Junior Rasmussen
Meghan Markle's wedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, has become an iconic piece in bridal fashion history. The gown, noted for its minimalist design, featured a boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a 16-foot veil. The dress is estimated to have cost between £110,000 and £387,000, or approximately $265,000, with the exact amount remaining undisclosed. The dress's simplicity was complemented by a long veil, hand-embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth and the California poppy, honouring Meghan's home state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding date | 19 May 2018 |
| Bride | Meghan Markle |
| Groom | Prince Harry |
| Wedding location | St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle |
| Wedding dress designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Wedding dress designer employer | Givenchy |
| Wedding dress style | Simple, white, silk, boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, 16-foot train, triple silk organza underskirt |
| Veil | 5-metre, hand-embroidered with flowers, sprays of wheat, and fabric from Markle's first date with Prince Harry |
| Veil length | 16 feet |
| Veil width | 3 metres |
| Number of fittings | 8 |
| Number of seams | 6 |
| Dress and veil creation time | 5 months |
| Veil design time | 3,900 hours |
| Dress cost | Estimated between £110,000 and £387,000 or $265,000 |
| Dress cost payer | Meghan Markle |
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What You'll Learn
Meghan Markle's wedding dress designer
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the first female artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent and admired the designer's "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour". The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to manufacture the dress and veil.
The gown was made of double-bonded silk cady with a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The dress featured a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and an open back. It was noted for its minimalist design, which included a simple silk crepe front and an absence of lace, embellishments, or embroidered details. The back of the dress was just as simple as the front and was covered by a 16-foot-long veil. The veil, also designed by Waight Keller, was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy, honouring Markle's home state. It was made from five-metre-long silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza.
The dress was estimated to cost between £110,000 and £387,000, or approximately $265,000, and was paid for by Markle herself, following royal tradition. The process required 3,900 hours of design for the veil, eight fittings, and five months of collaboration between the bride and the design team.
The choice of designer was indicative of Markle's commitment to empowering women through her global platform. In an interview, Markle commented that she wanted a female designer and a British designer to embrace her new home. She also noted that she wanted a dress that "felt reflective of the world". Waight Keller stated that the dress sought to "convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts" while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
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The dress's cost
Meghan Markle's wedding dress, designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, is estimated to have cost between £110,000 and £387,000. The exact amount remains undisclosed, but the bride reportedly paid for the dress herself. The gown was noted for its minimalist design, featuring a boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline. It was crafted from double-bonded silk cady, with a train and underskirt made of triple silk organza.
The high cost of the dress can be attributed to several factors, including the use of premium fabrics, handcrafted details, and the bespoke nature of the design. The veil alone required 3,900 hours of hand embroidery, adding significantly to the overall cost. The dress was also created in a short timeframe of just five months, requiring eight fittings to perfect.
The choice of designer was a significant aspect of the dress's cost. Markle chose Waight Keller not only for her elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour but also to highlight the success of a leading British talent. Waight Keller, as the creative head of globally influential fashion houses, brought a unique perspective to the royal wedding dress, blending timeless elegance with modern sensibilities.
The dress's simplicity and understated beauty made it an iconic piece in bridal fashion history, setting trends and inspiring brides-to-be worldwide. It diverged from traditional royal wedding styles, reflecting Markle's personal style and her desire to embrace her new British home while incorporating subtle nods to Hollywood and American royalty.
In conclusion, the cost of Meghan Markle's wedding dress was substantial, but it resulted in a timeless and elegant creation that captured the world's attention and solidified the dress's place in fashion history.
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The veil's design and cost
The veil was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy and the first woman to hold the position. The veil was made from silk tulle and featured a variety of flowers embroidered in silk and organza, representing the distinctive flora of each of the 53 Commonwealth countries. The veil also included Meghan Markle's two personal favourite flowers: wintersweet, which grows outside Nottingham Cottage where she and Prince Harry lived, and the California poppy, the state flower of her birthplace. In addition, crops of wheat were delicately embroidered at the front of the veil to symbolise love and charity.
The veil was 5 metres (16 feet) long and 3 metres wide. It took 3,900 hours to design and embroider, with the embroiderers spending 500 hours completing it and washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure the veil remained pristine. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself.
The cost of the veil is unknown, but the entire wedding dress is estimated to have cost $265,000.
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$21.07 $22.43
The dress's style and inspiration
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and is estimated to have cost between £110,000 and £387,000. The exact amount remains undisclosed, but the bride personally paid for the dress, as is royal tradition.
The dress was crafted from double-bonded silk cady, with an underskirt made of triple silk organza. It featured a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train. The simplicity of the dress was a departure from previous royal looks and was inspired by Markle's affinity for Audrey Hepburn and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. The designer revealed that Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress from the 1957 movie "Funny Face" inspired the off-the-shoulder neckline. Markle, a long-time admirer of Bessette-Kennedy's style, had also commented that she preferred simple styles for wedding dresses.
The dress also incorporated Markle's "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." It included fabric from Diana's wedding gown ("something old"), a piece of the blue dress from her first date with Prince Harry ("something blue"), and the Queen's tiara ("something borrowed"). Markle's bracelet and earrings served as her "something new."
The veil, which was 16 feet long according to some sources and 25 feet long according to others, was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, the California poppy in honour of Markle's home state, and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The embroidery on the veil took 3,900 hours to complete.
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The dress's reception
Meghan Markle's wedding reception dress was a custom Stella McCartney gown. The dress featured a high halter neckline, a sexier silhouette, and a piece-y updo hairstyle. The dress was worn at an exclusive party hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House for 185 guests. The reception dress generated so much attention that a month later, the label produced an evening gown collection called "Made With Love" that included a limited-edition piece resembling Meghan Markle's reception dress.
The exact cost of the reception dress is unknown, but the wedding dress is estimated to have cost between £110,000 and £387,000. The gown was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy and was crafted from double-bonded silk cady, with an underskirt made of triple silk organza. The simplicity of the wedding dress was complemented by a 16-foot cathedral veil, which was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy, honouring Meghan's home state. The veil required 3,900 hours of hand embroidery work, adding to the overall cost.
The reception dress was a stark departure from the wedding gown, with a sexier and more revealing style. The exact cost of the reception dress is not known, but it is likely that it was also a significant expense, given the custom nature of the gown and the use of high-quality materials.
The "Meghan Markle" reception dress style has inspired many brides-to-be, with some opting for the Jenny Yoo “Dawson” as a more affordable alternative. The ready-to-wear version of Meghan's Stella McCartney gown was also released for £3,500, providing an option for those who wanted to channel the royal's elegant style without the bespoke price tag.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle's wedding dress is estimated to have cost between £110,000 and £387,000. The exact amount remains undisclosed.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was made of pure white silk cady with a boat neckline and three-quarter-length sleeves. The dress was noted for its minimalist design, without any lace, embroidery, or other embellishments.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was inspired by Audrey Hepburn's iconic Givenchy dress from the 1957 movie *Funny Face*. The designer also noted that the dress was influenced by Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy's surprise choice of a simple wedding gown in 1996.
