April 29, 2011

Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton

Since the engagement was announced, the world has been waiting with bated breath for the moment Catherine Elizabeth Middleton would transform from commoner to royal bride.
And smiling Catherine was the picture of poise as she walked down the aisle wearing a stunning ivory and satin Alexander McQueen gown designed by Sarah Burton - finally confirming the most well-kept secret in fashion history.

Just married! HRH Princess Catherine emerges from Westminster Abbey, wearing an Alexander McQueen dress, holding hands with her new husband Prince William



Breathaking: Catherine's feminine dress was understated yet show-stopping


The 9ft train flowed from a skirt echoing an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats
The bride was heavily involved in making the dress and worked closely with Burton to ensure it would be a combination of both the traditional and the modern.
The result is a stunning lace appliqué bodice with 9ft train - that appeared to be inspired by Grace Kelly's gown for her marriage to Monegasque Prince Rainier III.
Sporting a 1936 diamond Halo tiara by Cartier - her 'something borrowed' - lent to her by the Queen, Catherine's hair was worn, as expected, half up showing off her signature loose waves with a 'demi-chignon'.

The workmanship involved saw the dress was made with Individual flowers hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle
The natural look was offset by pear-shaped diamond earrings designed by Robinson Pelham and inspired by the Middleton's new coat of arms.
Her veil - made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers - fell to her waist.

The bride was heavily involved in the design and worked closely with Burton to ensure the design would be a combination of both tradition and modern
The workmanship involved saw the dress was made with Individual flowers hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design - which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.
The matching wedding shoes were also hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered.


Here comes the bride: Kate Middleton makes her way from the Goring hotel to Westminster Abbeys
Celebrity bridal stylist Camilla Ridley Day hailed the dress a hit and 'perfect for a princess.'
Camilla said: 'She wears the dress, the dress doesn't wear her.
'It is totally fitting with her style and perfect for a princess. It is romantic and elegant, with long sleeves very suited to the Abbey.'
Despite rumours and rife speculation, Catherine insisted on keeping details under wraps to surprise
her husband-to-be, who will be one of the last in the world to see the stunning creation and was suitably impressed, whispering 'you look beautiful' as she joined him at the altar,
The bride decided not to use a make-up artist opting instead to do her own however opted for a beautician.


Inspiration: Catherine's gown is similar to Grace Kelly's for her marriage to Prince Rainer of Monaco in 1956
Speaking exclusively to Mail Online, Marina Scandoval said Kate had been ‘bubbling over with excitement’ about her big day.
‘She was so happy and spoke about how much she was looking forward to the wedding. I can’t tell you how excited she was.
‘She didn’t display an ounce of nerves and said she was just happy that the day was here at last.’
She used custom blended a special mix including Bourjois no 28 Rose Lounge and Essie 423 Allure.

Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton

Since the engagement was announced, the world has been waiting with bated breath for the moment Catherine Elizabeth Middleton would transform from commoner to royal bride.
And smiling Catherine was the picture of poise as she walked down the aisle wearing a stunning ivory and satin Alexander McQueen gown designed by Sarah Burton - finally confirming the most well-kept secret in fashion history.

Just married! HRH Princess Catherine emerges from Westminster Abbey, wearing an Alexander McQueen dress, holding hands with her new husband Prince William



Breathaking: Catherine's feminine dress was understated yet show-stopping


The 9ft train flowed from a skirt echoing an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats
The bride was heavily involved in making the dress and worked closely with Burton to ensure it would be a combination of both the traditional and the modern.
The result is a stunning lace appliqué bodice with 9ft train - that appeared to be inspired by Grace Kelly's gown for her marriage to Monegasque Prince Rainier III.
Sporting a 1936 diamond Halo tiara by Cartier - her 'something borrowed' - lent to her by the Queen, Catherine's hair was worn, as expected, half up showing off her signature loose waves with a 'demi-chignon'.

The workmanship involved saw the dress was made with Individual flowers hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle
The natural look was offset by pear-shaped diamond earrings designed by Robinson Pelham and inspired by the Middleton's new coat of arms.
Her veil - made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers - fell to her waist.

The bride was heavily involved in the design and worked closely with Burton to ensure the design would be a combination of both tradition and modern
The workmanship involved saw the dress was made with Individual flowers hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design - which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock.
The matching wedding shoes were also hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered.


