Every little girl dreams of what her perfect dress will look like when she walks down the aisle to say “I do.” From the veil to the shoes, every intricate detail is important to ensure that she will look spectacular as the star of the show. Meghan Markle was no different when choosing her designer and meticulously poring over the details of the royal wedding dress she wore last weekend. Meghan worked closely with a team of designers to create a dress fit for a princess.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, Meghan kept her designer a secret until the very end. She commissioned Clare Waight Keller, a designer for Givenchy, to create her royal wedding dress. When Waight Keller and Meghan first met, Waight Keller presented sketches of various designs she had in mind. Meghan was immediately impressed.
It’s All In The Details
A dress of this importance requires a certain touch of elegance. Meghan, being the thoughtful person that she is, wanted to weave in intricate details of the 53 different commonwealths represented by Great Britain. She and Waight Keller decided to include the flora of the different commonwealths. Two other flowers were woven into her dress as well: Meghan was born in California, so she added the California poppy—which is the state’s official flower—to her dress. To represent Kensington Palace, she also incorporated Wintersweet, which is a shrub that grows near the royal couple’s cottage. These small intricate details may not be noticed by everyone, but those with a keen eye can appreciate the effort that went into creating the beautiful royal wedding dress.
Sketches of the Duchess of Sussex’s #RoyalWedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller, have been released.
The Duchess and Ms. Waight Keller worked closely together on the design, epitomising a timeless minimal elegance referencing the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy. pic.twitter.com/A9ZFKVZmUz
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2018
Color And Material For The Royal Wedding Dress
At Taglyan, we have seen many incredible wedding dresses over the years. Our guests have shown impeccable taste when it comes to getting that picture-perfect outfit for the big day. One thing that is almost always consistent in the dresses that have graced our grand ballroom has been their color. White is traditionally the color of choice for brides, and Meghan was no different.
Meghan elected for a “pure white color”, per Harper’s Bazaar. McCartney scoured all of Europe to acquire a fabric that would do the duchess justice. The fabric that was just right for Meghan was a double-bonded silk cady.
Since the material was double-bonded, this means it is a little thicker than a regular silk. This allows for the dress to move differently on the body, still allowing it freedom, but with a touch of pushback—just enough to keep form to her body.
Cady is a type of thick, woven silk. While normal silk is very fluid, cady specifically is stretchier than regular silk, allowing it to have some give.
The Veil
Draped off of her head was an exquisite veil that Meghan and Waight Keller had designed. According to Good Housekeeping, the veil stretched 16 feet long. The veil is also the area where Meghan showed a little bit of her personality, and it’s in the details. As we said earlier, the 53 different commonwealths were woven into the silk fabric of the veil, giving it a personalized touch—and what’s even cooler about this detail is that Prince Harry was recently appointed as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.
This was an absolutely gorgeous decision made by Meghan. Her attention to detail to commemorate Prince Harry’s new ambassador role is one we love. While not quite as long as Diana’s, her veil reminded us of one of our recent weddings that was held in our grand ballroom.
Comparing Dresses
Much has been made of Meghan’s royal wedding dress in comparison to other most recent royal wedding for Prince William and Kate Middleton. Naturally people will compare the two. Kate’s dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, and had a slightly more modern and less conservative look compared to Meghan’s. The lace arms and V-neck are more revealing, in a tasteful way.
Comparatively, Meghan’s dress was more refined, offering a boat neckline with long sleeves as opposed to Kate’s V-neck and laced upper. Both dresses are stunning in their own way, and both brides pulled off a royal look while adding a touch of their own personality to the dress.
The Tiara
As Queen Elizabeth II did for Kate Middleton, she also let Meghan choose a tiara from the royal family’s extensive collection. The tiara is made of platinum with diamonds, and the center broach is detachable should someone elect to use a different broach. According to the palace, the diamond bandeau is from 1932, while the center broach was from 1893.
The platinum and diamond tiara caps off a stunning outfit by the new Duchess of Sussex. From every angle, you can see the intricate details of the bandeau and the broach. The diamonds offer a sparkling contrast to that of her pure white dress. While Meghan’s outfit offers a more refined and reserved look, the tiara gives off an element of power that the new Duchess has.
Conclusion
Every element of Meghan’s royal wedding dress was done with thoughtfulness. From the flora on the veil, to the fabric for the dress, to the blue on the bottom of her Givenchy shoes. Her look was executed flawlessly to give her a royal and powerful image. While her dress strayed from the looks of Kate Middleton and the late Princess Diana, we believe that Meghan’s dress will long be talked about in the history books.