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Grace Kelly, an American actress, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in a glamorous ceremony at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral on April 19, 1956. Her wedding dress, designed by Helen Rose, is considered one of the most elegant and iconic bridal gowns of all time. Grace Kelly was buried on September 18, 1982, but it is unclear if she was buried in her wedding dress. This paragraph introduces the topic and hints at the mystery surrounding Grace Kelly's burial attire, leaving room for further exploration and analysis.
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What You'll Learn
Grace Kelly's wedding dress design and designer
Grace Kelly's wedding dress, worn during her wedding to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, on April 19, 1956, is considered one of the most elegant and memorable bridal gowns of all time. The dress, designed by Helen Rose, is described as a symbol of "the marital fervor" and has influenced many brides, including Catherine Middleton, who drew inspiration from it for her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
Helen Rose, the costume designer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, worked closely with Grace Kelly to create an elegant and timeless wedding gown. The dress was a gift from MGM Studios, where Kelly was still under contract at the time. The gown was handmade by Rose and 30 seamstresses in MGM's studio ateliers, using fine materials such as silk, taffeta, tulle, and lace. It featured a high-collared neckline, long sleeves, a bell-shaped skirt, and hand-sewn seed pearls. The dress consisted of a bodice with an attached under-bodice and skirt support, with two petticoats, one being an attached foundation.
The wedding attire included a headdress, veil, and shoes. Instead of a tiara, Grace Kelly chose to wear a Juliet cap embellished with pearls, wax orange blossoms, and floral lace motifs. The cap featured the same Belgian lace used on her dress and held her veil in place. The veil, made of tulle, was chosen to keep her face visible to the 600 guests and millions watching live. It was stitched at the edges to showcase two lovebirds.
Grace Kelly's wedding shoes were designed by David Evins and featured rounded toes, lace motifs, and a rosette accented with pearls and clear glass beads. A copper penny was encased in the right shoe for good luck, a tradition followed by many brides. The overall cost of the materials and manufacturing of the dress was indicated as US$7,266.68, excluding the designer's fee.
For the civil ceremony, which was held on April 18, 1956, Grace Kelly wore a separate dress designed by Helen Rose. This dress was made of taffeta, pale pink in color, and covered with cream-colored Alençon lace. It featured a fitted bodice with a high rounded collar and a flared skirt. This ensemble was designed to be more understated, as the civil ceremony was a more low-key event compared to the religious wedding.
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The civil ceremony and religious ceremony
Grace Kelly's marriage to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, involved two separate functions: a civil ceremony and a religious ceremony held on successive days.
The Civil Ceremony
The civil ceremony took place on 18 April 1956 in the baroque throne room of the palace. Grace Kelly wore a pale pink dress made of taffeta and covered by cream-coloured Alençon lace. The dress was designed by Helen Rose, a costume designer in the wardrobe department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, as a fitted bodice with a high rounded collar and a flared skirt. The outfit was a wedding gift to Kelly from MGM, which was customary for the studio to provide their actresses with bridal gowns. The civil ceremony was not televised and was a more low-key affair compared to the religious ceremony the following day.
The Religious Ceremony
The formal religious wedding ceremony was held on 19 April 1956 at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate or Saint Nicholas Cathedral. The Pontifical High Mass was conducted by the Bishop of Monaco, Bishop Gilles Barthe. Grace Kelly wore a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt, also designed by Helen Rose. The dress was made of 25 yards of silk taffeta, 100 yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle, and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace. The total cost of the dress was estimated to be $60,000. The Juliet cap that she wore was bejewelled with seed pearls and orange blossoms, and the tulle veil measured 90 yards. She carried a small bouquet of lilies of the valley and a Bible, which was a common tradition for many religious brides at the time. The religious ceremony was broadcast live by MGM Studios to over 30 million viewers worldwide.
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The wedding dress's influence and legacy
Grace Kelly's wedding dress is considered one of the most elegant and iconic bridal gowns of all time. It has been described as a symbol of "the marital fervor" and has been a major influence on women who have strived to emulate its design. The dress was a gift from MGM Studios, where Kelly was the most famous star at the time, and it was handmade by the studio's wardrobe department using ivory faille and yards of silk, taffeta, net, and tulle. The gown featured a high-collared neckline, long sleeves, a bell-shaped skirt, and hand-sewn pearls. It took a team of seamstresses and dressmakers several weeks to create.
