Category Archives: Inspiration

British Royal Bridal Bouquets

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In this post I will discuss several of the British Royal wedding bouquets throughout the years, starting with the bridal bouquet Queen Victoria carried when she married Prince Albert in 1840 and concluding with Markle’s bridal bouquet that she carried when she married Prince Harry in 2018 .  Often the wedding bouquets carried by a British Royal Bride set the trend for future Royal brides, such as tradition of a sprig of myrtle used in bouquets which started during the reign of Queen Victoria to the tradition of lying the bouquet on the tomb of the unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey which was started by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother).

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria married her first cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on February 10, 1840 in the Chapel Royal in St. James Palace in London, England.  On her wedding day she carried a small bouquet of snowdrops which were said to be Prince Albert’s favorite flower.  She also choose to wear a simple wreath of orange blossoms atop her head instead of wearing a crown as would befit her status as Queen, in addition her wedding dress was decorate with even more orange blossoms.  Orange blossoms were often worn by brides to symbolize chastity and fertility.  (For more information about the wedding tradition of the orange blossoms, please click on the link)

Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their wedding day

The tradition of the myrtle used in British Royal bridal bouquets, which is credited to Queen Victoria, was not a sprig from her bridal bouquet.  In fact the myrtle planted during Queen Victoria’s time, that still grows in the garden at Osborne House, did not come from her bouquet but from a nosegay presented by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Prince Albert’s homeland of Germany several years later.  When the Princess Royal Victoria, the eldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, married Prince Frederick of Prussia in 1958 and she carried a sprig of the Osborne myrtle in her bridal bouquet.  The tradition continued thereafter for Queen Victoria’s other four daughters on their wedding days.  Since the time of Queen Victoria every Royal Bride has carried a sprig of the Osborne myrtle in their wedding bouquets.

The gardens of Osborne House
where the myrtle for British Royal bridal bouquets is grown

Princess Alexandra of Denmark

Prince Albert Edward married Princess Alexandra of Denmark (later to become King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) on March 10, 1863 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.  The Princess wore a ivory silk taffeta wedding dress which featured a separate bodice top and a full skirt, the 21 foot train was made of antique silver moiré.  Like Queen Victoria, the Princess trimmed her wedding dress with orange blossoms and she wore a white veil secured upon her head with a wreath of orange blossoms and myrtle.  She carried a bridal bouquet of white roses, lilies of the valley, a few orchids and the traditional sprig of Osborne myrtle.

Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra on their wedding day

Unlike other British Royal brides, Princess Alexandra carried an elaborate bouquet holder which featured an upper section of rock crystal carved into a cone shape to hold the flowers.  The crystal cone was embellished with diamonds, emeralds, pink coral and pearls.  In honor of the Princess’ royal status, the middle section featured a coronet with a gold chain decorated with pearls and a gold and pearl studded ring to wear on the hand.  Below the coronet is the symbolic Prince of Wales feathers created in diamonds and a monogram “A” for Alexandra made of rubies.  At the bottom of the holder was a small crystal sphere set with more rubies.

 

The wedding bouquet holder of Princess Alexandra

Princess May of Teck

Prince Albert George married May of Teck (later to become King George V and Queen Mary) on July 6, 1893 in the Chapel Royal, St. James Palace in London, England.  Much like the British Royal brides before her, Princess May trimmed the bodice and the front of her wedding dress with orange blossoms.  For the wedding ceremony, the she carried a large bridal bouquet made entirely of white flowers which included “York” roses, orchids, lilies of the valley, carnations, orange blossoms and of course the traditional sprig of Osborne myrtle.

Prince George and Princess May on their wedding day

Queen Victoria and Princess Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, also carried large bouquets on the wedding day of Prince George and Princess May (it has not been reported if the bride’s mother, the Duchess of Teck, carried a bouquet on her daughter’s wedding day)

Princess May’s bridal bouquet is shown in the middle photo,
Queen Victoria’s on the left and Princess Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, on the right

Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons

Prince Albert George married Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons (later to become King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) on April 26, 1923 in Westminster Abbey in London, England.  In addition to her medieval style dress of ivory chiffon moiré dress with horizontal silver lame panels embroidered with silver thread and accented with pearl beads she wore a wreath of myrtle leaves, white heather and white York roses; the veil was a gift from Queen Mary.

Prince George and Lady Elizabeth on their wedding day

When looking at the formal wedding portraits taken at Buckingham Palace, it is noticeable that Lady Elizabeth is without her bridal bouquet and there is a very good reason for this omission.  The story goes that on the day of the wedding, as tradition usually dictates the bride and her father were the last to arrive at Westminster Abbey and they entered through the Great West Door.  Then, as the bride, her father and her eight bridesmaids assembled for the processional there was a slight delay.  In those few minutes, Lady Elizabeth spontaneously laid her bridal bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to honor her brother Fergus who had died a few years earlier in World War I .  Special Note:  Since 1923, British Royal brides have also laid their bouquets on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the one exception that instead of it being placed prior to the start of the ceremony, the bouquet is laid on the sacred spot afterwards.  This is a lovely tradition most recently done in 2011 by Catherine Middleton at her wedding to Prince William and again in 2018 when Meghan Markle married Prince Harry.

Lady Elizabeth’s bouquet which was placed at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Princess Elizabeth 

Princess Elizabeth married Lieutenant Phillip Mountbatten (later to become Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh) on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey.  Norman Hartnell designed a lovely gown of ivory satin for the Princess Elizabeth and upon her head she wore the diamond King George III Tiara.  She carried a bouquet which comprised of three different kinds of British-grown orchids, cattleya, odontoglossum and cypripedium.  As per the British Royal wedding tradition, a sprig of myrtle was picked from the garden at Osborne house and added to Princess Elizabeth’s bridal bouquet.

Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on their wedding day

Lady Diana Spencer

Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer (the Prince and Princess of Wales ) on July 29, 1981 in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.  Known at the time as the “Wedding of the Century” it was a grand occasion watched by 600,000 people lined along the streets of London and watched by 750 million on television.  Lady Diana wore a wedding dress made of ivory silk taffeta designed by the relatively unknown David and Elizabeth Emanuel; the dress was trimmed with antique lace and featured a rather long 25 foot train.

