While lace, silk and tulle often reign when it comes to wedding dresses, we cannot help but love satin.
Satin is a type of weave that produces the smooth, aesthetically pleasing final fabric we know today. This fabric is classy, sophisticated and flattering on many shapes. It’s also incredibly versatile, and looks amazing regardless of the dress style.
For most of her career, the iconic, doe-eyed Audrey Hepburn was positioned as the antithesis of Marilyn Monroe. Despite this, the Belgian-born actress had just as tumultuous a love life as the bombshell. Hepburn had tied the knot twice times in her life, and was engaged three times.
Each wedding featured a stunning gown that has inspired many brides, including Megan Markle. We take a look at the Breakfast at Tiffany’s star’s love life that was just as dramatic as the characters she portrayed onscreen.
1952: James Hanson
A pre-fame Hepburn was engaged to British wealthy businessman Lord James Hanson while filming her breakout first major motion picture, Roman Holiday, for which she would later win an Oscar. However, the budding Hollywood star had her reservations, and ended up calling off the wedding. In later years, Hepburn explained that their busy work schedules were to blame.
“My schedule commits me to a movie here, then back to the stage, then back to Hollywood. [James] would be spending most of his time taking care of business in England and Canada. It would be very difficult for us to lead a normal married life,” she said in an interview.
Her mid-length, boatneck silk dress designed by the Rome-based Fontana sisters had already been made at the time the wedding was called off, so Hepburn had the designers donate the gown to a bride in need.
“I want my dress to be worn by another girl for her wedding, perhaps someone who couldn’t ever afford a dress like mine, the most beautiful, poor Italian girl you can find,” she had told them. Amiable Altobella from Borgo Carso in the Province of Latina won a radio contest and became the lucky bride to wear this iconic gown to her own farm wedding.
In 2009, the dress sold at an auction for $23,000.
Credit: Pinterest
1954: Mel Ferrer
Hepburn met her future first husband, actor, stage and film director Mel Ferrer at a party a year after her first engagement ended. Fellow actor and Roman Holiday star Gregory Peck introduced them to one another.
The twice divorced father of four was 12 years Hepburn’s senior, but that did not phase the couple.
For their big day, Hepburn stunned in a Balmain tea-length flared dress with a satin sash, a high neckline and balloon sleeves that she accessorised with elbow-length gloves. The pair married in Burgenstock, Switzerland in an intimate ceremony on September 25, 1954.
Their marriage, however, was not the stuff of fairytales. Hepburn struggled to carry a child and reportedly suffered four miscarriages throughout the marriage. The pair were also plagued by infidelity rumours, as both were said to have had affairs. Hepburn had a much publicised love affair with Sabrina co-star William Holden, who at the time was also married. In later years, Holden called Hepburn the love of his life, and tried to win her back after she married her second husband.
In 1960, Hepburn gave birth to her first son, Sean Ferrer. The couple divorced in 1968 after 14 years of marriage.
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1969: Andrea Dotti
Heburn met and fell in love with Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti in 1968 while on a meditteranean cruise. The air married in 1969 at a town hall in Switzerland. Hepburn wore a pink woolen Givenchy minidress featuring long-sleeves and a funnel neck. She accessorised with white tights, white gloves, a woolen headscarf and ballet flats.
At the age of 39, Hepburn gave birth again, this time to second son Luca Dotti. She then took a break from Hollywood to focus on her family. However, she did not have an easy time. she would go on to have another miscarriage after her second son’s birth. Both Hepburn and Dotti reportedly had affairs throughout their marriage. Hepburn is said to have had an affair with Bloodline co-star Ben Gazzara, while Dotti garnered much publicity for his affairs with young women. The couple divorced in 1982 after 14 years of marriage.
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Robert Wolders
Hepburn’s final love was Dutch actor Robert Wolders, who she met at a party in 1980. While she never married Wolders, Hepburn said in an interview with Barbara Walters that her time with him marked the happiest years of her life. Her relationship with Wolders continued until her death in 1993. On why they never married, Wolders explained it never felt necessary.
“I felt she had two unhappy marriages, it was wonderful the way it was,” he said in an interview with People magazine. “When Audrey would be asked, she’d also say, ‘Why mess with a good thing?’ I remember her saying to one interviewer it’s more romantic this way because it’s not another piece of paper, but out of loyalty to each other that binds us together. Had we been younger and wanted to have children, it might have been different, but that’s just not the case.”
Static wedding venues are so last season. Why not get your marriage started on a journey literally with a wedding aboard a train!