The dress has had a lasting influence and legacy, with many celebrities recreating the look or drawing inspiration from it for their own weddings. These include Israeli singer Maya Bouskilla, who wore a similar copy of the dress for her wedding in 2011, and Australian model Miranda Kerr, whose wedding dress in 2017 was inspired by Kelly's gown. In 2021, American socialite Paris Hilton wore an Oscar de la Renta wedding dress inspired by Kelly's gown. Additionally, the wedding dress of Catherine Middleton when she married Prince William in 2011 was said to have been inspired by Kelly's dress.
The gown has been displayed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which currently owns it, and has been the subject of exhibitions and retrospectives worldwide. It was featured in an exhibition titled "Fit for a Princess: Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2006 to mark the 50th anniversary of her marriage. A retrospective of her wardrobe, including the wedding dress, was held at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in 2010 and continued in Australia at the Bendigo Art Gallery in 2012. The gown has also been referenced in popular culture, such as in Brenda Janowitz's novel "The Grace Kelly Dress" (2020), which explores the influence of the dress over 60 years.
Grace Kelly's wedding dress has become a timeless symbol of elegance and style, inspiring brides and designers for generations. Its intricate design, luxurious fabrics, and timeless silhouette have secured its place in bridal history, solidifying Kelly's status as a fashion icon and leaving a lasting legacy in the world of weddings and beyond.
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Grace Kelly's burial
Grace Kelly, the American actress who became Princess of Monaco, was buried in the Grimaldi family vault in Monaco-Ville on September 18, 1982. Over 400 people attended her funeral, including Cary Grant, Nancy Reagan, Danielle Mitterrand, Empress Farah of Iran, and Diana, Princess of Wales. Unfortunately, Princess Stéphanie, Grace's daughter, was unable to attend due to a light concussion and a hairline cervical vertebra fracture she suffered in an accident.
Grace Kelly's iconic wedding dress, worn during her marriage to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, is regarded as one of the most elegant and memorable bridal gowns of all time. The dress, designed by Helen Rose of MGM, consisted of a bodice with an attached under-bodice and skirt support, two petticoats, and a full skirt. The wedding attire included a bejeweled Juliet cap, a 90-yard tulle veil, custom 2.5-inch heels, and a lace- and pearl-encrusted prayer book.
The dress was made of 25 yards of silk taffeta and 100 yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle, and 125-year-old Brussels rose point lace. It featured a high-collared neckline with a front button, long sleeves, and a bell-shaped skirt adorned with hand-sewn seed pearls. The gown was a gift from MGM Studios, where Grace was still working at the time of her wedding, and it took a team of seamstresses 500 hours to create.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which owns the dress, displayed it from April 1 to May 21, 2006, in honour of the 50th anniversary of Grace Kelly's wedding. The exhibition was titled "Fit for a Princess: Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress," and it drew a large crowd, with many considering it the museum's most popular exhibit at the time. The museum has also displayed Grace Kelly's iconic wedding gown since 1956 and is currently the only place to see it.
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Grace Kelly's life and career
Grace Patricia Kelly, born on November 12, 1929, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American actress, fashion icon, and Princess of Monaco. Kelly rose to fame as a leading Hollywood actress in the early to mid-1950s, starring in several significant films. She was known for her elegant style and natural beauty, with little makeup, a look that came to be known as "fresh faced". She promoted Old Gold cigarettes and appeared on the covers of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Redbook. She also modelled with her mother and sister.
Kelly made her film debut in 1951 with a minor role in Henry Hathaway's "Fourteen Hours", and soon gained stardom with her roles in "High Noon" (1952), "Mogambo" (1953), and "Dial M for Murder". She also starred in Alfred Hitchcock films "Rear Window", "To Catch a Thief", and "The Country Girl", for which she won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1955. Kelly received three Golden Globe Awards in total and was ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's 25 Greatest Female Stars list.
In 1956, Kelly married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and became Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco. She retired from acting to embrace her new role and to raise her three children: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stéphanie. As princess, Grace dedicated her time to cultural and charitable causes, focusing on health, education, and the arts. She was an active member of the Red Cross and established the Princess Grace Foundation to support emerging talent in theatre, dance, and film.
Grace Kelly died on September 14, 1982, at the age of 52, in a car accident in Monaco. Her legacy as a style, beauty, and grace icon continues to inspire people worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Grace Kelly was buried in the Grimaldi family vault in a burial dress.
Grace Kelly's wedding dress was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt. It was made of 25 yards of silk taffeta and 125 yards of netting, and featured a fitted bodice, full skirt, and long train. The gown was accented with pearls and satin roses.
Grace Kelly's wedding dress was designed by Helen Rose, the costume designer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM).
Grace Kelly's wedding dress is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