To balance the rather voluminous dress, Lady Diana carried a large cascading bouquet of Earl of Mountbatten roses, gardenias, stephanotis, fressia, odontoglossum orchid, lily of the valley, ivy and of course the traditional Osborne myrtle.  The bouquet measured 42” long and 15” wide, there were in fact three bouquets made that included one for the rehearsal the night before the wedding, another that Lady Diana carried on her wedding day to Westminster Abbey and a third was used for photographs at Buckingham Palace after the wedding.  Special Note: The Earl of Mountbatten roses were chosen as a tribute to Lord Louis Mountbatten, a special Uncle of Prince Charles, who had died in 1979.  According to British Royal tradition, one of the bouquets was taken to Westminster Abbey to be placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Prince Charles and Lady Diana on their wedding day

Sadly, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana which had started out as a fairytale later turned out to be a very unhappy union.  The couple’s formal separation was officially announced in 1992 and in 1996 the divorce was finalized.  Princess Diana died a year later in 1997 in a car crash in Paris, France.

Camilla Parker- Bowles

Prince Charles married Camilla Parker-Bowles (later known as the Duchess of Cornwall) on April 9, 2005 in the Windsor Guildhall, later that same day in St. George’s Chapel there was a religious blessing followed by a formal reception at Windsor Castle.  For the civil ceremony, Camilla wore a cream silk chiffon dress with a matching coat and she wore a Prince of Wales feather brooch attached to the coat lapel.  She also wore a large Philip Treacy cream wide-brimmed straw hat covered with ivory French lace and accented with feathers.  To complete her civil ceremony outfit, Camilla choose to wear L.K. Bennett shoes in an almond shade and a Launer purse made of embossed leather and lined in suede.

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at the Windsor Guildhall

For the Church of England blessing in St. George’s Chapel, Camilla wore a Robinson Valentine long pale blue and gold embroidered damask coat over a matching chiffon gown.  To complete her bridal ensemble, she wore an impressive spray of golden feathers also created by Treacy in her perfectly coiffured hair instead of a tiara.  For the Church blessing, Camilla carried a small bouquet of yellow, purple and white primroses mixed with lily of the valley and the traditional Osborne myrtle.

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall at St. George’s Chapel

Catherine Middleton

Prince William married Catherine Middleton (later known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) were married on April 29, 2011 in Westminster Abbey.  The bride’s floral request for her wedding bouquet would be to incorporate the “language of the flowers”, an old custom popular during the Victorian era in which flowers and plants would be selected for their special meanings to convey hidden messages.

Catherine’s dress was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen and was made of satin gathered gently at the waist with slightly padded hips that formed a bustle in the back and a 9 foot train.  In keeping with the elegant but simple style of the stunning dress, Catherine carried a small all white bridal bouquet designed by florist Shane Connolly.  The bouquet featured lily of the valley (happiness), Sweet William (gallantry and also an unspoken tribute to her new husband), hyacinth (constancy of love), ivy (fidelity) and myrtle (love and marriage).

Prince William and Catherine Middleton on their wedding day

(For more information about the Wedding Flowers of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, please click on the link)

Meghan Markle

Prince Harry married Meghan Markle (later known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex) were married on May 19, 2018 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.  On her wedding day Meghan carried a bouquet made of sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia and forget-me-nots, said to be Princess Diana (the groom’s late mother’) favorite flower.  It has also been reported that as a very romantic gesture, Prince Harry hand-picked several of the flowers from the couple’s private garden at Kensington Palace.  

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day

Although the Royal couple had been married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, the tradition of a British Royal Bride leaving her bridal bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey was honored when the bouquet was specially transported to London.

Meghan Markle’s bouquet on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Movie Costumes – Ginger Rogers

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Ginger Rogers (July 16,1911–April 25,1995) was perhaps best known as Fred Astaire’s dance partner, there is a famous saying “Ginger did everything that Fred did except backward and in high heels”.  In this post I will discuss a few of the spectacular dresses that Ginger wore in the ten films that she made with Fred between 1933 – 1949, any one of these dresses could be a wonderful inspiration for a bridal gown with a vintage touch!

It is important to note that during the Great Depression in the United States, movies were considered a luxury expense but also a welcome relief and escape from the daily financial problems of the general public.  The movies often depicted better times with plotlines that featured elaborate nightclub scenes with the actors all dressed in beautiful costumes.  So, expectations were always high for Ginger’s movie dresses and the costume department at RKO studios did not disappoint with wonderful designs featuring silk and satin fabrics with fur trim, feathers or beaded embellishments.  Women moviegoers, who could not afford new clothing, loved seeing the elegant evening dresses that Ginger wore in the movies.

Also during the 1930s, when many of the Fred & Ginger movies were made, the film industry had strict regulations (known as the Hays Code) which set the morality standards for movie production and as a result the guidelines directly influenced costume designs.  Ginger’s dresses usually required her to be demurely covered in the front but there were no limitations on the back of the dresses.  Sometimes her movie costumes would be rather low-cut in the back but still managed to give her a classic and elegant style.  It has been said that “Fred gave Ginger class and she gave him sex appeal”.  (Special Note: The idea of a dress design with a more modest front and a low back would be wonderful combination for a mother of the bride/groom, the front of the dress would be appropriate for ceremony photographs in a church while the back would look great for dancing at the reception)

Speaking of dancing, being a perfectionist when it came to choreography, Fred felt the most important thing was that the fabulous movie dresses worn by Ginger needed to allow a full range of motion required for the complex dance routines.  This was wonderfully achieved by the studio’s dress designers and when watching the films Ginger’s dresses seem to enhance the dance beautifully with a graceful movement.  (Photo shown below is from the 1936 movie “Swing Time”)

So, let’s take a look at some of the iconic movie dresses of Ginger Rogers –

“Flying Down to Rio” – 1933

Flying Down to Rio was the first movie that Fred and Ginger were in together; they were the supporting actors while Dolores Del Rio and Gene Raymond were considered the stars of the film.  For the “Carioca’ dance scene, that involves Fred and Ginger almost continuously touching their foreheads while performing the intricate dance steps, Ginger wore a satin dress with a ruffled hem and sleeves with a gored skirt.