Here comes the bride: Kate Middleton makes her way from the Goring hotel to Westminster Abbeys
Celebrity bridal stylist Camilla Ridley Day hailed the dress a hit and 'perfect for a princess.'
Camilla said: 'She wears the dress, the dress doesn't wear her.
'It is totally fitting with her style and perfect for a princess. It is romantic and elegant, with long sleeves very suited to the Abbey.'
Despite rumours and rife speculation, Catherine insisted on keeping details under wraps to surprise
her husband-to-be, who will be one of the last in the world to see the stunning creation and was suitably impressed, whispering 'you look beautiful' as she joined him at the altar,
The bride decided not to use a make-up artist opting instead to do her own however opted for a beautician.


Inspiration: Catherine's gown is similar to Grace Kelly's for her marriage to Prince Rainer of Monaco in 1956
Speaking exclusively to Mail Online, Marina Scandoval said Kate had been ‘bubbling over with excitement’ about her big day.
‘She was so happy and spoke about how much she was looking forward to the wedding. I can’t tell you how excited she was.
‘She didn’t display an ounce of nerves and said she was just happy that the day was here at last.’
She used custom blended a special mix including Bourjois no 28 Rose Lounge and Essie 423 Allure.

Chelsy Davy and SamCam duet in turquoise as they lead the way in a colourful parade of A-listers at Westminster Abbey

Parliament Square turned into a fashion parade this morning as the Royal wedding guests arrived at Westminster Abbey.
Dozens of colourfully dressed invitees joined the queue at the North door of the Abbey clutching their much-coveted tickets.
Bright colours and top-to-toe shades were the order of the day, as Westminster Abbey was lit up with vibrant tones of teal, coral, cobalt and pink.
Among the first to arrive was on-off girlfriend of Prince Harry, Chelsy Davy, who arrived at the Abbey wearing an aqua green Alberta Ferretti skirt and off-the-shoulder jacket with a bow at the back, one of two outfits she had made for her by the Italian design house for the day.



Vivid colours: Chelsy Davy wears a bright aqua Alberta Ferretti skirt and jacket with grey lace hat by Victoria Grant; right, Samantha Cameron chose a vivid teal sheath dress with elaborate pleats by Burberry worn with orange scarf, necklace by Erdem and nude shoes - but the PM's wife left her head bare
Her taupe lace hat was made for her by milliner Victoria Grant.
For the evening party, Miss Davy is said to have chosen an asymmetric midnight-blue satin gown.
Following closely behind - and in an almost identical tone to that of Chelsy - Samantha Cameron arrived on the PM's arm, hitting the right note with her vivid teal sheath dress with elaborate pleats, designed by British fashion house Burberry.
The demure shoulders, high slash-cut neckline and on-the-knee length perfectly followed protocol for a guest at the royal nuptials, as well as SamCam's position as so-called First Lady of Britain.
The PM's wife accessorised with a contrasting bright orange scarf, statement necklace and nude shoes - but in a move some will no doubt deem controversial, the PM's wife left her head bare.
She was closely followed by David and Victoria Beckham, he in a bespoke Ralph Lauren morning suit, she in a navy creation from her own collection, paired with a pillbox hat by Philip Treacy and Christian Louboutin shoes customised for her by the designer himself.




Colour-blocking: Tara Palmer Tomkinson was a vision in electric blue, with a Philip Treacy hat topping off a clinging sheath dress and studded platform shoes in the same colour; right, Joss Stone shines in vivid coral
Tara Palmer Tomkinson stunned onlookers with eye-catching blue outfit. Perhaps taking her lead from the Queen, who is known for her matching top-to-toe outfits, Ms Palmer Tomkinson wore an off-the-shoulder sheath dress with jaunty blue Philip Treacy hat decorated with a matching bloom, leather gloves and studded platform shoes, all in an identical shade.
Arriving at the same time, singer Joss Stone - a close friend of William - attended wearing an almost luminous coral sheath dress with matching cropped jacket, matching shoes and a broad-brimmed straw hat adorned with delicate flowers.
Carole Middleton arrived at 10.30am sharp, wearing a simple elegant outfit in sky blue by Catherine Walker. The figure-skimming shift dress was paired with a longer dress coat embellished with beautiful detail on the cuffs, very structured with a nipped in waistline emphasising her slim figure. The quintessentially British label was a favourite of the late Princess of Wales.
According to protocol, the mother of the bride is offered first choice of colour for her outift, followed by the Queen and then Camilla
Looking nervous as she entered the church, the mother-of-the bride stopped to shake hands with church dignitaries before beginning the long walk down the aisle.




