A film star turned royal, Grace Kelly is a Hollywood icon that will always be remembered for her style and class. The award-winning actress became real royalty when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco on April 19, 1956. This wedding has since gone on to inspire many brides on their own big day. Let’s take a look into this glamorous affair.
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Kelly and Rainier met at the Cannes Film Festival in 1955, and were married within a year at Monaco’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral.
The highly anticipated marriage of the A-list movie star and Prince of Monaco drew much attention from the public. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the production company Kelly worked for, broadcast the entire ceremony to 30 million viewers in Europe. There were two parts to the celebrations held on consecutive days: the civil ceremony and then the church marriage. It was a star-studded event, with old-school film icons like Cary Grant, Ava Gardner, and Gloria Swanson, as well as society notables Aristotle Onassis and Conrad Hilton in attendance among the 700 guests.
Kelly chose close friend and double Academy winning designer, Helen Rose, to create her perfect wedding dresses. For the civil ceremony, Kelly wore a pink floral embroidered suit, topped off with a Juliet cap. Her church ceremony dress was a gift from the MGM production house, as Kelly had starred in many of their films. Rose was the costume designer on four of Kelly’s films with MGM.
The Victorian-inspired gown was 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. Underneath the dress was the skirt support, the under bodice and the lace bodice with a slip. 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. 30 seamstresses worked for 6 weeks to complete the look.
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Keeping with tradition of the time, Kelly carried a bible instead of a bridal bouquet, although it was decorated with a small bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley. The bible was a gift from MGM.
The groom wore a military uniform he designed himself.
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For their reception, guests feasted on a six-tier white wedding cake, out of which a pair of live turtledoves flew when the newlyweds cut into the cake with a sword.
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Following the wedding, the pair honeymooned with a seven-week cruise on the yacht, Deo Juvante II, a wedding gift from Onassis.
Feature image: Instagram
Asking for wedding gifts can be a bit awkward. It gets even more uncomfortable if you’re asking for money instead of gifts. But, perhaps you don’t want gifts…
Most couples look to tropical islands for the ideal romantic getaway. You wouldn’t be wrong, islands are amazing destinations for couples. However, cities make for magical escapes too… if you know where to look. Bruges in Belgium is one of the best cities for a romantic getaway.
The city is known for its cobbled streets and medieval buildings and offers many options for romantic activities.
Here are some of the best things to do In Bruges.
– Couple’s Boat Tour along the canals
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Ride along the canal side-by-side with swans and see the city from a different perspective. This is one of the most romantic things to do in the city. It’ll be like a scene from a movie.
– Indulge in Belgian Chocolates
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As we all know, Belgium is known for its chocolates. For this reason, there is an abundance of chocolate shops to satisfy your every need. Stop by at one…or ten of these shops and get your fill of hot chocolate, waffles, and much more. After all, chocolate is the way we show love!
– Cross the Meestraat Bridge
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This is known as the bridge for eternal love. The legend says that a young woman, Minna, died on this spot while trying to reunite with her lover. The story goes that if you cross the bridge with your partner, your love will be eternal. How could you pass up this opportunity to ensure a long-lasting love?
– Take a horse-drawn carriage through the city
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It doesn’t get more “fairytale romance” than this! A relaxing ride on the cobble-stone roads, marvelling at the architecture and happily sitting side-by-side is a great way to spend the day.
– Have a date night at the Markt
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The Markt is essentially the town square and, unlike the rest of the town which is asleep by 7pm, it stays lit up and lively until the early hours of the morning.
At The Markt you can get snacks, enjoy the vibe, climb up the belfry tower, or have a sit down meal at a fancy restaurant. If you’re there at Christmas time, you’ll find an ice-skating rink in the market square too.
– Have a picnic at Minnewater Park
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Take the stroll in the beautiful park and pack a picnic to enjoy on the lush green grass after your walk. Sit by the lake, known as The Lake of Love, and watch as the swans float by.
– Visit the Groeningemuseum
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At the museum you’ll see more than 600 years’ worth of Belgian and Flemish paintings. Immerse yourself in some culture and get some great photos.
Image: Pixabay
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Accessories finish off your look, so why not go bold with a bridal hat? Bridal hats are definitely having a moment. From the runway to the royal family, we’ve seen this trend be rocked to perfection.
These hats are typically worn pre- or post reception, the best time to truly experiment and have fun with your look. Bridal hats are perfect for summer weddings to shield your face from the sun and hopefully protect your makeup from melting.
Beyond this, bridal hats can be effortlessly chic and classy. Regardless of your wedding theme, theres a style for you. A simple and clean wide-brimmed hat will give you old-school glamour, while a straw-hat adorned with flowers will scream boho luxe.
Take some inspiration from these fashion-forward brides:
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Feature image: Unsplash
Celebrities are known to lead a lavish life of excess, and it’s no surprise they would splash out big bucks on their big day. For many, the focal…
Decor trends come and go, but some things always stay the same: Class never gets old. While a huge trend right now is going green by being more environmentally friendly as well as bringing plants and nature into the decor, many brides like to fuse it with something sparkly here or there. So, an easy option is to turn to the table decor for a hint of gold and using metals and glass that can, of course, be repurposed after the wedding.
All tones of gold, champagne and rustic hues mixed with clear glass pieces will have a striking, glamorous effect. The best part is, these colours go well with almost any other main colour scheme so it won’t be overpowering if you choose to pair it with another colour. Here is some of our favourite decor inspiration.
Image: Instagram