“The Gay Divorcee” – 1934

After the success of the pairing Fred and Ginger in Flying Down to Rio, the film studio was quick to make another movie with the dancing duo.  In The Gay Divorcee gave Fred and Ginger top billing and “The Continental”, which was featured in the film, was the first song to win in the new Academy Award category for Best Original Song.

“The Continental” dance scene is rather long with elaborate movie sets and numerous extras.  Ginger wears an evening dress which is a lovely contrast of dark and light fabric.  The dress features a v-neckline with crisscross straps, dark fringe at the shoulders and trailing down to the low scoop back, and a light colored skirt blending into a darker colored hemline.

Meanwhile, on a personal note aside from filming movies, Ginger married her second husband actor Lew Ayres on June 23, 1934.  She wore a two piece dress with a long-sleeve button front jacket with a soft draped collar that perfectly matched a long skirt, both pieces were made with a lace overlay, Ginger also wore a wide brimmed hat.   (Because the only pictures I found were black and white I was unable to determine the color of her bridal ensemble).  Special note:  The three-tiered wedding cake was made by Hollywood caterers, the Samson Sisters, and was beautifully decorated with hearts and the intertwined initials of the bridal couple and featured a whimsical cake topper of a small doll figurine which was meant to look like Ginger.

“Roberta” – 1935

For the “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” dance scene in Roberta, Ginger enters the nightclub wearing a long black satin coat with a slight train and a luxurious fur collar and cuffs. (Remember, this is the 1930s when wearing fur was the height of sophistication!)  Before starting the dance she removes the coat to reveal a sexy long black satin dress with thin straps that twist in the back, Ginger wear a large rhinestone broach pinned to the bodice of the dress.

 “Top Hat – 1935

Perhaps one of the most iconic dresses worn by Ginger was the feather dress that she wore in Top Hat for the “Cheek to Cheek” dance scene.  This famous dress, another Bernard Newman design, featured an abundance of ostrich feathers at the neckline and also on the lower portion of the satin dress. Since the film was originally shot in black & white, at first I could not determine the color but it has been reported that the dress was made in a wonderful shade of blue.  Special Note: For this dance scene Ginger wore her hair in an elaborate braided that beautifully framed her face, it would make a lovely bridal hairstyle that could be further enhanced with pearl or rhinestone hair pins.

Another beautiful movie dress worn by Ginger in the film Top Hat was also designed by Bernard Newman.  The “Piccolino” dress was a dazzling long white satin and chiffon evening dress accented with beaded sequin and featuring a gorged hemline, short upturned ruffled sleeves and a peplum waist.  Special Note: In 1984 Ginger was present when the “Piccolino” dress was donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, unfortunately it is currently not of display at the museum.  

“Follow the Fleet” – 1936

For the “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” musical scene Ginger wore a pale blue beaded  sequin dress with a fur collar and two beaded tassels trim at the neckline, wide sleeves and a flared skirt.  It has been noted that the weight of the dress (reported to be about 25 pounds) caused some difficulties for both Ginger and Fred.  When performing the steps and turns required for dance choreography the heavy dress would cause Ginger to become a little off balance and the sleeves would literally slap Fred in the face!  Also, the back lighting used for the scene inadvertently shows the silhouette of Ginger’s trim legs! “Swing Time” – 1936

The dress Ginger wore for the musical number “Waltz in Swing Time” was a lovely pink organza dress with a button front bodice and sheer collar, multi-ruffled sleeves and flared skirt with a ruffled hemline.  Once again Ginger closely collaborated with Bernard Newman, the RKO costume designer.

The second dress worn by Ginger in the film was for the final dance scene which featured the song “Never Gonna Dance”.  Ginger wore a very sexy design featuring a bias cut dress with crisscross rhinestone trim across the bodice and the low back which perfectly showed off her trim figure.  The first photo shows the dress worn with the matching multi-paneled cape.

“Shall We Dance” – 1937

As Fred starts the final musical number of “Shall We Dance” he is desperately trying to find the real Ginger among the numerous women wearing Ginger masks and identical dresses.  The dress is very similar to the one Ginger wore in the film “Roberta” several years earlier, this version of a long satin dress has double straps and a rhinestone brooch pinned to the bodice, Ginger (and of course all the look-a-likes) is wearing a dark veil and long black gloves.

“Carefree” – 1938

For the whimsical musical number, “The Yam”, Ginger wears a dress featuring pleated sleeves and skirt with a contrasting color bodice accented with sparkling gems.  The dress moves beautifully as Ginger and Fred performed the fun dance scene that takes them from the dance floor and through several additional rooms in which they are followed by numerous couples along the way!

“The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle” – 1939

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle movie told the story of real life couple who became famous for their wonderful ballroom dancing.  The dress that Ginger wore for the “The Last Waltz” musical number in the film was a romantic silk dress trimmed with metallic fabric on the bodice and fur on sleeves.

This would be the last film that Fred and Ginger would star in together for RKO studios.  Fred would go on to pursue a solo dancing career and Ginger would limit her acting to dramatic roles, in fact, Ginger won the Academy Award for best actress in the 1940 movie “Kitty Foyle”.

 “The Barkleys of Broadway” – 1949

Ten years later, Fred and Ginger would reunite for the 1949 MGM movie The Barleys of Broadway which was the story about a fictional dancing duo.  This movie would be the first and only film that Fred and Ginger would make in Technicolor; all their previous movies were made in black and white.  As a result, Ginger’s costumes would specifically reflect the addition of color in the choices of fabrics.

For “Swing Trot”, the musical number which is shown in the film’s opening credits, Ginger wears a slinky dress of gold lame with thin straps.

Any of these spectacular dresses worn by Ginger Rogers in the ten films that she made with Fred Astaire could be a wonderful inspiration for a bridal gown or a dress for a bridesmaid or mother of the bride/groom.

