Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding Dress

Kate Middleton’s absolutely stunning ivory white wedding dress as a lace workers’ dream.  French Chantilly lace was combined with English Cluny lace and hand-worked in the Irish Carrickmacross needlework tradition. The wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton of fashion design house Alexander McQueen.

Wedding Dress

Design & Craftsmanship

The lace appliqué was actually hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace. 

They worked with the Alexander McQueen wedding dress team in accurately cutting out the delicate motifs from the lace fabrics and positioning the lace motifs with precision into the new design.  The lace motifs were pinned, ‘framed up’ and applied with stab stitching about every 1/10 of an inch around each lace motif.

The lace design was hand-appliquéd using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s. 

This gorgeous handmade needlework was used mainly for the train and skirt of the Bride’s dress, the bodice and sleeves, the underskirt trim, the veil and even the Bridal shoes. These hand-cut & hand-appliquéd flowers onto ivory silk tulle created a unique, organic design.

As the laces came from different sources, it is important to make sure that each flower was the same color. The whole process was managed by Ms Burton.

This hand-cut English and French Chantilly lace handwork included the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock ~ royal flowers.

Wedding Dress Form

The flower motif was continued in the actual dress form.  The wedding dress skirt resembled an opening flower, and its train was 2.7 m (about 3 yards long) complemented the skirt shape.

The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs.  The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops.  The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace.

In short, a wedding dress with amazing shapes, forms and exquisite details.

Bridal Veil and Jewelry

The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, which was embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.  The veil is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen. 

Tiara, something ‘borrowed’

The ‘halo’ tiara was made by Cartier in 1936 and was purchased by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) three weeks before he succeeded his brother as King.  The tiara was presented to Princess Elizabeth (now The Queen) by her mother on the occasion of her 18th birthday.

Earrings

The Bride’s earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the centre.  Inspiration for the design comes from the Middleton family’s new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves.  The earrings were made to echo the tiara.  The earrings were a personal gift to the Bride from her parents for her Wedding Day.

Jewelry for others in the Bridal Party

Robinson Pelham have also designed and made a pair of diamond earrings for Miss Philippa Middleton.  These earrings are more floral in nature to compliment the headpiece worn by Miss Philippa Middleton during the Service.

A tourmaline and diamond pendant and matching earrings have been designed and made for Mrs. Carole Middleton.  Two gold stick pins, one with a single gold acorn at the head and the other with an oak leaf, are also worn respectively by the Father of the Bride, Mr. Michael Middleton, and the Bride’s brother, Mr. James Middleton.

Also see: Kate Middleton’s royal wedding bouquet

source: Royal site of Prince William and Kate’s wedding, officialroyalwedding2011.org

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

The wedding gown is not just a mere dress that is worn by the bride. It is the substantial emblem of purity, love, and happiness that awaits the bride in her future with her groom. That is why finding the right wedding gown is as important as preparing the wedding celebration itself.

Therefore, for people who do not know how to choose the perfect wedding gown, here are some pointers that could help you out.

1. Use all the resources available in choosing ideas and design on your wedding gown.

Before, wedding magazines are the only resources where the bride-to-be can get some useful ideas on her wedding gown. However, with the advent of the Internet, she can now browse for more ideas and concepts of wedding gowns online.

There are web sites that will provide you with full details regarding a particular wedding gown, complete with prices, different styles, and fashion sense.

2. Make a budget and strictly conform to it.

Budget will never be absent in any wedding plans. However, the most common problem that arises concerning budgeting is the fact that people do not stick to it.

Hence, if you have a budget for your wedding gown, it would be better to stick to it and not be enticed with all the promotions of whoever will make your wedding gown. Otherwise, you will fall short on the other aspects of your wedding plans.

3. Be sure to have your wedding gown looking good in all angles.

Usually, the most neglected part of the wedding gown is the back. So, when ordering a wedding gown, be sure that you will also look good from behind. Most of the time, the guests will have a look at your back so you definitely have to look good from behind.

4. Be practical with the designs that you want to use.

Like any traditional wedding gowns, large skirts and long gowns are the typical styles of yesteryears. But in today’s modern world, there are cases wherein wedding gowns like these are not at all practical especially if the venue is just small.

Moreover, it can be burdensome for the bride to carry such a heavy dress throughout the wedding celebration. What matters most is to make the bride comfortable to what she is wearing.

5. Take into account the environmental condition of the venue of the wedding.

When choosing a wedding gown, it is best to consider the weather and the venue. This will have a great effect on the kind of material that should be worn by the bride.

