A ROYAL WEDDING WITH A TWIST
What can we say, we just love royal weddings! As luxury wedding planners, we love seeing all the exquisite details, dreamy décor and regal style that is part of such a special and public occasion.
Celebrating the ultimate quarantine wedding, Princess Beatrice’s intimate nuptials marked the end of a cycle of royal weddings across Europe for at least a decade. With six royal weddings taking place over the last nine years, this is likely to be the last royal wedding that The Queen and her 99-year-old husband will be able to attend as all of their grown-up grandchildren are now married. Buckingham Palace released a small number of photographs of the newlyweds the day after the wedding and Beatrice's proud grandparents were featured in a beautiful portrait as the bride and groom left the church.
The Queen’s granddaughter and her property developer husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, were married in a surprise ceremony in Windsor with just 20 guests joining them on the day. The intimate nuptials took place at The Royal Chapel of All Saints in the grounds of Royal Lodge, a private estate in Windsor occupied by members of the royal family. Originally due to marry last May at the Chapel Royal, situated within St. James’s Palace in London, followed by a reception hosted by the Queen in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Princess Beatrice and Edoardo held a small private ceremony with only their closest family members present as a result of strict government guidelines. The guests included Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as the Duke and Duchess of York. Despite recent controversy, the bride’s father, Prince Andrew, played a prominent role in his daughter's wedding after Buckingham Palace confirmed that he walked his eldest daughter down the aisle.
The low key celebration was in stark contrast to the wedding of her sister Princess Eugenie, who married Jack Brooksbank in October 2018 at the lavish St. George's Chapel in Windsor. The Reverend Canon Paul Wright, sub-dean of the Chapel Royal, led the wedding ceremony along with the Reverend Canon Martin Poll. In accordance with government regulations, no hymns were sung at the service. A selection of music, including The National Anthem, was played. Beatrice's mother, Sarah Ferguson, and the mother of the groom read two of the couple's favourite poems: ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare and ‘I carry you in my heart’ by E.E. Cummings.
WEDDING DECOR OF DREAMS
Built by George IV in the early 19th century, the neo-Gothic All Saints chapel is set within the grounds of the Royal Lodge, the Grade II-listed home of the Yorks, in Windsor Great Park. The magnificent floral arrangements provided a spectacular backdrop for the couple’s stunning photographs. Designed by Dutch maestro Rob Van Helden, the floral arch covering the Royal Chapel was showstopping. The dazzling display comprised of hundreds of delicate peach, pink and ivory roses, pale pink hydrangeas, trailing jasmine and pink astilbe, along with exquisite foliage collected from Windsor Great Park.
While royal brides have typically chosen all-white or monochrome wedding bouquets in the past, Princess Beatrice veered from tradition by choosing a mostly pink arrangement of florals. Designed by Patrice Van Helden of RVH Floral Design, Beatrice’s bouquet also included a sprig of myrtle, a royal wedding tradition that dates back to the 1858 wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s eldest daughter.
A SPECIAL WEDDING TRADITION
Adorned in centuries worth of tradition, Princess Beatrice chose a vintage Norman Hartnell gown that The Queen famously wore to
attend the London film premiere of Lawrence of Arabia premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square in 1962. Made from ivory Peau De Soie taffeta and organza, the diamanté-encrusted gown was exquisitely trimmed with ivory Duchess satin. The monarch’s trusted dressmakers, Angela Kelly and Stewart Parvin, remodelled the design for the Princess by adding organza puff sleeves.
Rather than enlisting a couturier to craft a bespoke creation, the refreshingly modern and sustainable move was a significant break in tradition compared to recent royal brides who chose custom-designed gowns for their weddings. As Princess Beatrice’s gown wasn’t designed especially for her, there weren’t any special messages or homages hidden in its seams.
A hugely sought-after dress designer in the 20th century, and a go-to for the Windsors, Hartnell was the man behind both Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress and coronation gown. Hartnell famously designed Her Majesty’s wedding gown for her nuptials in 1947. Inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera and intended to be symbolic of the nation’s post-war rebirth, Hartnell embroidered garlands of jasmine, lilacs and roses on Princess Elizabeth’s train in silver thread. The finished dress was also adorned with more than 10,000 seed pearls.
In another nod to her grandmother, Princess Beatrice wore Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara which was also worn by her grandmother at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. The heirloom diamond and platinum piece was made in 1932, with the 10-diamond centre brooch dating from 1893. Originally given to Queen Mary as a wedding present by Queen Victoria, the exquisite design was bequeathed to the Queen Mother, who lent it to her daughter as her ‘something borrowed’ on her wedding day. Its 47 graduated bars can also be worn as a necklace.
ROYAL WEDDING CELEBRATIONS
Recent royal nuptials certainly captivated our curiosity and generated huge attention from royal fans and followers from all over the world.
The Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William were married on 29 April 2011. Kate wore a custom Alexander McQueen gown, designed by Sarah Burton, and the Queen Mother's Cartier Halo Tiara. The glittering headpiece featured 739 brilliant-cut diamonds and 149 baguette-cut diamonds.
The Duchess of Sussex married Prince Harry on 19 May 2018 in St George's Chapel, Windsor. Meghan’s gown was created by British designer Claire Waight Keller, former artistic director of Givenchy. Meghan also wore a five-metre-long veil, which was made from silk tulle and embroidered with the flora of the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, of which the Queen is Head.
Princess Eugenie walked up the aisle to Jack Brooksbank in a dress designed by London duo Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos. Eugenie wanted a dress that would show scars on her back that resulted from surgery at age 12 to correct her spine, and decided not to wear a veil for that reason.
In the past, royal brides have changed into a second look for the reception. Meghan traded her Givenchy gown in for a gorgeous slinky Stella McCartney number; Kate wore another design by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen; and Eugenie opted to swap her first dress for a Grace Kelly-inspired silk blush Zac Posen gown.
After the ceremony, Princess Beatrice followed another royal wedding tradition by sending her bouquet to the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. This generations-old practice first started with Lady Elizabeth Bowles Lyon, who would later become the Queen Mother. After her 1923 wedding to the future King George VI, the bride laid her bouquet on the tomb as a tribute to her brother Fergus, who was killed during World War I. Royal brides have since followed suit with this touching gesture.
With restrictions now easing, it could be possible that the couple decide to throw a party later in the year to rival those of previous royal weddings. We really hope they do and we cannot wait to hear and see more details!
Image credits: Benjamin Wheeler