A Pearl Wedding – ideas and suggestions

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This month I started an ongoing series about Wedding Gemstones and the first post was about the pearl.  So, using the pearl as inspiration, in this post I will discuss ideas and suggestions for creating beautiful wedding decorations for the ceremony and reception as well as bridal accessories including bridal bouquets, bridal jewelry and other pearl items that could be incorporated into the wedding design.  Special Note:  In general, the examples of pearl wedding decorations shown in this post feature use imitation pearls. 

(For more detailed information about the history of the pearl and some historical and famous pearl jewelry please click on the link Wedding Gemstones – The Pearl)    

Ceremony decorations

The pearl would be a wonderful to be use for wedding ceremony decorations for either indoor or outdoor venues and would be perfect for any time of year.  The photo below shows a lovely rose and pearl draped with crystal accents used for a grapevine canopy that would be perfect for a garden ceremony.  This outdoor canopy could be easily adapted for an indoor ceremony but the height of the ceiling and any other venue restrictions need to be taken into consideration.    

Shown in the photo below is a great idea for chair to use at a wedding ceremony and would coordinate beautifully with the canopy.  The chair decoration features roses and other flowers with a string of pearls attached to one side, this idea would look great with the end chairs of the rows for a stunning aisle decoration.    

Reception decorations

Shown below are several ideas for floral centerpieces for the guest tables at an indoor wedding reception.  The first is a simple low centerpiece featuring a glass container filled with loose pearls and a simple rose arrangement, please notice the pearl frame used for the guest table number.  The second is a taller centerpiece featuring silver candlesticks with rose balls draped with pearls, these centerpieces would also look beautiful used on a buffet table.   

The third reception guest table arrangement would be a great idea for an evening reception for long tables but could also be adapted for round or square tables.  The table arrangement features painted manzanita branches draped with pearls, crystals and glass votive candles.  Please note, long and low rose arrangement and more pillar candles are placed along the length of the table.  

The next ideas shown below feature two styles of pearl napkin rings
 to use for guest table place setting accessories.

Here are several ideas and suggestions for pearl accents used for food items for a wedding reception.  The first is a classic white wedding cake with pearl fondant swags.   

The two examples shown below are for pearl cake accessories

pearl cake topper

pearl cake stand

The next two food items would be great to serve with the wedding cake or on a dessert table.  The first idea is for pearl cupcakes and the second is pearl cookies.

Bridal accessories and other wedding items

Pearl accents would be lovely idea for bride’s accessories, such as dress embellishments or pearls added to a bridal bouquet.  Pearl jewelry is a classic choice for a bride to wear on her wedding day and could also be a lovely gift to receive from the groom or her parents, such as a beautiful pearl and diamond ring.  The groom could also receive pearl cuffs links as a gift from the bride or maybe a special gift from his parents to mark the wedding day.  Pearl jewelry would also be a great gift idea for bridesmaid and ushers, such as earrings or cuff links.

A pearl necklace and brooches can added to a bridal dress with a low draping back
for a great “something old idea” use a vintage jewelry!

Two different ideas for pearl accents used for a bridal bouquet

A beautiful pearl and crystal hair headband would make a great gift for a flower girl

A satin basket with pearl handle for a flower girl

A white ring pillow with a large satin bow with a pearl & crystal embellishment

So, as you can see from the numerous examples given in this post there are is a large variety of items that can be used to create a beautiful pearl wedding. 

Wedding Gemstones – The Pearl

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This post will be the first in a new ongoing series about the various types of gemstones that are used for weddings; particularly for items such as engagement rings, bridal jewelry and other fashion accessories.  The first gemstone in this series will be the pearl and in this post I will discuss the history and the symbolism associated with the pearl.  I will also briefly discuss the difference between saltwater and freshwater pearls and to end the post I will also discuss several historical and famous pearl jewelry items. 

The history of the pearl

The pearl is believed to be the oldest gemstone which dates back to the time of Ancient Greece.  In Ancient Rome pearls were extremely rare and considered a symbol of great wealth, in fact Julius Caesar created a law which degreed that only members of the ruling class could wear pearls.  For a period of time the Persian Gulf was considered the center of the pearl trade due to the abundance of the natural oyster beds found there which proved to be a very valuable commodity until the discovery of oil in the region.

In Ancient China pearls were believed to have magical powers that would protect the wearer from the fire of dragons while during the Medieval Ages knights would wear pearls to protect them when going into battles.  During the 15th to 16th centuries the demand for pearls in Western Europe became so great that it became known as the Pearl Age, members of royalty and nobility often wore elaborate pearl jewelry and embellished their fashions with pearls.  In other cultures the beauty of the white pearl came to symbolize purity and chastity while during the Victorian Era small seed pearls were often used in mourning jewelry to symbolize the wearer’s tears of sadness.  Then, by the 19th century the supply of the natural pearls found in oyster beds were depleted and in Asia the discovery of creating cultured pearls was developed to continue with the demand and supply of pearls.          

The different types of pearls

Unlike other gemstones which are mined from the earth, the pearl is found in a living organism.  A pearl is formed within an oyster when a small irritant, such as a piece of sand, becomes attached in the mantle (the soft inner layer) causing the oyster to secrete nacre (a crystalline substance) which builds up around the irritant ultimately forming a pearl composed of calcium carbonate, this type of pearl is classified as a natural pearl. 

Due to the high demand for pearls throughout the centuries, natural pearls had become quite rare and eventually commercial industries would be established to produce pearls by artificially implanting irritants in the oysters, as a matter of fact almost all the pearls currently produced and sold today are classified as cultured pearls. 

Cultured pearls are divided into two categories depending on the environment in which they are grown.  The first is saltwater pearls which are produced in the oysters found in the ocean, these are further classified by the region the pearls are grown and the type of oysters that is used.  Akoya pearls come from the akoya oyster (Pinctada fucata martensii) and is white in color, generally round in shape and considered the most lustrous of the cultured pearls.  Tahitian pearls come from the black-lipped oyster, Pinctada margaritifera, found in the islands of French Polynesia and are naturally black to charcoal grey in color.  South Sea pearls come from two different varieties of an oyster known as Pinctada Maxima, one produces pearls in a silver color from Australia but the most popular is the gold pearls from the Philippines and Indonesia that can range in color from a deep gold to cream.    

