The big day has finally arrived, the day the entire world has been waiting for, the day in which all the question about the wedding gown, and the ceremony and the vows has been answered, the day the whole planet is celebrating love.
Now that the identity of Kate’s wedding dress designer has been revealed and we all got the chance to see the beautiful gown we can really say that is was worth waiting. The bride has arrived at Westminster looking exquisite in a full-sleeved, hand-embroidered Alexander McQueen gown, complete with train, and accessorized with waist-length veil and dainty tiara.
The bride
The lace applied for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework. The lace design was hand-engineered using the Carrick across lace-making technique. Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock. The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazer. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazer arches and pleats. The train measures two meters 70 centimeters.
The veil is made of layers of soft, ivory silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers, and it is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen. The Bride’s earrings, by Robinson Pelham, are diamond-set stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the centre.
The wedding shoes have made hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and are made of ivory duchesse satin with lace hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework.
The Groom
Prince William wore the uniform of Colonel of the Irish Guards, in Guard of Honor Order with a Forage Cap on his wedding day. In addition he also wore a gold and crimson sash with the wings of the Royal Air Force, the Garter Star and a Gold Jubilee Medal, gold sword slings without a sword however. The buttons on his tunic, positioned in groups of four, symbolize the Irish Guard’s position in the Order of Battle as the Fourth Regimen of Foot Guards.
As it was expected, Prince William opted for a military uniform, as he showed his interest for the army in the past, being commissioned in the Armed Services and Royal Air Force. The amazing uniform was created by Casket and Partners.
The ceremony
The ceremony took place in Westminster Abbey , which was founded as a Benedictine monastery in the 10th century. It has been the venue for the coronation of almost every English and British monarch since that of William the Conqueror in 1066, as well as for 15 royal weddings, beginning with King Henry I and Princess Matilda of Scotland in 1100.
The iconic abbey was airy and calm, the long aisle leading to the altar lined with maple and hornbeam trees as light streamed in through the high arched windows. The soft green trees framed the couple against the red carpet as they walked down the aisle. Most men, however, looked elegant and suave in long tails, some highlighted by formal plaid pants and vests. Others wore military uniforms.
The queen, of course, wore a soft yellow hat and coat dress, just like the bookies had predicted.
The service music was provided by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey and Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace. It also included an organ, the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry and the Central band of the Royal Air Force. The service was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dean of Westminster.
Kate, in lacy dress with her face covered by a thin veil, walked down the aisle at Westminster Abbey for her marriage to Prince William accompanied by her father.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, dubbed the duke and duchess of Cambridge before the ceremony, set off a wave of euphoria and celebrations across England and in former colonial outposts like New York City.
William spoke steadily and confidently as he repeated the words after the Archbishop, saying: “I, William Arthur Philip Louis, take thee, Catherine Elizabeth to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.”
Kate took William by his right hand to repeat her vows, which she delivered without fault and which received another cheer from the crowd outside. There was a nervous moment when William tried to put the ring on the fourth finger of Kate’s left hand.
After saying “I will” at Westminster Abbey, the happy couple departed for their reception by horse-drawn carriage to the tolling of the abbey’s bells and cheers from the throngs lining the route to the royal reception at Buckingham Palace.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The couple has left Westminster Abbey, on the way to Buckingham Palace to the first reception.
Less than an hour after leaving Westminster Abbey following their wedding, the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge appeared on the balcony in front of an enormous and adoring crowd, exchanging a very quick kiss. The couple delighted the crowd by kissing a second time, just before the RAF flypast over the palace. The smiling and waving couple, were joined by the families, including the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.
