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 Mrs. Shawn Carter - 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 18 April in Scarsdale, New York.