In the days leading up to the Royal Wedding of the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, rumors ran rampant on who the bride would wear on her wedding day. Names such as Vera Wang, Alexander McQueen and Monique Lhuillier were all dropped as the lucky designer to clothe the future queen of England. Somehow, despite all the press coverage of the high profile event, the secret was kept until Kate stepped out of her Rolls Royce at Westminster Abbey.
Jaws around the world dropped as Kate emerged in a stunning Alexander McQueen gown by Sarah Burton. Clearly inspired by Grace Kelly's dress at her wedding to the Crown Prince of Monaco in 1956, the dress was both classic and elegant. Sarah Burton, who took over as creative director of Alexander McQueen after the death of McQueen last year, created a chic and elegant silhouette for the most famous bride in recent history. She managed to combine some of McQueen's edge with a classic look befitting the future Queen of England for a breathtaking dress that will surely inspire brides for years to come.
Though the dress was stunning from the front, with its v-neck and delicate lace, the back was equally beautiful. Kate's train was nearly nine feet long and the back of the dress featured handmade buttons.
Sarah Burton has quickly escalated from arising (perhaps risen) fashion star to a household name thanks to Kate's unforgettable look. Will's look of shock and amazement at the altar neatly summed up the reactions of all else watching, in person or on screen.
Kate finished off her look with a tiara borrowed from Queen Elizabeth herself. Her make-up was light and natural and she wore her hair down in loose waves.
Philippa (Pippa) Middleton, Kate's sister and maid of honor, also wore a Burton dress, one that helped catapult her to Twitter-trending status on the day of her sister's wedding. Though dressed in white, Pippa's stunning, form-fitting dress failed to detract from her sister. Rather, she was simply stunning following her sister down the aisle.
Burton contributed a third gorgeous dress to the day: Kate's reception dress. Kate stayed in white, this time with a form-fitting, sleeveless white gown with embroidered waistband. She topped this off with an angora white shrug.
Though Kate was undoubtedly the star, eliciting cheers from the millions thronging London to be a part of the wedding, Sarah Burton was clearly the hero of the day, dressing Kate as if she were already the queen.