Figure-skimming: Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria, arriving with husband Prince Daniel, also went for the colour-blocking trend in an orange wrap dress with matching platform shoes and a wide-brimmed hat



Top gear: Princesses Eugenie, left, and Beatrice, right, arrive at Westminster Abbey wearing elaborate hats, with Eugenie in bright blue suit and Beatrice in taupe Valentino Haute Couture and Philip Treacy hat




Pastels: Spain's Queen Sofia, left, hits the perfect note in lilac suit and matching fascinator, while Letizia wears a dusky pink sheath dress with nude heels and matching hat; right, Zara Phillips in grey suit and dramatic hat



Top hats: Guests looked smart but formal in elaborate dress coats in shimmering brocade or deep jewel-toned velvet, worn with stunning hats and fascinators

Enlarge


Controversial: Sally Bercow, arriving at the Abbey with her husband John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, revealed her ample cleavage in a dangerously low-cut dress with above-the-knee skirt with splitWedding planners had managed to conjure up an intimate atmosphere within the immense Abbey, creating an extraordinary avenue of 20ft tall summer maple trees that contrasted with the austere slabs of stone and the incredible height of the building.
Stepping on to the 300ft-long red carpet running the length of the Abbey, the first of the 1,850 guests filed quietly into the majestic Abbey to take their place in the pews, a three hour wait ahead of them before the ceremony was to begin.
Amid the ever-growing crowd glimpses of vivid scarlet could be spotted as members of the Irish Guard, the regiment of which William is an honorary colonel, arrived wearing the red uniform which is said to be the one William has chosen to wear to say his vows.

More...
Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton
Sister-of-the-bride Pippa looks picture-perfect in elegant white Temperley gown
Now here's the showbiz royalty... Victoria goes for minimalistic navy for Royal Wedding while David looks sharp in black suit
ANNE SHOOTER: Wow, what a dress
Carole Middleton is every inch the Royal mother of the bride in sky blue dress after ditching specially-designed outfit at late minute
The Royal arrivals: The Queen leads the way in a bright yellow outfit as the Windsors arrive at Westminster Abbey

The last time the Irish Royal Guards suit was worn was in 1973 by Captain Mark Philips for his wedding to Princess Anne.
Hats appeared to be big news at the Abbey, with almost every female guest wearing either a hat or fascinator.
Doubtlessly this was partly as a mark of religious respect for the venue, but also thanks to the fact that Britain has two world class milliners in Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones, both favourite of the royals and their guests.

Hats have enjoyed something of a revival in the fashion crowd of late, and with Victoria Beckham setting the standard in her chic navy pillbox and Chelsy in her subtle grey lace fascinator, we can expect a cornucopia of colourful headgear to follow.






Tribute to Eva Peron? Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stood out in fitted lace-embellished suit and dramatic red feathered fascinator; right, Princess Anne chose an eccentric combination of floral jacket, purple dress and matching purple hat



Wardrobe malfunction: Poor Ffion Hague, pictured here with William, managed to injure her foot ahed of the wedding and was forced to arrive in a cast, which she matched to her dress




Chic: Samantha Cameron chose a vivid emerald sheath dress with elaborate pleats by British fashion house Burberry, with orange scarf, statement necklace and nude shoes - but the PM's wife left her head bare



Hat-free: PM David Cameron and wife Samantha, he in morning suit, she in a silk teal Burberry dress, accessorised with orange scarf and nude heels - noticeably lacking any form of headgear

More...
Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton
Sister-of-the-bride Pippa looks picture-perfect in elegant white Temperley gown
Now here's the showbiz royalty... Victoria goes for minimalistic navy for Royal Wedding while David looks sharp in black suit
ANNE SHOOTER: Wow, what a dress
Carole Middleton is every inch the Royal mother of the bride in sky blue dress after ditching specially-designed outfit at late minute
The Royal arrivals: The Queen leads the way in a bright yellow outfit as the Windsors arrive at Westminster Abbey



Plunging: Earl Spencer's daughter Kitty reveals perhaps more than she bargained for as the overhead camera angle captures her cleavage in her daringly low-cut Victoria Beckham dress



Hats off: Fancy headgear was the name of the game for female guests at Westminster Abbey today, with pillbox, wide-brimmed beribboned styles and dramatic feathered fascinators making an appearance



