And because the Princess of Wales stood out on her wedding day, the Hello Brides team has gathered all the information about the wedding dress, the jewelry and the hidden symbolism behind her stunning royal look!
The Victorian Era
Kate's wedding dress featured several elements commonly associated with Victorian fashion, such as the use of lace and the romantic feel it creates. In addition, the choice of a classic and elegant design reflects the nobility and sophisticated charm associated with the Victorian era.
The train of the wedding dress
Kate's wedding dress's train was 2 meters and 70 centimeters long. It may sound long, but it was actually short compared to Princess Diana's.
The lace
The lace that adorned the wedding dress was handmade and had floral designs, such as roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks, which were created individually and added to ivory silk tulle.
Preparing the wedding dress
The seamstresses who sewed the wedding dress had to wash their hands for 30 minutes before touching the fabrics. Also, to ensure that the needles were sharp and clean, they were renewed every 3 hours!
Kate's something blue
The team that took on the task of making the wedding dress sewed a blue ribbon inside the dress to serve as Kate's something blue for her wedding day.
Kate's something borrowed
Kate wore the Queen's Cartier Halo tiara on her wedding day, also known as the Cartier Scroll tiara. The tiara was purchased by King George VI, Elizabeth's father, for the Queen Mother in 1936. It was later given to Elizabeth by the Queen Mother on her 18th birthday and was later loaned to Kate Middleton to complete her bridal look.
The Bouquet
Kate's bouquet contained myrtle, lily of the valley, hyacinth and sweet William, a reference to the groom. The myrtle sprig came from the same plant used in Queen Elizabeth's wedding bouquet in 1947. The tradition of a royal bride carrying myrtle in her wedding bouquet dates back to the time of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, had myrtle in her bouquet when she married in 1858, and royal brides have embraced the tradition ever since.
The Second Wedding Dress
Kate's second wedding dress was another design by fashion house Alexander McQueen.
The Princess of Wales chose a white strapless satin dress with waist detailing for the evening wedding reception, which took place at Buckingham Palace, and completed her second wedding dress look with a white bolero.