The Rovos Rail in Pretoria is South Africa’s most luxurious train, linking the country to destinations such as Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, Victoria Falls and Namibia. There are a number of inter-country trails as well.
The train was first established in 1989, and has since earned an international reputation for its world-class travel experience.
“With discreet and friendly service, fine cuisine and a selection of South Africa’s top wines, Rovos Rail harks back to a simpler, more elegant era encompassing the timeless grace and high romance of African exploration,” says Rovos Rail on their website.
The events train can be hired for a truly unique wedding day. Couples and guests will feel as if they’ve stepped back in time, surrounded by the old-world elegance of the 1920s. Guests are greeted at the private station by a sparkling wine reception before the bride makes her grand entrance in the cab of a steam locomotive.
Couples say their vows on the large train platform in the Edwardian station, with the old steam train in the background. Following the ceremony, guests step aboard the luxury train for a unique reception.
The train accommodates up to 250 guests and rental includes the train journey as well as a 5-star four-course dinner or lunch, canapés, wait staff, and a full bar hire. Of course, we cannot forget about the stunning views of the passing scenery.
The train’s interior is designed to emulate the old world glamour of the 1920s.
Diamonds are forever, but they’re also expected. Unique, alternative stones have been trending for years as modern brides seek to be different on their big day.
While topaz is an unusual and underrated stone for an engagement ring, it is slowly growing in popularity.
Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine. The gemstone ranges in colours from green, yellow, orange to its most common hue, blue. The most popular forms are London Blue and Imperial Topaz. According to the Gemology Institute of America, the colour of the stone depends on impurities or defects within the sructure of the crystal rather than its chemical composition.
There are conflicting reports on how topaz got its name. Many authorities believe that the stone got its name from the old Greek name of a small island in the Red Sea called Topazios, now known as Zabargad. While topaz was never produced on the island, peridot was. Many confused peridot for topaz before the development of modern minerology.
Others argue that its name can be traced back to the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit and the word topas or tapaz, meaning “fire.”
The ancient Greeks loved topaz for its supposed ability to give them strength.
“In Europe during the Renaissance (the period from the 1300s to the 1600s) people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger,” explains the Gemology Institute of America. “For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.”
In the 19th century, topaz was restricted for the Russian royal family. The majority of topaz came from the Ural Mountains at the time, and the pink gemstone varietal was mined there in honour of the Russian tzar.
Topaz ranks on the Mohs scale of hardness with an 8, making it quite durable. In fact, it’s one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals, and the hardest of any silicate mineral. It’s hardness and durability makes it an excellent option for jewellery.
Price points vary depending on the colour of the stone. However, the stone is much more affordable than diamonds. Because of its hardness and versatility, the stone can be cut in a number of shapes and sizes. It is important to remember though, that it can scratch easily. Owners are encouraged to be careful with this stone.
You’d think that by now, we know everything there is to to know about the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. That’s not the case.
Harry and Megan’s official royal photographer, Chris Jackson, recently let the public in on anothet unknown fact from the big day.
Speaking on the Royally Obsessed podcast, Jackson told hosts Rachel Bowie and Roberta Fiorito that there was a very special guest at the wedding that many might not know about.
“What I thought was lovely was the fact that the couple invited 2,000 charity representatives from their various charities to be the first witnesses of them emerging from the chapel as a married couple.”
Also in the crowd was a young orphan that the Duke of Sussex had met during his gap year in South Africa back in 2004.
“Prince Harry invited Mutsu, a young orphan from Lesotho who I’ve met a few times over the years. He’s actually the boy that Prince Harry met on his gap year,” Jackson said. “He was one of the first people to see them come out as a married couple.”
Old Hollywood exudes class, glamour and style. The many men and women who graced the silver screens, sang right into people’s souls and kept many entertained have also gone down in history for their fashionable wedding moments.
Decades later, we cannot forget the iconic looks some celebrity brides chose to walk down the aisle. Here are a few of our favourite dresses from famous brides in American history.
Grace Kelly
For her 1956 weding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, actress Grace Kelly stunned in an Victorian-inspired gown made of 125-year-old Brussels lace, taffeta, and thousands of hand-sewn pearls. The skirt was made of ivory faille and featured three petticoats: a smoothing petticoat, a ruffled petticoat and a foundation petticoat. The gown itself was made of 100 yards (91 metres) of silk net, and the veil was 90 yards (82 metres). To keep the veil in place, Kelly opted for a Juliet cap decorated with lace, orange blossoms and seed pearls instead of a tiara.
