George Boyle
Princess Diana's wedding dress is one of the most iconic bridal looks of all time. The ivory silk taffeta gown was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel and featured a 25-foot train, the longest in royal wedding history. The dress was intricately embroidered with sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls, and valued at an estimated $115,000. The Emanuels went to great lengths to keep the design a secret until the big day, and even created a second, backup dress in case the original was leaked to the press.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Silk, Taffeta |
| Colour | Ivory |
| Embellishments | Sequins, Frilled lace, 10,000 pearls |
| Length | 25-foot train |
| Veil | 153-yard tulle veil |
| Shoes | Ivory silk slippers |
| Bouquet | Gardenias, lilies-of-the-valley, white freesia, golden roses, white orchids, and stephanotis |
| Something old | Antique lace from Queen Mary |
| Something blue | Blue bow inside the bodice |
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What You'll Learn
The dress was made from ivory silk taffeta and antique lace
Princess Diana's wedding dress was an ivory taffeta gown with antique lace. The dress was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The Emanuels were the only people who knew about Princess Diana's dress, and they helped conceptualize the design of her veil. The veil featured tiny mother-of-pearl sequins that sparkled as Diana walked down the aisle. The same sequins were used on the gown itself. The dress was valued at an estimated $115,000.
The silk taffeta gown was intricately embroidered with sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls. The antique lace on the gown was Princess Diana's "something old." It featured a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary. The fabric was specially spun at a British silk farm. The dress was kept a closely guarded secret until its dramatic unveiling at the royal ceremony.
The dress was voluminous, with a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, and a voluminous skirt. The gown also featured a record-breaking 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil. The train and veil were the longest ever worn at a royal wedding. The dress was so voluminous that Princess Diana had to be stuffed into her carriage on the way to St. Paul's Cathedral. The excessive amount of fabric caused wrinkles on the dress.
The Emanuels designed a matching parasol and an umbrella with matching pearls and lace embroidery in case of rain. They also created a second, backup wedding gown in case the original design was leaked to the press. The alternate dress was also an ivory silk taffeta gown with ruffles around the neck but without the signature lace.
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It featured an 18-karat gold horseshoe for good fortune
Princess Diana's wedding dress was an ivory taffeta gown with intricate embroidery of sequins, frilled lace, and 10,000 pearls. The silk taffeta dress was specially woven and dyed ivory, featuring a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, and a voluminous skirt. The dress was designed by the husband-and-wife duo, David and Elizabeth Emanuel. The gown also featured a dramatic 25-foot train, the longest in royal wedding history, and a 153-yard tulle veil.
The dress incorporated several traditional elements, including a "something old" in the form of antique lace from Queen Mary, a "something blue" in the form of a small blue bow sewn into the waistband, and a hidden good luck charm: an 18-karat gold horseshoe studded with white diamonds. This horseshoe was likely included as a nod to the traditional good fortune associated with horseshoes, wishing the new couple luck in their marriage.
The dress was kept a closely guarded secret until the wedding day, with the designers taking precautions to ensure the dress remained a surprise. The Emanuels even designed a backup dress in case the original design was leaked to the press or in case something happened to the first dress. The backup gown was also an ivory silk taffeta creation with ruffles but lacked the signature lace of the original.
The attention to detail in Princess Diana's wedding dress extended beyond the fabric and design. Even her shoes were specially crafted: ivory silk slippers adorned with 542 sequins and 132 pearls, featuring hand-painted soles with the initials 'C' and 'D' for Charles and Diana.
Princess Diana's wedding ensemble has gone down in history as one of the most iconic and trendsetting bridal looks of all time, sparking multiple copycat dresses and influencing bridal trends in the early 1980s and beyond.
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The gown was embroidered with 10,000 pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins
Princess Diana's wedding dress was an ivory taffeta gown with intricate embroidery. The dress was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel and is valued at an estimated $115,000. The gown was embroidered with 10,000 pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins, creating a stunning and luxurious effect. The dress was designed to be theatrical and dramatic, and it certainly lived up to that vision. The use of pearls and sequins added a touch of sparkle and glamour to the gown, making it truly fit for a princess.
The pearls and sequins were carefully hand-embroidered onto the silk taffeta fabric, creating a delicate and intricate pattern. The mother-of-pearl sequins were almost transparent, allowing only the sparkles of light to be visible, resembling fairy dust. This effect was specifically requested by Elizabeth Emanuel, who wanted the tiny sequins to appear scattered on the fabric. The same sequins were also used on the veil, so it sparkled as Diana walked down the aisle. The combination of the shimmering sequins and lustrous pearls created a breathtakingly beautiful and regal look.
