Photos Illustrate The Exquisite Beauty Of Royal Wedding Gowns

Oct 20, 2022 by apost team

When it comes to fashion, it is no secret that the royal family has opulent taste. This penchant for excess is perhaps most on display during royal weddings. When there is a bride-to-be at a royal wedding, you can be sure that the dress will be nothing short of spectacular. And you can definitely be sure that speculation on who will wear what will start long before the big day, too. Some royal dresses, such as Princess Diana's, are iconic for their incredible style and strong look. Others, like Kate Middleton, inspired a completely new trend in wedding dresses that not only swept up celebrities but the public as well.

While most brides devote roughly 10% of their entire wedding budget to the gown, the total expense of a royal wedding often dwarfs the cost of a normal wedding by a factor of 100 or more. Yet, even in the space of royal weddings, there is a degree of competition for the most elaborate wedding gown. With the expertise of some of the top fashion designers in the world, some of these elaborate custom-made spectacles not only use the finest materials but took master tailors and seamstresses hours upon hours of meticulous work. The end result has to be nothing short of perfection, what with the press and public scrutiny to follow. Also, what bride doesn’t want her wedding gown to be the most extravagant dress she’ll perhaps ever wear in her life?

From Princess Eugenie to Princess Diana, let’s take a look at seven of the most expensive royal wedding dresses ever worn.

Although she was later known for her more conservative and reserved fashion, Queen Elizabeth II was no stranger to the finer things in life. The queen married Prince Philip in 1947. Given that England was still recovering from a war, it was determined that the dress should be relatively humble. Yet this didn't stop this masterpiece from netting an impressive £30,000 price tag, according to Harper's Bazaar.

Made using Chinese silk, the Norman Hartnell creation was a conservative silhouette sporting a tailored bodice, high neckline, and a dramatic 13-foot train. For added elegance, the entire affair was adorned with pearl and diamond-encrusted embellishments including roses, jasmine blossoms and starflowers.

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Rather than the silk of the queen, Sarah Ferguson opted for an ivory satin gown to mark the 1986 occasion of her wedding to Prince Andrew. This comparatively simple dress was the vision of Lindka Cierach.

Despite its simple appearance, it sported extremely intricate beadwork that depicted nautical themes as a tribute to Prince Andrew's history as a sailor. Despite its relatively simple design, the dress reportedly cost around $45,000, according to People.

Princess Diana's gown may not be the most intricately decorated dress to ever grace a royal wedding, but it is one of the largest. For her 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, Princess Diana commissioned husband-and-wife duo David and Elizabeth Emanuel to design this stunning arrangement from ivory silk.

The dress, hand-embroidered with mother-of-pearl sequins and an estimated 10,000 pearls centering on a heart motif, took the duo of designers months to prepare. The scale was nothing short of impressive, with its 25-foot train — adorned with lace that once belonged to Queen Mary — the longest ever featured in a royal wedding. The price tag? A whopping $115,000, according to CNBC.

A spare second wedding dress had also been designed by the Emanuels just in case the original look was somehow leaked to the press. The spare, also an ivory silk taffeta gown bearing ruffles around the neck but without any lace, was never completely finished. 

The dress proved to be a hit with the public and knock-offs and copycats of the princess’s gown hit the stores within hours.

Meghan Markle has been a fashion icon as long as she has been in the public eye, so it is not surprising that her dress was a masterpiece. This Claire Waight Keller design was executed by the Parisian fashion house Givenchy and reportedly took over 3,900 hours to complete.

“True to the heritage of the house, the pure lines of the dress are achieved using six meticulously placed seams. The focus of the dress is the graphic open bateau neckline that gracefully frames the shoulders and emphasizes the slender sculpted waist,” a Kensington Palace statement read.

The 16-foot veil was intricately emblazoned with the national flowers of 53 countries, a nod to her international aspirations. In total, this dress cost £110,000 (or around $135,000), according to CNBC.

Never one to be outdone, Princess Eugenie made sure that her wedding gown would be the height of elegance and design. In her 2018 marriage to Jack Brooksbank, her gown was a joint design venture by Christopher de Vos and Peter Pilotto.

The dress featured numerous nods to her heritage, including a shamrock for Ireland, a thistle for Scotland and a York rose. The total for this high-backed tribute to elegance? A stunning $135,000 at minimum, according to Harper's Bazaar.

The award for the second most expensive royal wedding dress goes to the ever-beautiful Kate Middleton. Although she is stunning in any outfit, she made sure that her attire for her 2011 marriage to Prince William would be an unforgettable affair.

Made in collaboration with Sarah Burton, this classically shaped gown featured a Victorian bodice, rouleau hoops, handmade lace and a comparatively reserved 9-foot train. This beautiful gown set her back $434,000, according to CNBC.

According to the palace, the lace appliqué for both the bodice and skirt was hand-stitched by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. Flowers were also hand-cut from lace and stitched onto the ivory silk tulle to create a design that incorporated rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock flowers.  

Alas, the highest spot for expensive gowns does not fall within the British empire. For her 2004 wedding to King Felipe, Queen Letizia of Spain wore a gown designed by royal couturier Manuel Pertegaz.

Between its authentic golden thread, hand-stitched embroidery, 15-foot train, a neckline in the shape of a corolla and Prussian diamond tiara, this outfit alone cost $10.7 million, according to Guinness World Records. This is certainly a gorgeous dress and will be remembered for its exquisite style and luxury.

Don't you think everyone looks simply gorgeous? Which is your favorite royal wedding dress? Let us know and be sure to pass this along to your loved ones to find out which are their favorites.