Dizzy heights: Pregnant Victoria Beckham wore skyscraper 6in heels customised for her with a large platform by Christian Louboutin


Looking Posh: David Beckham in Ralph Lauren morning suit and Victoria in a navy design from her own AW11 collection with a Philip Treacy pillbox hat



Majestic: Scenes inside Westminster Abbey reveal 20ft trees reaching up to the high vaulted roof of the Abbey


Arrivals: Guests file into the Abbey, including a member of the Irish Royal Guards wearing the distinctive red uniform William is to wear to say his vows

Chelsy Davy and SamCam duet in turquoise as they lead the way in a colourful parade of A-listers at Westminster Abbey

Parliament Square turned into a fashion parade this morning as the Royal wedding guests arrived at Westminster Abbey.
Dozens of colourfully dressed invitees joined the queue at the North door of the Abbey clutching their much-coveted tickets.
Bright colours and top-to-toe shades were the order of the day, as Westminster Abbey was lit up with vibrant tones of teal, coral, cobalt and pink.
Among the first to arrive was on-off girlfriend of Prince Harry, Chelsy Davy, who arrived at the Abbey wearing an aqua green Alberta Ferretti skirt and off-the-shoulder jacket with a bow at the back, one of two outfits she had made for her by the Italian design house for the day.



Vivid colours: Chelsy Davy wears a bright aqua Alberta Ferretti skirt and jacket with grey lace hat by Victoria Grant; right, Samantha Cameron chose a vivid teal sheath dress with elaborate pleats by Burberry worn with orange scarf, necklace by Erdem and nude shoes - but the PM's wife left her head bare
Her taupe lace hat was made for her by milliner Victoria Grant.
For the evening party, Miss Davy is said to have chosen an asymmetric midnight-blue satin gown.
Following closely behind - and in an almost identical tone to that of Chelsy - Samantha Cameron arrived on the PM's arm, hitting the right note with her vivid teal sheath dress with elaborate pleats, designed by British fashion house Burberry.
The demure shoulders, high slash-cut neckline and on-the-knee length perfectly followed protocol for a guest at the royal nuptials, as well as SamCam's position as so-called First Lady of Britain.
The PM's wife accessorised with a contrasting bright orange scarf, statement necklace and nude shoes - but in a move some will no doubt deem controversial, the PM's wife left her head bare.
She was closely followed by David and Victoria Beckham, he in a bespoke Ralph Lauren morning suit, she in a navy creation from her own collection, paired with a pillbox hat by Philip Treacy and Christian Louboutin shoes customised for her by the designer himself.




Colour-blocking: Tara Palmer Tomkinson was a vision in electric blue, with a Philip Treacy hat topping off a clinging sheath dress and studded platform shoes in the same colour; right, Joss Stone shines in vivid coral
Tara Palmer Tomkinson stunned onlookers with eye-catching blue outfit. Perhaps taking her lead from the Queen, who is known for her matching top-to-toe outfits, Ms Palmer Tomkinson wore an off-the-shoulder sheath dress with jaunty blue Philip Treacy hat decorated with a matching bloom, leather gloves and studded platform shoes, all in an identical shade.
Arriving at the same time, singer Joss Stone - a close friend of William - attended wearing an almost luminous coral sheath dress with matching cropped jacket, matching shoes and a broad-brimmed straw hat adorned with delicate flowers.
Carole Middleton arrived at 10.30am sharp, wearing a simple elegant outfit in sky blue by Catherine Walker. The figure-skimming shift dress was paired with a longer dress coat embellished with beautiful detail on the cuffs, very structured with a nipped in waistline emphasising her slim figure. The quintessentially British label was a favourite of the late Princess of Wales.
According to protocol, the mother of the bride is offered first choice of colour for her outift, followed by the Queen and then Camilla
Looking nervous as she entered the church, the mother-of-the bride stopped to shake hands with church dignitaries before beginning the long walk down the aisle.