Credit: Pinterest
Audrey Hepburn
Breakfast at Tiffany’s star Audrey Hepburn married actor and stage and film director Mel Ferrer in 1954. For their big day, Hepburn stunned in a Balmain-designed tea-length flared dress with a satin sash, a high neckline and balloon sleeves that she accessorised with elbow-length gloves and a flower crown.
Credit: Pinterest
Priscilla Presley
The King of Rock and Roll married longtime girlfriend Priscilla Ann Beaulieu in 1967 in Las Vegas. She wore a floor-length white babydoll dress made of chiffon, with a beaded neckline and pearl-encrusted long sleeves. And who can forget that bouffant veil!
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Mia Farrow
A then up-and-coming actress Mia Farrow married megastar musician Frank Sinatra in 1966. The actress wore a two-piece skirt suit with elbow-length sleeves, following the mod style aesthetic of the decade.
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Elizabeth Taylor
This iconic actress had been married a number of times throughout her life, but our favourite dress was from her very first marriage to Nicky Hilton in 1950. Taylor wore a high-necked satin gown designed by Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer costume-designer Helen Rose, who famously went on to design Grace Kelly’s wedding dress.
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Julie Andrews:
Before she hit it big with her breakout role in The Sound of Music, up-and-coming actress Julie Andrews married her first husband, set designer Tony Walton in Surrey on May 10, 1959. She wore a long-sleeved ankle-length gown decorated with floral appliqué and a trailing train.
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Bianca Jagger
Bianca Jagger epitomized ’70s style in her 1971 wedding to rockstar Mick Jagger. The Nicaraguan-born socialite wore a crisp white YSL Le Smoking jacket with no undershirt, atop an ankle-length skirt. She accessorised with a large, veiled sunhat.
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Brigitte Bardow
Actress Brigitte Bardowe married her Babette Goes to War costar, Jacques Charrier in France in 1959. Instead of a traditional wedding dress, the blonde bombshell opted for a pink gingham knee-length dress.
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Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Bouvier became Jacqueline Kennedy when she married future US president John F. Kennedy. For their 1953 nuptials, she wore an ivory silk-taffeta off-the-shoulder gown with a massive skirt. The dress was designed by black seamstress Ann Lowe, who opened the door for many other designers of colour.
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Ava Gardner
Iconic actress Ava Gardner married third husband Frank Sinatra in 1951. She wore an intricate dress featuring trim box pleats along the neckline and short sleeves, and accessorised with a pearl necklace.
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Sharon Tate
Valley of the Dolls actress Sharon Tate married director Roman Polanski in 1968 in true 60s style. She wore a high-necked babydoll minidress with puffed shoulders and long sleeves. She accessorised with ribbons and flowers in her hair.
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Marylin Monroe
Marylin Monroe married third husband, playwright Arthur Miller in 1956. For their nuptials, Monroe wore a mid-length figure-hugging gown with ruched sleeves.
Are you a big fan of happily ever after? Well, why not say ‘I do’ at the happiest place on earth – Disneyland!
Disney darlings will adore this wedding location that brings their favourite movies like Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella to life.
There are Disneyland destinations in Florida, California, Hawaii, Tokyo, Paris and even aboard a Disney cruise. The various Disney theme parks across the world offer multiple wedding packages for engaged couples to pick and choose from.
“Memories to cherish forever are about to be made. Each Disney wedding destination offers something unique, something any couple can get excited about and something all your guests can enjoy,” says the company. “World-famous theme parks, award-winning Resort hotels and luxury ocean liners can’t help but make your celebration magical and the perfect prelude to the rest of your lives together. Decide where your fairy tale will begin.”
Couples can arrive in style in Cinderella’s horse-drawn carriage, tie the knot next to Sleeping Beauty’s castle and even enjoy a Disney-themed wedding cake.
Count your favourite Disney characters in as wedding guests! Mickey Mouse, Aladdin, Mulan and a host of other popular characters can make an appearance at your big day. Couples may even arrange private performances by the renowned Disney entertainers for an extra fee.
Disneyland offers in-house wedding experts, including a day-of coordinator – who handle everything involved in the planning process.
These packages, however, don’t come cheap. The prices typically include location rental, the ceremony fee, reception food and beverages and the wedding specialists. There are a host of additional services couples may choose from to enhance their event.
Location and ceremony fees range from $2,600 – $10,000 depending on the specific venue chosen. Food and drink is per person, and prices range from $145 to $190 per person depending on whether you want brunch, lunch or dinner.