The second category of pearls is the freshwater pearl that is produced from mussels found in freshwater lakes and rivers.  Freshwater pearls can be round in shape but are more frequently irregular in shape.  Freshwater pearls are often bleached to produce a white pearl but sometimes the pearls will be dyed to produce colors ranging from green to blue to brown.    

Historical and famous pearl jewelry (in no particular chronological order)

La Peregrina Pearl pendant

The La Peregrina Pearl has a long history.  It was first discovered in the Gulf of Mexico and presented to the King Phillip II of Spain who in turn offered it as a wedding present when Mary Queen of Scots married.  After her death, the pearl was returned to Spain, many of the Queens of Spain can be seen wearing the La Peregrina Pearl in their official portraits.  Later, the pearl became the procession of the Bonaparte family of France but by the end of the 19th century there is no documentation to show what happened to the La Peregrina Pearl.

A century later, the La Peregrina Pearl was purchased from the Parke-Bernet Gallery in New York City by Richard Burton in 1969 for $37,000.  The pearl was on a gold chain but this was too simple for the taste of Elizabeth.  She commissioned Cartier to create a more elaborate necklace inspired by a portrait she had seen of Mary Queen of Scots wearing the La Peregrina Pearl.  Elizabeth collaborated with Al Durante of Cartier and they designed a necklace featuring two rows of pearls, twenty-three larger pearls and thirty-four larger pearls, intersected with eight separate clusters of diamonds centered by a cushion-cut ruby style to resemble flames all set in platinum and gold.  In the center of the necklace is the La Peregrina Pearl hangs from a diamond and silver bail which is attached to a large cluster of diamonds centered by a pear-shaped ruby which is attached to a large pearl and then another pear-shaped ruby and then finally attached to the necklace.  The La Pergrina Pearl Pendant can also be detached and worn as a brooch.  After Elizabeth’s death, the La Peregrina Pearl Necklace sold for over $11 million at the Christie’s auction.            

Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee Necklace

In 1887, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Queen Victoria’s accession to the British throne, a committee was formed to raise funds for a commemorative statue of Prince Albert to honor the beloved husband of the Queen who died in 1861.  (Eventually the completed statue was dedicated in 1890 at Windsor)  The remainder of the fund was used for an impressive necklace with 26 large pearls and over 300 diamonds which Queen Victoria wore in the official Golden Jubilee photograph.  The necklace has a large central pearl and diamond quatrefoil with a large pearl in the middle, a pearl and diamond crown set at the top with a large pearl drop hanging at the bottom.  The remaining necklace comprises of graduated diamond and pearl trefoil links, six of the largest trefoils were designed to be worn separately as brooches.  After Queen Victoria’s death in 1901, the necklace became the personal property of the crown and was worn infrequently by subsequent queen consorts.  The necklace is said to be a favorite of the current Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Alexandra’s Dagmar Necklace

A remarkable necklace in the Queen’s personal jewelry collection is known as the Dagmar Necklace which was given by King Frederik VII of Denmark to Princess (later Queen) Alexandra upon her marriage to the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in 1863.  The necklace was designed in a Byzantine style comprising of alternating diamond and pearls swags set in gold connected with diamond and pearl medallions also set in gold and features a replica of the famous Dagmar Cross, hence the name of the necklace.  The history is that Queen Dagmar was buried with a similar cross laid on her breast and since then the tradition is that when Danish princesses are married they wear a replica of the cross.  The Byzantine style cross on the necklace is detachable with an image of Christ at the center with four additional saintly images on the front while the back depicts a scene from the Crucifixion, included within the cross is a piece of silk from the grave of King Canute and a sliver of wood from the original Dagmar Cross.  Upon the death of Queen Alexandra in 1925, the necklace was given to the Crown eventually passing to Queen Elizabeth II; she appropriately wore the necklace on her state visit to Denmark in 1957.

The Grand Duchess Vladimir Tiara

The Grand Duchess Vladimir, Maria Pavlovna, was the wife of the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexanrovich and the aunt of the Tsar Nicholas II of Russia.  The tiara was created specifically for her in 1874 by the Russia royal jewelers and was a semi-circular band made of platinum with a design consisting of fifteen interlaced circles set with diamonds and a band of diamonds across the top with pearls drops and small diamonds mounted inside each of the circles.

With the start of the Russian Revolution in 1917, many Russian royalty members including the Grand Duchess fled the country but most of her fabulous jewels were hidden in a secret vault in the Palace.  Sadly, Tsar Nicholas and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918.   The Grand Duchess lived exiled from Russia first in Venice, Italy and later she moved to the south of France.  Her jewels, including the tiara were eventually smuggled of out Russia by a trusted British diplomat and returned to the Grand Duchess.   When she died in 1920 her jewels and the tiara were given to her daughter, the Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirona, who married Prince Nicholas of Greece.  As the family’s vast fortune was reduced, she sold several pieces of jewelry, including the tiara, to Queen Mary in 1921.

By this time the tiara was in very poor condition and in need of repairs.  The tiara was refurbished by Garrard, the royal jewelers, and Queen Mary decided to make the original teardrop pearls interchangeable with her famous Cambridge emeralds.  When Queen Mary died in 1953, the Vladimir Tiara was given to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth wears this versatile tiara frequently and it is also one of her favorites, sometimes she will wear it with the original pearl drops, sometimes with the Cambridge emeralds and she has even worn the tiara with no pendants at all.

Kensington Bow Brooch 

The Kensington Bow Brooch was inherited by Queen Elizabeth from the large jewelry collection of her maternal grandmother, Queen Mary.  The brooch was a gift to mark the 1893 wedding of Princess May of Teck (the future Queen Mary) to the Duke of York (the future King George V) She wore the brooch at both the coronations of King Edward VII (her father-in-law) and King George V (her husband) The brooch was made by Collingwood & Co. with two rows of diamonds set in silver and gold to resemble a bow tied around a single large diamond in the center with a detachable pave set baroque pearl pendant.  Queen Elizabeth inherited the brooch in 1953 and often wears it to secure a sash at her shoulder for formal events and has infrequently worn it without the pearl drop for more casual day appearances.  Most recently the Queen wore the Kensington Bow Brooch at the funeral of her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who died in 2002.

