The bridal look
There was much speculation about the designer of Middleton's wedding dress, from Victoria Beckham to Stella McCartney, but the secret was finally revealed when she arrived at Westminster Abbey, putting an end to the theories. Middleton wanted to combine the traditional with the modern, something that characterizes the aesthetic of the Alexander McQueen house, so she proceeded with his artistic director, Sarah Burton, with whom she worked very closely.
In order to keep the design secret, the information given to those involved in its creation was that the dress was intended for a television series, so there was no specific budget. The satin bodice of the dress with floral lace motifs was influenced by the Victorian tradition of the corset, while the technique used for the lace dates back to the 1800s, which was her "something old". As for the “something blue”, the team had foreseen and sewn a small blue bow inside the dress. Its train was 2.70 meters long, there were 58 buttons on the back, and the cost reached 400,000 dollars. Apparently, being a princess costs money!
The veil
In 2011, Kate Middleton brought the classic veil back into fashion with her appearance, since until then, coiffures were the No. 1 bridal trend. Her veil was made of silk tulle with hand-embroidered floral designs, and it was of medium length.
The tiara
According to tradition, a bride must wear something borrowed at her wedding. For the new Duchess of Cambridge, this was the tiara, and the person who lent it to her was none other than the Queen herself. The Halo tiara by Cartier is a family heirloom and was made in 1936 for the Queen Mother (Elizabeth's mother), who later gifted it to her daughter for her 18th birthday.
The jewels
The only jewelry that accompanied her appearance, apart from the impressive tiara, were the diamond Robinson Pelham earrings, which Middleton's parents had given her as a wedding gift.
Make Up & Hair
Her hair was done by James Pryce of Richard Ward's hair salon and the hairstyle they chose was half up, half down. Traditionally and according to the instructions given to the bride-to-be, her hair should normally be tied up. Of course, she had imagined it differently, so they found a middle ground so that the hair looked like it was up, but in reality it wasn't. As for her makeup, she had done it herself after taking special lessons from makeup artist Arabella Preston, putting more emphasis on her eyes with a natural base and nude lips.
The shoes
And the heels she chose for her wedding were by Alexander McQueen with a round "toe", a low heel and lace designs to match the wedding dress.
The bouquet
Middleton's bouquet was created from 5 different types of flowers, more specifically from miguel, sweet William (poets' carnation), myrtle, pubescence and hyacinth. Sweet William and myrtle had special significance, as the former had been chosen to honor her husband and the latter to honor the royal family. Not only did the myrtle represent love, fertility, and innocence, but it was also a royal tradition at weddings since the time of Queen Victoria.
Wedding Facts
1. Their wedding day was declared a national holiday – so the British could celebrate and watch the wedding.
2. At 8am, Queen Elizabeth bestowed the titles of Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus on Prince William and the corresponding titles on Kate Middleton.
3. The guests numbered 1,900 and included the Beckhams, Mario Testino, Elton John and his husband David Furnish, Guy Ritchie, Rowan Atkinson and many members of royal and political families.
4. The wedding cost $32,000,000, with most of the money going to security for the event, $160,000 for the couple's two cakes, $43,000 for the wedding dress, and about $1,000,000 for the floral arrangements.
5. Prince William and Prince Harry's suits were specially designed for the day with anti-perspirant materials just in case.
6. The Abbey grounds were decorated with 6 "English" trees, which were replanted at Prince Charles' country house in Wales two months later.
7. Like her mother-in-law, Princess Diana, Middleton kept her vows to honor her husband, while not repeating that she would obey him.
8. After the wedding, the Queen hosted a formal dinner, while the couple later celebrated with their closest friends at a party that lasted until dawn, at which Middleton wore another dress by Sarah Burton.
9. The couple spent their honeymoon in a private villa in the Seychelles, which Middleton only recently learned (along with, of course, the paparazzi), and instead of gifts, the couple had asked guests to donate a sum to the Royal Wedding Charity Fund, which belonged to the organization founded by Princes William and Harry in 2009.
