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Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, with a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline. The gown was kept a closely guarded secret until the bride arrived at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the ceremony. The dress code for guests at the wedding specified day dresses and hats for women, and uniforms, morning coats, or lounge suits for men.
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What You'll Learn
Meghan's wedding dress designer
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for French luxury house Givenchy. Markle chose Waight Keller because she wanted to highlight the success of a leading British talent who had served as the creative head of three globally influential fashion houses: Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and Givenchy. She also chose the designer for her elegant aesthetic and relaxed demeanour.
Waight Keller helped develop a double-bonded silk cady for the construction of the dress, which featured only six seams. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments. It had three-quarter-length sleeves, an open bateau or boat neckline, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers. There were only five months to have the dress and the veil manufactured, and Waight Keller and Markle met for eight fittings.
Markle's 16.5-foot silk tulle veil featured embroidered flowers representing the distinctive flora of all 53 Commonwealth countries. It also included wintersweet, which grows on the grounds of Kensington Palace, and the California poppy, the state flower of California where Meghan grew up. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, with a team of embroiderers spending 500 hours to complete it, washing their hands every 30 minutes to ensure that the veil remained immaculate until the wedding day.
Following the ceremony, the Duchess of Sussex wore a second wedding dress: a stunning Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown, which she wore to the evening royal reception hosted by King Charles III at Frogmore House.
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Meghan's wedding dress style
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, with a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline. The dress was also relatively simple, without any lace, embellishments, or embroidered details. The veil, which was designed to represent the flora of each Commonwealth country, was made of silk tulle and featured hand-embroidered flowers and symbolic sprays of wheat. It took over 500 hours to complete.
The design of the dress was kept a closely guarded secret until the wedding day, with only a small team aware of all the details. Waight Keller was chosen by Markle for her "elegant aesthetic" and "relaxed demeanour", as well as her commitment to empowering women as the first female artistic director of the historic fashion house. The dress was also inspired by Markle's affinity for Audrey Hepburn and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, both of whom are known for their simple and timeless style.
Markle's wedding dress was met with mixed reactions from the public, with some praising its timeless and elegant design, while others compared it unfavourably to other royal wedding dresses, such as that of Catherine, Princess of Wales. However, the dress has undoubtedly left its mark on bridal fashion, with many brides-to-be still drawing inspiration from it years later.
In addition to her Givenchy gown, Markle also wore a Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown to the evening reception. This dress, too, was praised for its modern and refined glamour, further solidifying Markle's influence on bridal fashion trends.
The dress code for the wedding guests was strictly by the book, with women asked to wear day dresses and hats, and men in uniforms, morning coats, or lounge suits.
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Meghan's wedding veil
Meghan Markle's wedding veil was designed by Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The veil was 16 feet long and made of silk tulle. It featured hand-embroidered flowers from each of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth, as well as wheat, which symbolises love and charity. The veil took longer to create than the dress itself, with a team of embroiderers spending over 500 hours to complete it. They washed their hands every 30 minutes to ensure the veil remained immaculate.
The flowers on the veil included the California poppy, in honour of Markle's home state of California, and wintersweet, which grows at Kensington Palace, where she and Harry lived before their wedding. Markle also chose to include a piece of the blue dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry in the veil.
The veil was secured by the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, lent to Meghan by Queen Elizabeth. The diamond bandeau was made in 1932, with a centre brooch dating from 1893. The bandeau, made of diamonds and platinum, featured a flexible band of 11 sections, interlaced with ovals and pavé-set with large and small brilliant diamonds. The centrepiece was a detachable brooch of 10 brilliant diamonds.
The length of the veil was reminiscent of Princess Diana's veil, designed by Elizabeth Emanuel, during her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. The veil's length and the tiara's previous owner, Queen Mary, seemed to be Markle's "something borrowed".
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Meghan's wedding accessories
Meghan Markle's wedding dress and accessories were kept a closely guarded secret until her wedding day on 19 May 2018. The dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the then-creative director of French luxury house Givenchy.
Markle's wedding accessories included the Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara, which was a wedding gift to Queen Mary from the County of Lincoln in 1893. The tiara features a ten-diamond brooch. Markle also wore Galanterie de Cartier earrings and white Aquazzura heels.
For her second wedding dress of the day, a Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown, Markle again wore the Aquazzura heels.
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Meghan's wedding reception dress
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made of silk with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was kept a closely guarded secret until the wedding day, with only a small team aware of the details.
For her reception, Meghan Markle surprised everyone by changing into a Stella McCartney high-neck, halter-neck sheath gown. The dress brought a modern touch to traditional royal aesthetics with its high halter neckline and sleeveless, slinky silhouette. It was a playful and relaxed look for the Duchess of Sussex, who had become known for her minimalist and classic style.
Markle's wedding dress and veil were designed by Waight Keller, who is the first female artistic director of Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to manufacture it. The veil, which featured flowers representing the countries of the Commonwealth and Markle's home state of California, took longer to create than the dress itself, with embroiderers spending 500 hours to complete it.
The choice of Waight Keller as the designer was unexpected, as royal brides traditionally opted for British brands. However, Markle chose Waight Keller as part of her commitment to empowering women through her global platform. The designer described the collaboration as "an honour," stating that they wanted to create a timeless piece that emphasised the iconic codes of Givenchy while conveying modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts.
Markle's wedding dress and reception gown are two of the most talked-about looks in royal fashion history, with the Duchess of Sussex's style continuing to inspire brides-to-be worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
The dress code for Meghan Markle's wedding to Prince Harry was formal attire. Women were expected to wear day dresses and hats, while men wore uniforms, morning coats, or lounge suits.
Meghan Markle wore a simple, white silk wedding dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. The dress had an open boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt.
It is likely that Prince Harry wore a military uniform, as is tradition for men in the military.