Cambridge Lovers Knot Tiara

In 1914 Queen Mary commissioned Garrard to recreate the tiara of Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel, her maternal grandmother, who was the Duchess of Cambridge.  According to her will, when Queen Mary died she left the tiara to her granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II.  The tiara was later given to Diana, Princess of Wales, as a wedding present and she who wore often.  After her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996 the tiara was returned to the Queen.

The tiara is French Neo-Classical in a design which features 19 openwork frames of diamonds in the form of arches with 19 graduated large pearl drops.  At the top of each arch are lover’s knot bows with a large diamond at the center.

Princess Elizabeth’s bridal jewelry

On her wedding day, Princess Elizabeth wore two pearl necklaces. The shorter one was known as the Queen Anne necklace, possibly belonging to the last Stuart Queen of England.  The longer one was known as the Queen Caroline necklace which had belonged to the wife of King George II.  Both necklaces became the possession of Queen Victoria and upon her death they were left them to the Crown.  Prior to the wedding day King George VI, the bride’s father, gave them to Princess Elizabeth as a wedding present.

The pearl and diamond earrings that Princess Elizabeth wore on her wedding day were a 20th birthday present from her grandmother, Queen Mary, who had originally inherited them from her mother, Princess Mary Adelaide of (Cambridge) Teck.

Jackie Bouvier’s wedding bracelet

On the night before the wedding John Kennedy gave Jackie a beautiful diamond and pearl bracelet which she wore on her wedding day, the bracelet is shown in the photo below.  Jackie also wore a pearl necklace which was a gift from her mother and step-father. 

For more information on creating a Pearl Wedding theme, please click on the link

Movie Weddings – “Star Wars: The Attack of the Clones”

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In this post I will discuss the wedding dress worn by Padme Amidala when she married Anakin Skywalker in the 2002 “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” film.  The brief wedding scene comes at the end of the film and the beautiful dress has become something that people really remember as probably one of the most iconic movie costumes in recent times.!  But before I talk about Amidala’s dress, let’s set the scene for how and when the wedding takes place.

“Attack of the Clones” is the second film of the prequels in the Star Wars series.  In the movie the galaxy is on the brink of civil war with the Galactic Republic and the Separatists.   Anakin (a Jedi apprentice) and Amidala (recently elected Queen of Naboo before becoming a Senator for the Chommell sector in the Galactic Republic Senate) have traveled to Geonosis in an attempt to save the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  The pair has fallen in love but it must be keep a secret because, as a Jedi in training, Anakin would be expelled from the Jedi Order by the Jedi Council if a romance was discovered.  In the final scene of the movie Amidala and Anakin are secretly married on a terrace overlooking a picturesque lake with two droids looking on as witnesses, C3PO and R2D2.  (Special Note: The wedding scene was filmed at the Villa Balbianello in Lenno, Italy which overlooking the beautiful Lake Como)

So, now let’s discuss the beautiful wedding dress of Padme Amidala.

The dress was created by the film’s costume designer Trisha Biggar and is a lovely A-line full-length gown made from ivory silk fabric with a delicate overlay of antique ivory lace attached to antique tulle that is accented with hand-beaded with seed pearls.  In addition to the lace, 300 yards of French knit braid were used in an intricate pattern to further embellish the dress.  (Special Note: The inspiration for the gown came from an antique lace bedspread that the costume designer had found in a local store)

The perfect matching full-length coat is worn open to reveal the dress underneath and features blowing elbow-length sleeves that taper to the wrists with the French knit braid arranged in the same swirling pattern that was used on the dress.  The coat has a slight train and the material used is the same as the dress and edged in more antique lace which is accented with ivory pearls.

The stunning wedding veil of Amidala features lace material gathered onto the head to create a cap with a gentle scallop hem falling across the forehead and to the waist down the back.  The cap is beautifully embellished with antique ivory silk flowers, hand-beaded pearls and nine pearl beaded swags accented teardrop pearls.  In the film, to complete the romantic look, Amidala wears her long hair falling loosely in soft curls.

It is Interesting to note that with the time in the distant future, the “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” wedding dress of Amidala seems to have a definite vintage design influenced from the past, it has been said that the film’s costume designer created the dress to reflect an Edwardian-era style.

Upon looking specifically at the wedding veil of Amidala, it is very similar in the design style of the one worn by Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon when she married Prince Albert (the future King George VI) in 1923.  Although the material used is significantly different, the veil’s draping onto the forehead and the way it frames the eyes is the same.

In my opinion, when I look at Amidala’s wedding dress I think that it looks like it dates back even further in time.  The design to me is very reminiscent of a medieval style of dress that a young maiden would wear when marrying her “knight in shining amour”.

Here are two vintage sewing patterns that could be used to replicate a similar style of wedding dress and veil of Amidala’s film version.

Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part Two

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Previously I posted Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part One, and I discussed several ideas and suggestions for displaying a wedding cake.  The ideas featured a variety of tablecloths and suggestions of unique furniture and other items to be used instead of the more traditional cake table.

In this post I will show several different types of cake stands from simple styles made in wood or glass to more elaborate styles made in silver or gold and embellished with crystals or pearls.  At the end of the post I will offer ideas featuring some less traditional and more unusual items that can be used for cake stands and these suggestions can bring a distinct and unique style to the wedding reception.

Traditional wedding cake stands

Traditional wedding cake stands are available in an endless variety of styles.  The most popular styles to display multi-layer stacked wedding cake are available in silver or gold.  Some styles are plain, embossed or embellished with crystals or pearls.  Some styles separate the layers of a wedding cake and display them on multi-level cake stands.

Shown below are two examples of a simple silver cake stands

an example of a beautiful embossed metal cake stand

an example of mirrored cake stands

an example of a cake stand embellished with a mirror top and pearls

Shown below  are several examples of glass pedestal cake stands

an example of crystal embellished cake stand

Below are several examples of floral bases used for a wedding cake display

Shown below is an example of a multi-level cake stand accented with candles

Unusual wedding cake stands

In this section I will discuss unusual wedding cake stand using some unexpected items.  By using a unique item to display a wedding cake it can add an interesting element to a reception display.  A personal item, perhaps an antique or vintage item from a relative, can also be used and this item can add a sentimental element to a wedding cake display.

