Beautiful Royal Brides and Weddings to Inspire You
At Oudalova, we love to absorb creative inspiration from all around us and royalty is absolutely not an exception- especially royal women. They’ve been setting trends as far back as 1840 when Queen Victoria wore a white wedding dress at her wedding to Prince Albert. Although an odd choice back then, she started a trend that is still going strong today. In fact, as we all know, a white wedding dress is considered to be a traditional choice now.
Many women of royalty since have garnered our collective attention and have gone on to achieve iconic statuses for their extravagant weddings, beautiful dresses and, of course, bridal bouquets. And while we’re on the topic of extravagant weddings, Hollywood royalty simply cannot be ignored. In the last few years especially, some couples in the spotlight have really made waves with their beautiful weddings and are sure to be an inspiration to brides around the world for years to come.
Here’s a look at some of our favourite royal brides!
Princess Diana
We simply cannot forget about Diana, Princess of Wales. She won the world’s heart with her beautifully dramatic dress and heart breaking story. Her dress, with an exceptionally long train, large puffed sleeves, full skirt and soft fabrics, was considered the golden standard for a bridal dresses for years to come. And that bouquet! Just as dramatic as her dress, the large, cascading bouquet included gardenias, lily of the valley, stephanotis, orchids, and myrtle. She also went with a mostly white theme for the bouquet.
Kate Middleton
The Duchess of Cambridge’s popularity across the world makes her nothing short of a celebrity. Her Alexander McQueen gown was not revealed until we watched her walk down the aisle in it, and oh was it worth the wait! The elegant lace details and classic cut of her dress certainly set the bar for a 21rst century royal bride. And we must talk about her bouquet, of course. Her classically simple bouquet was made up of stems with symbolic meanings: lilies, for the return of happiness; hyacinths, for steady love; ivy, for fidelity and friendship; myrtle, the emblem of matrimony.
Princess Letizia
Made by Manuel Pertegaz, Princess Letizia’s long sleeved, collared wedding gowns was certainly unconventional, but nonetheless she glowed on her big day. The embroidery along the collar and sleeves was unique and her long veil was beautiful silk and lace. Of course, you can’t forget the 15-foot train either. Her bouquet included blooms that have been historically linked to the bourbon dynasty: Elizabethan roses, irises and lilies.
Grace Kelly
In our opinion, the most graceful of brides was certainly Grace Kelly. Her story was like a fairytale: The Prince of Monaco falls in love with a beloved young American actress and a year later they get married. Created by Helen Rose, Kelly’s dress was absolutely magnificent with a high collar, long sleeves, fitted bodice and voluminous skirt. She set herself apart from other royal brides by wearing a beaded juliet cap with her veil, rather than a tiara. Her bridal bouquet was Lily of the Valley and the ribbons of her bouquet had small sprigs attached to them.
The time leading up to her wedding, Grace Kelly became quite a fashion icon- even an Hermes bag was named after her. of course, after the wedding, her classic bridal gown became iconic and is one to go down in history surely.
Solange Knowles
Although not exactly Hollywood royalty, Solange Knowles has achieved the title of a fashion icon in her own right- even more so than her sister, Beyonce. Her avant-garde, minimalist aesthetic showed at her wedding to Alan Ferguson- right down to every single guest. She wore two looks on her big day: a Kenzo gown and a Stephanie Roland jumpsuit. Both looks were minimalist avant-garde. Knowles is here among princesses because her unique style and unconventional wedding will certainly go down in history as an inspiration to many who prefer to stay completely outside the box, even on their big day.
Knowles and Ferguson arrived at their wedding on vintage bicycles with Knowles basket adorned with her bouquet of white roses and baby’s breath.
Kim Kardashian
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Kim and Kanye’s wedding was certainly memorable- and this time for all the right reasons. The picture of Kim and Kanye standing in front of a beautiful wall of white roses is nothing less than iconic. Her backless bespoke Givenchy gown was breathtaking- right down to every single lace and pearl detail.
Amal and George Clooney
How could we not mention Hollywood’s latest power couple? Their wedding was a fittingly glamorous Venetian affair- complete with water taxis, A-list guests and a grand setting. Amal’s Valentino gown of french lace was obviously a beautiful choice. Their wedding décor was full of floral elements, but the floral arch stood out; it was made of white roses, hydrangeas, stephanotis, and dahlia among other stems.