Royal weddings are always extravagant and the 2011 nuptials between Kate Middleton and Prince William were no exception.
Many of us remember the gorgeous gown the bride —who is now the Duchess of Cambridge—wore for the ceremony. Less familiar, though, is the second dress she changed into after the ceremony.
Both dresses were designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, a strictly guarded secret before the wedding!
For the ceremony, the duchess wore a gown with a sweetheart bodice and long, lace sleeves, and her train came in at a modest nine feet.
Clearly such a long gown is beautiful on television and in photographs, but not practical for mingling with guests at a reception. (That is, not unless she wants her sister, Pippa, following her around carrying a nine-foot-train all day!) So, for the private, un-televised portion of the wedding’s events, the new bride changed into her second dress.
The second gown is more simple and surely easier to move around in, but it’s still gorgeous and very wedding appropriate.
The second dress was satin and had a sweetheart neckline. It had a dramatic, pleated circle skirt that looked perfect for dancing in. She topped the ensemble off with a white bolero. She also wore her hair down in loose curls.
The Duchess of Cambridge is known for always looking very polished and chic, so it’s no wonder she pulled out all of the stops for her big day.
For those hoping that the wedding gown would live up to the status of Princess Diana’s extravagant gown, she certainly did not disappoint. Her dress was a bit more understated that Princess Di’s — although, it’s not hard to be a tad more understated considering the dress Princess Diana wore had a 25-foot train (it was the ’80s, after all!).
It’s hard to believe the Cambridges married just six years ago. They’re already parents to four-year-old George and two-year-old Charlotte with another baby on the way!