Shown below are two examples of rustic wedding cake stands

a cut piece of wood  engraved with the couples name and wedding date

a simple hay bale tied with a burlap ribbon

an example of using a stack of luggage for a wedding cake stand

an example of a wrought iron plant stand used for a wedding cake stand

an example of a repurposed chandelier used for a wedding cake stand

For more interesting information on the History of the Wedding Cake, please click on the link.  For more ideas regarding wedding cake tables, please click on the link to Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part One.  The post features a variety of tablecloths and suggestions of unique furniture and other items to be used instead of the more traditional cake table.

Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part One

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On the wedding day the cake is usually prominently displayed at the reception venue.  (For more information on the History of Wedding Cakes, please click on the link)  In this post I will offer several ideas for displaying a wedding cake.  I will offer some suggestions that show a variety of tablecloths ranging from simple to more elaborate styles and also some ideas for unique furniture or other items to be used instead of the more traditional cake table which can add a special element to a wedding reception.  (For additional ideas and suggestions regarding wedding cake stands, please click on Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part Two)

Tablecloth ideas for a wedding cake table

The wedding cake is usually placed onto the center of a table which is covered with a tablecloth, either plain white, color or pattern which can be made in cotton, tulle, silk, satin, brocade or other luxurious fabric.  The tablecloth can be even more elaborate in style and embellished with embroidery, pearls, crystals, etc.  There are a vast variety of tablecloths that can be selected for a wedding cake table, purchased standard or custom-made, and still another option is to use a vintage tablecloth.  Usually the color and style chosen for the wedding cake tablecloth will coordinate with the ones used on the guest dining tables at the reception venue.

Shown below are several examples of wedding cake tablecloths
ranging from the simple to the sublime

a basic white tablecloth with the excess fabric “puddled” at the bottom

a simple tablecloth made with tulle

a colored tablecloth with a lace overlay

a pale gold sequin tablecloth

a luxurious tablecloth embellished with large fabric flowers

a simple white tablecloth decorated with floral and greenery swags

a cake table covered entirely in flowers

an example of a wedding cake table covered with several vintage tablecloths

Furniture or other items used as a non-traditional wedding cake table

Tables for wedding cake display are generally rental tables, either supplied by a rental company or provided by the reception venue.  The most frequent used shape is a round table but other shapes can also be used, such as oval, square, rectangular.  Sometimes, to add a unique element to the wedding reception, the bridal couple will  select furniture or other items to be used instead of the traditional cake table.

Shown below are several examples of non-traditional wedding cake tables

an old dresser used as a cake table

a vintage sewing table

a charming tea table

a wine barrel

a stack of wooden boxes with the wedding cake artfully “framed”

Elaborate wedding cake displays

Sometimes the choice is made to have a more elaborate wedding cake display.  These displays can vary from the elegant canopies embellished with flowers or hanging crystals to more rustic canopies formed using wooden branches.

Shown below are some examples of more elaborate wedding cake displays

an elegant canopy of flowers and hanging crystals

an elaborate floral canopy

a rustic canopy formed from tree branches and topped with a floral arrangement

a vintage swing embellished with flowers

an outdoor wedding cake display using a canopy of tulle topped with a ring of flowers (the light material also serves as bug protection when closed)

a simple pedestal covered with a floral arrangement

a floral hanging wedding cake display

a hanging wedding cake display with crystals

For more ideas and suggestions for selecting wedding cake stands, please click on the link to Wedding Cake Display Ideas – Part Two.  The post will show a variety of cake stands ranging from simple to more elaborate styles.

Christian Dior – the French Fashion Designer

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In this post I will discuss the life and career of Christian Dior who was the French designer which changed the clothing industry in 1947 with his revolutionary “New Look” fashion collection that still continues to influence the fashion industry in modern times.  (Special Note: The timeless Dior designs detailed in this post would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either a bride and/or bridesmaid dress)

A brief history of the life and career of Christian Dior

Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 in Granville located in northern France.  When Dior was five years old his family moved to Paris and he dreamed of becoming an architect.  But his parents wanted him to be a diplomat and with this family pressure Dior enrolled in the Ecole des Sciences Politques in 1925 to study political science.

After graduating in 1928 Dior chose to follow his artistic ambitions and, with the financial assistance of his father, he opened an art gallery.  Dior had a mild success for a few years until the collapse of his father’s company causing Dior to run out of money which forced him to close the gallery.

While struggling to overcome this set back, Dior supplemented his income by using his artistic talents to sell fashion sketches and people began to notice his design talents.  As a result, he was soon hired to work as an assistant to the well-known fashion designer Robert Piguet.  But, once again after only a few short years, Dior’s plans were altered when he enlisted in the French army in 1940.  After his military service ended in 1942, Dior was hired by another designer, Lucien LeLong.  During this time he worked in German-occupied Paris designing dresses for the wives of Nazi officer living in the city.

After World War II, business in the recently liberated France greatly increased and Dior had a unique idea for women’s fashion.  With wartime supply shortages and a general lack of creative design resulting in relatively androgynous styles that were often made in inexpensive but durable fabrics.  In December 1946, funded by Marcel Boussac, Dior established the House of Dior.  By February 1947 Dior had created his first Spring/Summer fashion collection, it became known as the “New Look”’. The debut collection featured 90 outfits that were distinctly feminine in style with cinched waists aided by a corset and full skirts with mild padding at the hips, the clothes were also made in luxurious fabrics.  Dior received widespread press coverage for his designs when the British Royal family and Hollywood movies stars were seen wearing Dior’s clothing.