The pearls used in the embroidery were likely of very high quality, adding to the value and opulence of the gown. The mother-of-pearl sequins, on the other hand, provided a unique and subtle sparkle that complemented the pearls perfectly. The intricate embroidery work required a great deal of skill and attention to detail, and it is reported that the designers went to great lengths to keep the design a secret until the big reveal on the wedding day.
The dress also featured antique lace, adding a traditional and elegant touch to the overall design. The lace was sourced from a British silk farm and included a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary. This lace was used as Princess Diana's "`something old," incorporating a sentimental and historical element into the gown. The combination of the intricate embroidery, luxurious fabrics, and antique lace created a wedding dress that was not only visually stunning but also carried a sense of depth and meaning.
The gown's embroidery, with its 10,000 pearls and mother-of-pearl sequins, played a significant role in the overall impact of Princess Diana's wedding dress. The attention to detail, skilled craftsmanship, and thoughtful incorporation of traditional elements contributed to the dress's iconic status. The use of pearls and sequins added a touch of royalty and glamour, making the gown one of the most memorable and influential bridal looks of all time. The dress not only represented the style and grandeur of the time but also set a new standard for royal wedding dresses, inspiring and influencing bridal fashion for years to come.
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It had a 25-foot train, the longest ever for a royal wedding
Princess Diana's wedding dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-foot train and a cathedral-length veil. The train was the longest ever seen at a royal wedding, and the veil was 153 yards long. The dress was designed by husband-and-wife team David and Elizabeth Emanuel and was valued at an estimated $115,000.
The dress was a closely guarded secret until the wedding day, and the Emanuels went to great lengths to keep the design under wraps. They even installed a safe to keep fabric swatches and designs secure. The attention and intrigue surrounding the dress were so intense that the Emanuels created a second, backup gown in case the original design was leaked to the press. This alternate dress was also made of ivory silk taffeta, with ruffles around the neck, but it lacked the signature lace of the main dress.
The excessive amount of fabric in Princess Diana's wedding dress made it difficult for her to fit into the carriage that took her to St. Paul's Cathedral for the ceremony. The wrinkling of the fabric was caused by folding it over multiple times to fit Diana into the carriage. The dress's lengthy train also required a final fitting at Buckingham Palace, as the showroom was too small to accommodate it. Elizabeth Emanuel recalled that they had to wait until they could use one of the palace's corridors to unroll the 25-foot train.
The silk taffeta fabric of the dress was specially woven and dyed ivory, and the dress featured a ruffled collar, puffed sleeves, and a voluminous skirt. The antique lace on the gown was "something old," and it included a square of Carrickmacross lace that once belonged to Queen Mary. A small blue bow was sewn into the waistband as "something blue," and Princess Diana also included an 18-carat gold horseshoe trinket studded with white diamonds as a hidden good luck charm.
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The dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel
Princess Diana's wedding dress was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel, a husband-and-wife team at the time. The Emanuels' design studio was under much scrutiny following the announcement that they would be in charge of Princess Diana's dress. They went to great lengths to keep the details of the gown a secret, even installing a safe to keep designs and fabric swatches.
The Emanuels were inspired by the grandeur and rich heritage of the monarchy in their previous bridal designs. The gown was made of ivory silk taffeta and antique lace, with 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls, and a 25-foot train. The antique lace was "something old" and was made with fabric specially spun at a British silk farm. A small blue bow was sewn into the waistband, and Diana wore the Spencer family tiara, an 18th-century heirloom, to complete the "something blue" tradition.
The dress was valued at an estimated $115,000 and has been described as awe-inspiring, trendsetting, and iconic. The Emanuels experienced global fame as a result of the dress, with Elizabeth telling People, "We could hear the people outside cheering. Everybody was happy and smiling. It really was a fairy-tale wedding."
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Frequently asked questions
The dress was made of ivory silk taffeta and featured antique lace.
The dress was a ball gown with a ruffled neckline, puffed sleeves, and a 25-foot train. It was hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls.
The dress was designed by the husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel.
Yes, a backup dress was created in case the original design was leaked to the press. The backup dress was also made of pale ivory silk taffeta and featured embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves, with tiny pearls sewn onto the bodice.
Princess Diana included antique lace from Queen Mary's gown as her "something old."