For example, if the wedding will take place during summer, then, it is best to choose the materials for the wedding gown that will not make the bride sweat and perspire throughout the celebration.

Indeed, deliberating on the details of the wedding gown can be a daunting task. That is why it is important to provide a hefty amount of time in preparing, designing, and ordering the wedding gown. In this manner, there will be plenty of time for any changes and modifications without the tendency to come up with a rushed work.

More importantly, the bride should always consider her comfort when choosing a wedding gown. Looks and designs will only be put to waste if the bride is not comfortable wearing it.

As the old cliché goes, you are what you wear. Therefore, it would be better to wear a wedding gown that would reflect the happiness and love that is within the bride. In turn, the wedding gown will appear before the audience as the most beautiful centerpiece of the ceremony.

Mark Flavin is the creator of the popular wedding website http://markflavin.com/wedding

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Make a Statement With the Perfect Spring Wedding Flowers
By Shaunta Pleasant

Spring weddings are all the rage, and those planning such a celebration have many wonderful spring wedding flowers to choose from.

No matter what the style and color scheme of the wedding there are plenty of beautiful spring flowers available to make it all perfect.

When Will You Find The Best Selection

As with all other aspects of planning the perfect wedding, however, it is important to start shopping as early as possible.

Starting the shopping early will help to ensure the best selection of beautiful spring blossoms when the big day finally rolls around. Shopping early will also give you plenty of time to choose the perfect florist to supply those spring wedding flowers.

Not all florists will be equally skilled when it comes to providing wedding flowers, and it may take some time to find the perfect one.

Using A Florist That Is Up To The Job

Any florist you choose should have plenty of experience providing spring wedding flowers for other brides.

e sure to ask to see pictures of previous wedding floral arrangements – any good florist will be more than happy to show off their past work. Get references as well, and check those references carefully.

Find out what previous clients liked about the service they received, and what they feel could have been done better.

This complete picture will help you to determine whether the florist you are considering is up to the job of supplying the spring wedding flowers that will make your wedding day so special.

The Floral Arrangement Of Your Choice

After you have chosen the perfect florist, the next step is to choose the perfect floral arrangements for your wedding.

It is important, of course, to choose the colors carefully, and it may be a good idea to bring along some color swatches from the wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses as you go shopping.

Taking digital photographs of the other decorations can also help the florist choose the perfect floral hues to compliment the church and reception hall.

Getting The Best Price

Last but not least, be sure that the price you are quoted for the spring wedding flowers includes not only the major arrangements placed at the church and reception hall but the smaller items as well.

Some florists will charge extra for the bridesmaids bouquets, the floral centerpieces and other items, so it is always a good idea to ask and to get everything in writing.

By working out the details well ahead of time you will be able to relax and enjoy your beautiful spring flowers on your special day.

Shaunta Pleasant is a professional writer and editor on wedding topics. Visit my site to learn
more about planning the perfect wedding at http://www.best-wedding-plan.com/summer_wedding_flowers.html

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.

The resurgence of vintage-styled clothes, dances and songs has renewed the interest of brides-to-be on this wedding theme. What would it take to have your very own vintage wedding? Here are a few ideas.

Wedding gowns

You do not need to spend much to have a vintage wedding gown. If you are resourceful enough, you can ask your mother or even your old aunt to let you rummage in her old clothes chest, who knows what dresses you will find in that box? You can also look for vintage gowns in second hand shops or garage sales. A lot of women who got married in that era still have their wedding gowns and you can either buy it or rent it from them at a lower price. Look for heavy satins and you will not go wrong.

Suits for the groom

For the theme to be complete then both bride and groom should wear vintage. But while vintage wedding dresses are easy to find, a suit for the groom can be a little problematic. There are however shops that specialize in sewing men’s suits in this style.

Music

Your theme would not be complete without matching vintage music so go ahead and ask your grandparents or your parents about the music they played during their younger years. Looking for very old church pieces can be a problem if no one can sing them during your wedding. If this is not possible then settle for the traditional church hymns but make sure you have old pop songs playing during the reception. Better yet, find a good band that can recreate a stylish play list for you.

Period clothing for the guests

Your entire theme may be thrown if your guests arrive in very modern attire. So why not include the details in your invitation? A simple request for your guests to wear something vintage can help matters a lot.

Choosing a theme for your wedding makes your day more special and makes it stand out from all the other events that you and your guests may have attended. The only thing needed to make the whole thing successful is proper planning and adequate communication.

Find more advice on wedding planning and wedding etiquette. In addition you can get more information on mother of the groom dresses.

Advice on Marriage, Brides, Diamonds and Weddings. Copyright 2009. All Rights Reserved.