Ever since the royal engagement was announced, the world has been waiting impatiently to see Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. Today the royal bride finally walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey wearing a stunning lace wedding gown, designed by no other than Sarah Burton of the Alexander McQueen fashion house.
DressKate Middleton herself worked closely with the designer to make sure she’ll get the perfect gown for the royal wedding. The ivory satin bridal gown featured a lace applique bodice with a restrained, high lace collar, long lace sleeves and an 8 foot long train. The gown’s bodice was narrowed down the waist and padded at the hips inspired by Victorian corsetry.
Veil Kate’s silk tulle veil was embroidered with rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock lace flowers. The intricate lace was hand-crafted at London’s Royal School of Needlework based at Hampton Court Palace.
Shoes Kate Middleton’s shoes were also designed by the McQueen fashion house, made of ivory satin with hand-embroidered lace details to complement her wedding gown perfectly.
Tiara The diamond tiara topped Kate Middleton’s wedding hairstyle, which she wore in her trademark loose waves pulled back into a half updo. The tiara was lent to her by the Queen, which was given to her by Cartier in 1938 for her 18th birthday when she was still a princess.
Earrings The royal bride accessorized with pear-shaped diamond earrings designed by fine jeweler Robinson Pelham and were inspired by the Middleton’s new coat of arms, which was given to the family earlier this month.
Bouquet Kate Middleton’s wedding bouquet was made up of myrtle, lily of the valley, sweet William and hyacinth, designed by Shane Connolly. The flowers from her bridal bouquet all have a special meaning: the myrtle is the emblem of love and marriage, the lily of the valley is the return of happiness, sweet William stands for gallantry, while the hyacinth symbolizes constancy of love.
Designer feedback Top fashion designers all over the world expressed their excitement about Kate Middleton’s wedding gown. Chanel creative director Karl Lagerfeld said: “She is very elegant. The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor. It almost reminds me of (Queen) Elizabeth’s wedding, the royal weddings in the Fifties. The proportion of the train is good. The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot.” French couturier Christian Lacroix cited the likeness of the royal wedding gown to 1956 Grace Kelly and 1947 Queen Elizabeth dresses, while Donatella Versace simply said: “Kate’s dress was beautiful. She looked very regal.”
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