention.

"So, we just do both!"she said.

"No, no."insisted Artemis. "Hmm, your own comes the duchy of the Scallop Mountain, as well as the Ovda. As a Teran consort, you'd be given one there. You don't want to be seen as having too large an allowance."

"You're right."she admitted. "Well, give him one of my duchies."

"You can't have the same income as him. Yours has to be more."

And so on and so on. After one thing was figured out, trust Artemis to come up with something more.

Finally, the Empress herself placed the Venusian nuptial crown, along with the earring. Her wedding gown was of cloth of gold, and embroidered with golden hearts and with wreaths of myrtle blossoms. Venusians did not wear veils for their wedding, but the most handsome girdles. In Minako's case, Aphrodite's own girdle. The outer dress was made of myrtle wreath met precisely at the girdle, creating what looked like a floral pyramid, with the underskirt heavily embroidered with her planetary symbol, the shapes of the golden apples, scallop shells, and her own monogram. She also wore no mantle, like other royal brides. As in proper court dress, it had long, open, hanging sleeves, which reached almost to the ground, almost as long as her skirt and hung from her shoulders.

Venusian royal brides were different in the fact that they wore no mantle, as well as no veil, and the skirts were not voluminous, either. One did not want a heavy mantle or voluminous skirt that might call attention away from the bride herself, and especially, in Minako's case, her ancestress's own girdle. While on other planets, the dresses might be voluminous and brides wearing a veil, on Venus, it was the girdle which was the main design on the dress. Many wore the girdles their mother's or sisters had worn. In Minako's case, it was Aphrodite's own girdle.

The Empress climbed into her carriage first. She would go first, and the Crown Prince and Princess. Precedence and rank were something which the Empress took very seriously, and which in this case, demanded that they come before the bride. Then Minako in the one before them. As the guns sounded their 400 salute, and the procession started. The people cheered. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of their princess and empress. The palaces balconies which overlooked the processions were rented at the highest price, just to see the procession. After the bride, came the other senshi, and any other foreign relatives of both the bride or bridegroom. Luna and Artemis were particularly happy to see Princess Mau.