George Boyle
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and featured an open bateau neckline, long sleeves, and a 16-foot silk train. Markle's veil was also a topic of discussion, as it was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The dress received mixed reviews, with some praising its simplicity and elegance, while others found it boring and ill-fitting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Wedding | 19 May 2018 |
| Bride | Meghan Markle |
| Groom | Prince Harry |
| Wedding Dress Designer | Clare Waight Keller |
| Wedding Dress Style | Simple, modern, elegant, with an open bateau neckline, long sleeves, and a 16-foot silk train |
| Veil | Embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, California poppy, and wintersweet |
| Wedding Location | St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, England |
| Bride's Residence Before Wedding | Cliveden House Hotel |
| Number of Guests | 600 |
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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 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, and there were eight fittings.
The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady, with a bateau neckline, structured three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sculpted waistline that fell into a train made of triple silk organza. The gown was off-the-shoulder and featured an open boat neckline, which was on the risqué side of conservative for the buttoned-up Windsors. The dress was also described as having a timeless minimal elegance, with sleek lines and sharp cuts that paid homage to the history of the Givenchy house.
The veil was 16 feet long and made of silk tulle, with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza. The flowers represented the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, along with the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also included a piece of the blue dress that Markle wore on her first date with Prince Harry.
The dress received mixed reviews from the public. Some described it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others called it "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". Critics noted that the silk cady fabric would have been difficult to move in if the dress had been more form-fitting. However, Elizabeth Emanuel, co-designer of Princess Diana's wedding gown, thought that Waight Keller "should be pleased because Meghan looked absolutely stunning and beautiful."
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The dress's modern design
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers. Waight Keller and Markle worked closely together on the design, which they kept a closely guarded secret. The dress was made with double-bonded silk cady, featuring an open bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt. The dress was without lace or any other embellishments, featuring only six seams. The silk cady fabric was chosen to convey modernity through sleek lines and sharp cuts, while paying homage to the history of the Givenchy house. The dress was also designed to be timeless, with a classic silhouette reminiscent of past princesses and duchesses, allowing the focus to be on the bride rather than the details of the dress.
The veil, perhaps the most striking element of the ensemble, was 5 metres (16 feet) long and 3 metres wide. It took longer to create than the dress itself, with embroiderers spending 500 hours completing it. The veil featured a variety of hand-embroidered flowers on its hem, including the California poppy, in honour of Markle's home state, and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. The veil also featured symbolic sprays of wheat and flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, reflecting the couple's interest in the work of the Commonwealth. A piece of the blue dress from Markle's first date with Prince Harry was also stitched into the veil.
The dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some describing it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others called it "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". Critics noted that the silk cady fabric would have been difficult to move in if the dress had been more form-fitting, and mocked the veil's style and length, creating an internet meme comparing it to a CVS receipt. However, Meghan's choice of designer was praised, with commentators noting that the dress made a solid fashion statement and highlighted the success of a leading British talent.
For the evening royal reception, Meghan wore a second wedding dress: a stunning Stella McCartney halter-neck sheath gown with a high halter neckline and sans sleeves. This ensemble was wholly modern and totally Meghan, with McCartney's design house promoting eco-friendly fashion, vegan leathers, and sustainability, all values aligned with the philanthropic Duchess of Sussex.
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The veil's embroidered flowers
The veil worn by Meghan Markle at her wedding to Prince Harry on 19 May 2018 was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy. The veil was 16 feet long and featured intricate embroidery. It was designed with input from Meghan, who chose to include flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, reflecting the couple's interest in the work of the Commonwealth. Meghan also included crops of wheat to symbolise love and charity.
In addition to the Commonwealth flora, Meghan chose to include two of her favourite flowers: wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which grows outside Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, where she and Harry lived, and the California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), from her birthplace of California.
The veil was held in place by a glittering diamond art deco tiara, lent to Meghan for the occasion. The choice to include the Commonwealth flora was kept a surprise from Harry, who was "over the moon" when he found out.
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The dress's mixed reviews
Meghan Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public, with some saying it was "beautiful" and "stunning", while others described it as "boring", "plain", "underwhelming", "baggy", and "ill-fitting". The dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of the fashion house Givenchy. It was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers and featured a bateau neckline, three-quarter sleeves, and a train with a built-in triple silk organza underskirt.
Some critics complained that the dress was not form-fitting enough, especially given Meghan's previous comments about the importance of tailoring. Marie Claire's Mahalia Chang suggested that the designer likely chose a more conservative cut to allow the bride to move and breathe comfortably, as the fabric used for the underskirt was "extremely thick, stiff, and does not allow for much stretch".
There were also comparisons made between Meghan's dress and those worn by other notable brides, including Angela Brown, Mary Donaldson, and Audrey Hepburn in the film *Funny Face*. Some critics claimed that Meghan's dress was an attempt to mimic the style of the late fashion icon Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, both in terms of her wedding gown and a formal dress she once wore.
Despite the mixed reviews, some fashion commentators praised the dress. Elizabeth Emanuel, co-designer of Princess Diana's wedding gown, thought that the gown made a "really solid fashion statement" and that Waight Keller should be pleased because Meghan looked "absolutely stunning and beautiful". Robin Givhan of *The Washington Post* noted that "the dress was a backdrop; it was in service to the woman", reflecting Meghan's own style and intentions.
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The dress's royal rebellion
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy. The dress was made in Paris by a small team of ateliers. 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 with double silk cady, featuring an open bateau neckline, precise seam-work, a 16-foot silk train, and three-quarter-length sleeves.
Markle's wedding dress received mixed reviews, with some praising its simplicity and elegance, while others criticised its fit and lack of embellishment. However, it is undeniable that the dress broke with several long-established royal traditions. Firstly, Markle's dress was not designed by a British designer, as has been the tradition since Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840. Secondly, the dress was not a classic bridal dress, and its simplicity and modernity were seen as a departure from traditional royal wedding gowns. Finally, the dress's open bateau neckline was considered risqué for the buttoned-up Windsors.
In addition to the dress, Markle's veil was also a topic of discussion. The veil was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the California poppy and wintersweet, a flower that grows at Kensington Palace. A piece of the blue dress from Markle's first date with Prince Harry was also stitched into the veil. The veil was 16 feet long and made of silk tulle, held in place by a diamond art deco tiara lent to Markle for the occasion.
Overall, Meghan Markle's wedding dress and veil were a unique and modern take on traditional bridal wear, reflecting her personal style and values. The dress was designed to represent Markle's strong and modern personality, and it certainly made a fashion statement on her wedding day.
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Frequently asked questions
Meghan Markle got dressed for her wedding to Prince Harry at Cliveden House Hotel in Windsor Castle, England.
Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by Clare Waight Keller, the artistic director of Givenchy.
Meghan and Clare Waight Keller decided to go for a modern design that was "not a classic bridal dress". The dress was made of double silk cady and featured an open bateau neckline, long sleeves, and a 16-foot silk train.
Meghan's 16-foot silk tulle veil was embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, the California poppy, and wintersweet.
Meghan's wedding dress received mixed reviews from the public. Some described it as "beautiful" and "stunning", while others found it "boring", "baggy", and "ill-fitting".
