Beyonce 'always knew' she'd marry Jay-Z

Beyonce Knowles insisted on keeping her April wedding to rap superstar Jay-Z low key - because she didn't want all the attention on her.

The usually guarded newlywed has previously refused to even acknowledge the fact that she's now married - but she has opened up about their secret nuptials and their love for one another in the new issue of Essence magazine.

Knowles revealed she shunned a big, white wedding because she's not a "traditional woman", adding: "It's been my day so many days already."

And the Crazy In Love hitmaker claims she never wanted an engagement ring, saying: "People put too much emphasis on that. It's just material and it's just silly to me."

Another thing Knowles was always sure about was their commitment to one another - and she's adamant it was destiny that they would wed.

She explains: "We've been together for a long time. We always knew it would happen."

The couple filed their wedding license on April 18 in Scarsdale, New York.