Figure-skimming: Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria, arriving with husband Prince Daniel, also went for the colour-blocking trend in an orange wrap dress with matching platform shoes and a wide-brimmed hat



Top gear: Princesses Eugenie, left, and Beatrice, right, arrive at Westminster Abbey wearing elaborate hats, with Eugenie in bright blue suit and Beatrice in taupe Valentino Haute Couture and Philip Treacy hat




Pastels: Spain's Queen Sofia, left, hits the perfect note in lilac suit and matching fascinator, while Letizia wears a dusky pink sheath dress with nude heels and matching hat; right, Zara Phillips in grey suit and dramatic hat



Top hats: Guests looked smart but formal in elaborate dress coats in shimmering brocade or deep jewel-toned velvet, worn with stunning hats and fascinators

Enlarge


Controversial: Sally Bercow, arriving at the Abbey with her husband John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, revealed her ample cleavage in a dangerously low-cut dress with above-the-knee skirt with splitWedding planners had managed to conjure up an intimate atmosphere within the immense Abbey, creating an extraordinary avenue of 20ft tall summer maple trees that contrasted with the austere slabs of stone and the incredible height of the building.
Stepping on to the 300ft-long red carpet running the length of the Abbey, the first of the 1,850 guests filed quietly into the majestic Abbey to take their place in the pews, a three hour wait ahead of them before the ceremony was to begin.
Amid the ever-growing crowd glimpses of vivid scarlet could be spotted as members of the Irish Guard, the regiment of which William is an honorary colonel, arrived wearing the red uniform which is said to be the one William has chosen to wear to say his vows.

More...
Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton
Sister-of-the-bride Pippa looks picture-perfect in elegant white Temperley gown
Now here's the showbiz royalty... Victoria goes for minimalistic navy for Royal Wedding while David looks sharp in black suit
ANNE SHOOTER: Wow, what a dress
Carole Middleton is every inch the Royal mother of the bride in sky blue dress after ditching specially-designed outfit at late minute
The Royal arrivals: The Queen leads the way in a bright yellow outfit as the Windsors arrive at Westminster Abbey

The last time the Irish Royal Guards suit was worn was in 1973 by Captain Mark Philips for his wedding to Princess Anne.
Hats appeared to be big news at the Abbey, with almost every female guest wearing either a hat or fascinator.
Doubtlessly this was partly as a mark of religious respect for the venue, but also thanks to the fact that Britain has two world class milliners in Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones, both favourite of the royals and their guests.

Hats have enjoyed something of a revival in the fashion crowd of late, and with Victoria Beckham setting the standard in her chic navy pillbox and Chelsy in her subtle grey lace fascinator, we can expect a cornucopia of colourful headgear to follow.






Tribute to Eva Peron? Miriam Gonzalez Durantez, wife of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stood out in fitted lace-embellished suit and dramatic red feathered fascinator; right, Princess Anne chose an eccentric combination of floral jacket, purple dress and matching purple hat



Wardrobe malfunction: Poor Ffion Hague, pictured here with William, managed to injure her foot ahed of the wedding and was forced to arrive in a cast, which she matched to her dress




Chic: Samantha Cameron chose a vivid emerald sheath dress with elaborate pleats by British fashion house Burberry, with orange scarf, statement necklace and nude shoes - but the PM's wife left her head bare



Hat-free: PM David Cameron and wife Samantha, he in morning suit, she in a silk teal Burberry dress, accessorised with orange scarf and nude heels - noticeably lacking any form of headgear

More...
Here comes the McQueen: Kate Middleton marries her Prince in stunning design by Sarah Burton
Sister-of-the-bride Pippa looks picture-perfect in elegant white Temperley gown
Now here's the showbiz royalty... Victoria goes for minimalistic navy for Royal Wedding while David looks sharp in black suit
ANNE SHOOTER: Wow, what a dress
Carole Middleton is every inch the Royal mother of the bride in sky blue dress after ditching specially-designed outfit at late minute
The Royal arrivals: The Queen leads the way in a bright yellow outfit as the Windsors arrive at Westminster Abbey



Plunging: Earl Spencer's daughter Kitty reveals perhaps more than she bargained for as the overhead camera angle captures her cleavage in her daringly low-cut Victoria Beckham dress



Hats off: Fancy headgear was the name of the game for female guests at Westminster Abbey today, with pillbox, wide-brimmed beribboned styles and dramatic feathered fascinators making an appearance



Dizzy heights: Pregnant Victoria Beckham wore skyscraper 6in heels customised for her with a large platform by Christian Louboutin


Looking Posh: David Beckham in Ralph Lauren morning suit and Victoria in a navy design from her own AW11 collection with a Philip Treacy pillbox hat



Majestic: Scenes inside Westminster Abbey reveal 20ft trees reaching up to the high vaulted roof of the Abbey


Arrivals: Guests file into the Abbey, including a member of the Irish Royal Guards wearing the distinctive red uniform William is to wear to say his vows
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