Duchess Kate Middleton a vision in ivory and lace
CATHERINE Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, arrived only four minutes behind schedule, looking stunning.
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CATHERINE Middleton, the new Duchess of Cambridge, arrived only four minutes behind schedule, looking stunning.
Her dress, simply, was ivory and white satin, created by Sarah Burton of British fashion house Alexander McQueen.
The heart-shaped bodice and sleeves were covered with white English and French Chantilly lace.
The bodice was narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, a hallmark of McQueen's designs.
The dress pays homage to Britain's arts and crafts tradition. The lace applique of the bodice and the skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework.
The lace was hand-engineered using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique from Ireland.
In a tribute to McQueen's wedding dress, individual roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks were hand-cut from lace and sewn on to the ivory tulle veil.
The gown, with its long sleeves, full skirt and a 3m train, took almost a minute to fold into the the bride's Rolls-Royce across the lap of Kate's father, Michael Middleton.
THE TIARA
Kate's diamond tiara was a story in itself.
Lent to her by William's grandmother, the Queen, the little known "halo" tiara was made by Cartier in 1936 and was bought by the Queen's father for her mother, three weeks before he succeeded his brother, King Edward VIII, who was to abdicate.
The tiara was given to the Queen by her mother on her 18th birthday. It was, in the royal bridal tradition, "something borrowed".
JEWELLERY
Kate wore diamond-set earrings of oak leaves with a pear-shaped diamond set drop and a pave-set diamond acorn in the centre.
The earrings were made by Robinson Pelham and were a gift to the bride from her parents in honour of their new family crest, which features acorns.
THE BOUQUET
Kate's bouquet was a combination of white flowers, including sweet William, representing gallantry, hyacinth (constancy of love), lily of the valley (return of happiness, the emblem of marriage), and ivy (fidelity and friendship).
THE HAIR
Young British hairdresser James Pryce, 33, tended the bride's tresses. The former Jindabyne ski worker is her long-term hairdresser, along with celebrity stylist Richard Ward.
Kate's brief was "to make sure William still recognises me". Pryce stayed true to the glamorous and soft look he has now made famous.
Kate's hair was sleek and wavy and worn gathered softly at the front and flowing down her back.
THE MAKE-UP
In a modern and unique move, the bride stuck to what she knows best - and did her own make-up.
She was, however, reportedly assisted in the lead-up to the wedding by one of the world's most experienced make-up artists, Mary Greenwell.
Having started in the 1980s in the Paris fashion scene, Greenwell is credited with helping create the monumental rise of supermodels Christy Turlington, Stephanie Seymour, Tatiana Patitz, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford. She is the purveyor of the flattering and natural no make-up look.
Kate's shoes were hand-made by the Alexander McQueen team using ivory duchesse satin with hand-embroidered lace from the Royal School of Needlework.
As Kate made her way up the aisle, at 11.04am, Prince William emerged from St Edmund's chapel, where he had been waiting with his brother Harry. He leaned over and murmured to her as she joined him at the altar, and she broke into a smile.
William looked every bit the dashing Prince Charming in the bright red tunic of the Irish Guards, festooned with gold braiding. He had taken his hat off at the door and began shaking hands.
Prince Harry looked more nervous than his brother. He also appeared to have over-gelled his hair.
The 6m trees lining the aisle looked beautifully green but obscured the view of guests. William's first kiss upon arriving at the abbey was to an aunt in the row behind him. "Beautiful dress," he murmured to a tall young woman walking past.
THE QUEEN
Queen Elizabeth, a vision in optimistic yellow, drove to the abbey with a blue rug over her knees with her dapper husband Prince Philip by her side, dressed in a red admiral's tunic, on the eve of his 90th birthday.
The Queen put a lot of thought into her outfit, an Angela Kelly-designed single crepe wool dress in primrose yellow with hand-sewn beading on the neck in the shape of sunrays, perhaps reflecting her optimism about the marriage of her grandson, the future king.
She wore a brooch described as Queen Mary's True Lovers' Knot - a good omen for Kate and William.
THE FATHER
Prince Charles, in a navy naval tunic festooned with medals, arrived at the abbey at 10.45am with his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
She wore a perfect stepmother-in-law's dress of champagne silk designed by Anna Valentine, one of her favorite British designers.
On top to guard against the suddenly chilly weather she wore a duck egg blue and champagne coat. which was hand embroidered.
Her large, jauntily angled hat was by Philip Treacy and her bronze shoes by Jimmy Choo.
Kate's mother Carole Middleton arrived at the Abbey wearing a pale blue wool crepe coat dress by Catherine Walker with matching satin piping and what the palace described as "passementerie", or elaborate braiding at the waist and cuff, over a sky blue silk shantung "Sydney" day dress with short pleated sleeves and pockets.
Mrs Middleton's pale blue matching hat with trim, worn at a jaunty angle on the right of her head, was by a different British designer, Jane Corbett.
