While theirs was not a match made in heaven, the wedding between Prince Charles and Princess Diana has gone down as one of the most iconic weddings of the century. Over 750 million people the world over tuned in to see this couple profess their love to each other, and today we still talk about that dress. Here’s an inside look into these iconic nuptials.
Road to the altar:
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer met at the Spencer family home in 1977. At the time, the Prince and Diana’s older sister Sarah were engaged in a short-lived relationship. It was only in 1980 that the pair started dating and after meeting a reported 13 times, the couple quickly became engaged. Prince Charles proposed with the famous sapphire ring Diana picked out herself that Kate Middleton now wears as her own engagement ring.
They married at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London on July 29, 1981, becoming one of the few royal weddings to occur outside of Westminster Abbey. The last wedding at this venue was between Prince Arthur, the son of King Henry VII, and Princess Catherine on November 14, 1501.
The wedding cost an estimated $48 million (R7 258 560 00), $600,000 (R9 073 200) of which was spent on their security detail alone. An estimated 600 000 people eagerly lined the streets of London in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the princess-to-be on her big day.
The dress:
Diana’s dress was designed by husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel and featured a fitted, boned bodice with panels embroidered with lace that once belonged to Queen Mary. The dress sported romantic puffed sleeves, a full skirt of ivory silk taffeta, hand embroided in tiny mother-of-pearl sequins and pearls, centering on a heart motif. Her dress was completed with a dramatic 25-foot (7.62 metre) train – the longest in royal history – that could barely fit in her carriage. Her 153 yard (139 metre) ivory silk tulle veil, spangled with mother-of-pearl sequins, was held by the Spencer family’s diamond tiara.
The Press Courier called the dress “the most closely guarded secret in fashion history” as the design was kept so tightly under warps. There were actually three different dresses made in case any details were released before the big day.
On the day, Princess Diana actually had to be sown into her wedding dress because her waist size had dropped dramatically from 29 inches to 23.5inches as a result of her struggles with bulimia.
The ceremony:
During the ceremony, Princess Diana famously altered her vows, opting out of saying she will “obey” Prince Charles.
In another notable moment, Lady Diana was so nervous she actually messed up her husband-to-be’s name, calling him ‘Philip Charles Arthur George’ instead of ‘Charles Philip Arthur George’.
This ceremony was full of blunders. Somehow, Prince Charles forgot to kiss his bride once they said ‘I do’. This is why following their ceremony, Prince Charles and Princess Diana became the first royal couple to kiss on a balcony, unknowingly starting a tradition that is still held today.
The reception:
These royals had not one, not two but a whopping 27 wedding cakes on display during their reception. Created by the Naval Armed Forces, the main one was a five foot (1.52metres) tall fruitcake that weighed 255 lbs (115.66kg) and featured the initials “C” and “D,” the Prince’s coat of arms, and the Spencer family crest as decoration.
Also read: Princess diaries: Diana’s wedding day mishaps
Feature image: Instagram
Your walk down the aisle is a magical moment, and you’ll want the scenery to reflect that. Line your path with stunning decor that beautifully pave your way…
As with many practices surrounding weddings, the groom cake comes from deeply rooted traditions. Beginning in the late 19th century in England this form of cake gained popularity across the world quite quickly.
It started as a result of perceptions that the traditional wedding cake appeared much too feminine for the groom. As such, a special confectionary treat was made for the man. It was often a liquor-infused fruit cake.
At the time the tradition started, a legend formed. The story goes that single women would take a piece of this cake home and put it under her pillow as she slept, in the hopes of dreaming about her future groom. Sleeping on a slice of cake doesn’t seem too appealing, but hey, perhaps it’s worth it for a glimpse into the coming years.
These days the groom cake serves as a gift to the groom from his partner. They should have the cake made especially for him, ensuring that it incorporates his personality, interests, and favourite flavours. At the end of the wedding, the cake is cut up, boxed, and given to guests to take home.
If you’re planning on getting your groom a special cake, here is some inspiration:
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Image: Pixabay
The million dollar question! If you were in a serious relationship before dating your current partner, you might wonder how to go about it. You can’t deny that…
Adored across the world, the Harry Potter franchise has inspired many. This couple loved the story of the boy who lived so much, they decided to incorporate it into their big day.
Kim Dao and husband Eric from Sydney are huge Harry Potter fans. The pair got engaged at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Osaka, Japan back in 2018, and knew they wanted to continue this magical theme into their big day.
“Initially, we wanted everything to be ‘Harry Potter’-themed, but as time went on, it turned more into a Western-style wedding with some ‘Harry Potter’ touches,” Dao told Insider.
The wedding itself, held at Sydney’s Caversham House Hidden Gardens, was more traditional in style with smaller touches to represent their love for the film franchise. Their tables had floating candles just like the Hogwarts Great Hall, the menu had a tiny Hogwarts illustration and guests were given light-up wands.
As a party favour, Kim andEric chose a small key in ode to the enchanted key from “Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone”.
The wedding cake featured a Deathly Hallows topper, as well as the word “always,” in reference to Severus Snape’s famous line about his love for Lily Potter.
Taking things to the next level, the couple and their bridal party wowed the crowd with a choreographed dance routine using their light-up wands. Naturally, they wore wizard robes.
Watch their magical wedding video below:
Feature image: Youtube / Kim Dao
If you’re the type who enjoys sharing your experiences on Instagram, then you should read closely. Photography and videography experts, The Photo Team, did some research and found…
If you are one for luxurious materials, silk is your winner. Soft, smooth and delightful to the touch, a silk wedding gown will have you feeling gorgeous. Silk is also really great for your skin and will keep you feeling fresh.
Whether you go for the spaghetti strap, A-line or off-shoulder, you can’t go wrong. Here are some sensual silky wedding dresses we can’t get enough of:
Also read: Silky pre-wedding must-haves to help you look your best
Image: Unsplash