Deborah Chan
Princess Kate wore two wedding dresses on her wedding day. Her main wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The dress featured a lace bodice and long lace sleeves, with a train stretching nearly 9 feet long. The dress was carefully crafted, with seamstresses washing their hands every 30 minutes to protect the pristine lace and threads. Princess Kate's second dress, also designed by Sarah Burton, was a strapless white satin gown with a diamante belt, worn at the intimate evening reception at Buckingham Palace.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of wedding dresses | Two |
| Designer of the wedding dresses | Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen |
| Length of the train | 2 meters and 70 centimeters (almost 9 feet) |
| Number of gazar and organza-covered buttons | 58 |
| Bouquet | Lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, hyacinth, ivy, and myrtle |
| "Something Blue" | Blue ribbon sewn into the interior of the dress |
| Second wedding dress | Strapless white satin gown with a diamante belt |
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What You'll Learn
Kate Middleton wore two dresses on her wedding day
Kate Middleton wore not one, but two dresses on her wedding day. The first, which she wore for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, was an Alexander McQueen gown designed by Sarah Burton. The dress featured a lace bodice and sleeves, a fitted V-neck, and a dramatic 8-foot-9-inch train. The gown was crafted using traditional techniques, including the 19th-century Carrickmacross lace-making method.
The second dress, worn by the Duchess of Cambridge for the evening reception at Buckingham Palace, was also designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. This dress was made of smooth ivory satin and featured a strapless, sweetheart neckline, a circle skirt, and a diamante belt that accentuated Middleton's slim waist.
The two dresses were quite different in style, with the first being a long-sleeved lace gown and the second a strapless satin design. However, both dresses showcased the beauty of craftsmanship and the combination of tradition and modernity that Middleton wanted for her wedding day look.
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Her main gown was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Princess Kate's main wedding gown was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The dress was a combination of "tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterizes Alexander McQueen's work", according to the Palace. The gown featured a bodice inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry, with a slight padding below the midsection and a narrowing at the waist. The bottom of the dress was designed to resemble an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats that created a train measuring 2.7 metres or almost 9 feet long. The lace appliqué bodice was decorated with 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons, fastened by Rouleau loops. The dress also included a "something blue" sewn into its interior—a blue ribbon.
The choice of designer was not publicly known until the morning of the wedding on 29 April 2011. In a statement, the Palace explained that Princess Kate had chosen the British designer and fashion house for their "beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing".
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The gown's bodice was inspired by Victorian corsetry
Princess Kate wore two wedding dresses on her wedding day. The first, which she wore to the ceremony, was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The gown's bodice was inspired by Victorian corsetry, with a narrowed waist and slight padding below the midsection. This style is a trademark of Alexander McQueen, with the V-neck-lined bodice and long sleeves paying homage to McQueen's fascination with Victorian corsetry.
The Palace described the bodice as follows: "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 bodice featured 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons, each fastened by Rouleau loops. The gown's skirt was designed to echo an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats that pooled into a train measuring nearly nine feet long.
The second dress, worn to the evening reception at Buckingham Palace, was also designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. This dress was made of smooth ivory satin and featured a sweetheart neckline, a circle skirt, and a diamante belt that accentuated Middleton's slim waist.
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The gown's train was nearly 9 feet long
Princess Kate's wedding gown was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The gown's train, which stretched nearly 9 feet behind her as she walked down the aisle, was designed to echo an opening flower. To achieve this, Burton used white satin gazar arches and pleats, which pooled into a train measuring 2 meters and 70 centimeters. The train was appliquéd using Ireland's 19th-century Carrickmacross lace-making technique.
The gown's nearly 9-foot-long train made for a dramatic entrance into Westminster Abbey. However, it was relatively short compared to her mother-in-law Princess Diana's train, which measured 25 feet in length. The train was so long that it had to be folded like a bedsheet to fit inside her carriage.
The details of Princess Kate's train are exquisite. The dress featured 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons on the back, each fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt was fully fleshed out with silk tulle, which helped give the gown its shape.
The gown's bodice was inspired by the Victorian tradition of corsetry, with a slight padding below the midsection and a narrowed waist. This style is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen's designs. Princess Kate's wedding gown quickly joined the ranks of the most famous royal wedding dresses in history.
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The gown included a 'something blue' sewn inside
Princess Kate wore two wedding dresses on her big day. The first, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, featured a nearly nine-foot-long train, a lace bodice, and long lace sleeves. The gown also included a "something blue" sewn inside—a blue ribbon that served as a nod to the age-old wedding tradition.
The second dress, also designed by Sarah Burton, was a white strapless satin gown with a diamante belt and a sweetheart neckline. This dress was worn at the evening wedding reception, which was held at Buckingham Palace.
The wedding, which took place on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey, was a highly anticipated event that captured the world's attention. Princess Kate's gown, in particular, has since become one of the most famous royal wedding dresses in history.
The intricate details of the dress were carefully crafted by a team of seamstresses. To protect the pristine lace and threads, the team washed their hands every 30 minutes and renewed their needles every few hours to ensure they were sharp and clean. The gown's skirt was designed to echo an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The lace appliqué bodice was adorned with 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons, each fastened by Rouleau loops.
The gown also featured an impressive nearly nine-foot-long train, which, though lengthy, was shorter than her mother-in-law Princess Diana's train, which measured 25 feet. Princess Kate's train was appliquéd using Ireland's 19th-century Carrickmacross lace-making technique.
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Frequently asked questions
Princess Kate wore two wedding dresses. Her first dress was a fitted white V-neck gown with a long-sleeved lace overlay, and her second was a strapless satin gown with a diamante belt.
Both of Princess Kate's dresses were designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen.
Princess Kate's wedding dress accessories included the Cartier Halo tiara, which was lent to her by Queen Elizabeth, and a veil of soft, ivory silk tulle.