A bride in Campbell River, Vancouver Island made sure her dying stepfather was a part of her special day by marrying at the senior home he stays in.
Caroline Scheck and fiancé Rodney Scheck originally planned to marry in August. However, Scheck’s stepfather Brian Devlin’s health was rapidly declining. They then decided to move the wedding date up to May so that Devlin could be in attendence.
“We planned a wedding at a long term care facility we both work at because my stepdad is palliative and he wanted to walk me down the aisle,” said Caroline Scheck. “We are uncertain on how long he has to live and I wasn’t about to wait to get married and not have him be there!”
They moved their wedding date to May 15, and scrambled to pull all the elements together in a short amount of time.
“It’s unbelievable to have planned a wedding during a pandemic and within three days while working from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all the days beforehand,” Scheck said.
On the wedding day, all the residents on the facility watched from their windows, waving and smiling as the couple said their “I dos”. Of course, Scheck’s stepfather was there too. He had been wheeled down to the garden where the wedding was held, and symbolically walked his stepdaughter down the aisle.
“My stepdad was wheeled down dressed up and he was coherent the whole time he was present, something he hasn’t been prior to. He talked about fishing and was happy to see his family. He was proud and that’s why we did this on such short notice. It truly was a wonderful moment!”
“When we said ‘I do’ all three floors of the facility were banging on the windows, some were present outside with us, and they all stood at the windows and watched the ceremony with smiles on their faces. We had some fellow co-workers in the crowd cheering us on and taking pics for us.”
A few days later, Devlin passed away on May 24, aged 79. Scheck is eternally grateful that her stepfather could be a part of her wedding before he died.
What’s a wedding without flowers? From the bridal bouquet to centrepiece arrangements, flowers have become an integral part of the big occasion.
While roses are popular for obvious reasons, there are so many stunning flowers with meanings just as romantic. If you’re planning your bouquet, consider one of these flowers.
Salvia
This adorable flower has different meanings depending on its colour. A blue salvia says ‘thinking of you’ while a red one means ‘forever mine’. We think the red varietal is pretty fitting for a wedding day.
The Sound of Music fans might be even more inclined to incorporate this flower in their bouquet, considering its sweet meaning. The flower stands for courage and devotion, both of which are necessary for a healthy marriage.
Gardenias represent purity, joy and love, much like a wedding day. In Victorian times, people used flowers to convey messages to one another. They used gardenias to express their love and devotion without revealing their identity. Thus, gardenias came to represent a secret or untold love.
Myrtle is a popular addition in royal bouquets. In fact, every British royal bride since 1940 has carried myrtle in her bouquet. This bloom is meant provide good luck and encourage love and fertility in a marriage.
Much like its sweet scent, this flower has a beautiful meaning. The bloom stands for devotion and strong bonds of love. It is meant to symbolise being united in love because of the flowers clinging nature.
Yellow tulips represent cheerful thoughts, white convey forgiveness and purple represent royalty. However, red tulips symbolise perfect love. According to Turkish legend, Prince Farhad fell in love with a maiden named Shirin. After she was killed, he was overcome with grief and killed himself by riding his horse over the edge of a cliff. Scarlet tulips are said to have sprung up from each droplet of his blood, giving the flower its meaning of ‘perfect love’.
Much loved by the Victorians, this flower is meant to say “my destiny is in your hands”. The white varietal is given to someone you like, while pink camellias represent longing for someone, and are often given to someone who is greatly missed. Red camellias symbolise love, passion and deep desire.
Besides their amazing scent, this beautiful bloom stunning meaning. Lavender is typically a sign of devotion, and also has calming properties. It might come in handy to ease those nerves on your big day.
Daffodils are perfect for celebrations of any kind. This cheery flower typically symbolises new beginnings, and we’d say a wedding is the start of a pretty big new way of life.
The meaning of this flower shifts depending on colour, so be careful! White lilacs symbolise purity and innocence, while violet lilacs symbolise spirituality. Blue stands for happiness and tranquility, magenta for love and passion, and a purple lilac symbolises a first love.
Winter is coming. While this season might not be the obvious choice for a wedding day, it actually has many benefits.
Winter weddings add a special feeling of cosy romance and magic to even the frostiest of days. Using decor pieces like fairylights, candles and tons of greenery, any space can be transformed into a winter wonderland.
If you’re having your big day during the winter, remember to offer treats and favours that will warm up your guests in more ways than one. We’ve got some sweet ideas for you to try.