To create the feminine silhouette that Dior had envisioned an intricate interior support system for the dresses.  In the photo shown below, the back of a dress is opened to reveal a cotton bobbinette corselet inside.  The W-shaped underwire uses boning with additional support in the bust area to create the proper shape for the bodice, to secure the assembly sturdy hooks and eyes were used for closure.  This clever mechanism created the cinched waist and the attached petticoat made of tulle netting with slight padding completed the feminine silhouette.

photo of a 1955 Dior dress interior
showing the corseted bodice and attached tulle net petticoat

Dior’s innovative “New Look” fashion designs sometimes meet with opposition from feminist groups which felt that his style overly sexualized women.  Another complaint was that the corseted designs with the boned underpinnings that created the feminine silhouette could also be extremely uncomfortable and restrictive for women to wear for extended periods of time.  An additional concern was the extensive use of expensive fabrics so recently after the rationing brought on by World War II and for this reason the Dior clothes were often considered an extravagant expense.  But despite these comments, Dior was undeterred and he continued to design and make his clothing in this ultra-feminine style.

In 1957 Dior appeared on the cover of Time magazine to mark his ten successful years in the fashion industry.  Then, a short time after the issue was published Dior left for a vacation in Italy and while there he died from a heart attack.  Yves Saint Laurent, who had been personally hired by Dior as his head assistant in 1955, was quickly appointed the artistic director of the House of Dior.

The fashion designs of Christian Dior           

Dior was known for changing the world of fashion with his innovative designs featuring tailored suits and dresses with defined waistlines and full or flared skirts made in the best silks and wool fabrics.  His designs were not limited to daytime fashions and he also created stunning evening dresses made in luxurious fabrics and accented with beautiful beading or embroidery.  (Special Note: Any of the Dior designs detailed below would be a great inspiration for a classic wedding style for either an elegant bridal dress or perhaps lovely dresses for the bridesmaids)

Perhaps the most iconic dress from Dior’s famous debut fashion collection of 1947 was the Bar suit.  The ivory tussore silk jacket with a button closure featured a tailored collar and lapels.  The black wool crepe skirt had an underpinning of a stiff taffeta petticoat for fullness which was lined in cream silk and the hip are slightly padding to further the illusion of an smaller waist.

                                            The Bar Suit
photo from the www.metmuseum.org

Shown below are three examples of Dior cocktail dresses from the mid-1950s showing distinctly feminine silhouettes.

Dior was not limited to day and cocktail dresses and he also designed lovely evening dresses using fabrics such as silk, satin and tulle which were embellished with beading and embroidery.  Shown below are several examples of dresses dating back to Dior collections from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s.

  1949 Venus evening dress

1949 Junon evening dress

1952 Palmyre evening dress

1955 Soiree Fleury evening dress

A Coral Wedding – ideas and suggestions

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This post will be the second in the ongoing series about the annual Pantone color of the year.  The Pantone Color for 2019 is called Living Coral and it is a warm pinkish red-orange shade which is the color of a type of sea reef animal known as coral. 

The Pantone Living Coral color would be a great wedding color and in this post I will include ideas and suggestions for creating lovely coral wedding decorations for the ceremony and reception as well as bridal accessories including beautiful bridal bouquets and other coral items that could be incorporated into the wedding design.     

Ceremony decorations

The color coral would be a wonderful for either an indoor or outdoor wedding ceremony and would be especially pretty in the late summer or early fall.  Shown in the photos below are two ideas for chair decorations to use at a wedding ceremony.  The first one shows a floral arrangement of coral flowers and greenery attached to the chair; this would look very pretty for the end chairs bordering the aisle.  The second photo shows a coral chair wrap, this look would look great not only for a wedding ceremony but also for the chairs at a reception. 

Reception decorations

Coral reception decorations would beautifully contrast with guest tables set with crisp white tablecloths for an indoor or outdoor reception.  Shown below is a photo set with a low centerpiece of coral roses and greenery and coordinating coral napkins. 

The next photo shows a wonderful idea featuring a floral coral flower napkin ribbon which would be a lovely idea used with either white or coral napkins for the guest place settings at a wedding reception. 

In keeping with the coral color theme, shown below
is a simple white multi-tiered wedding cake featuring coral roses.

Below is a photo shown a beautiful floral embellish coral square tablecloth
layered on top of a simple white tablecloth and would be a great idea for a cake table.

Bridal accessories and other wedding items

As seen in the photo below, adding a coral ribbon sash
with a coral and white feather accent to a white wedding dress
is another great idea for a subtle touch of color. 

For just a pop of color coral shoes would also be a fun idea
for a bride to wear under her wedding dress

Coral roses can also be used for a bride’s bouquet and shown below are two variations of this idea.  The first features white and coral roses in a traditional style bouquet and the second features a bouquet created with all coral roses that could be used for a bridal bouquet or for the bridesmaids.

There was a lovely English tradition which dates back to the Regency period and the time of Jane Austen when the tradition was to give children coral necklaces to protect them.  So, shown below is a coral bead necklace that would be the perfect gift to give to a flower girl (or bridesmaids).       

Historical Note:  Princess Victoria (later to become Queen Victoria) had received a coral necklace as a child from her mother, the Duchess of Kent.  Later Queen Victoria continued the tradition with her own daughters.  Many years later, Princess Elizabeth (later to become Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) also received a coral necklace as a child from her parents and this necklace would eventually be given to her daughter, Princess Elizabeth (later to become the current Queen Elizabeth II).  

These last few items take the theme of a coral wedding literally, the first shows three different types of resin coral that would look wonderful placed around the room of a reception room or on the guest tables or for a unique cake topper.

Shown below is a beaded coral napkin ring which would look great on a quest table!

Shown below is an idea for a ring pillow that features a coral pattern

So, as you can see from the numerous examples given in this post there are is a large variety of items that can be used to create a beautiful coral wedding. 

Queen Alexandra – the Fashion Icon

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The Princess of Wales was a fashion icon in her day … but wait … I’m not talking about Princess Diana but Princess Alexandra.  Princess Alexandra of Denmark married Prince Albert Edward, the son of Queen Victoria, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on March 1863.  Princess Alexandra was barely 18 years old at the time of the wedding and she was very beautiful and tall in stature with a slim figure which was in sharp contrast to the women of the time who had much fuller figures.  (Queen Victoria was barely five feet tall and rather plump!)

Princess Alexandra’s wedding dress was created by Charles Worth, an English fashion designer working in France, who dominated Parisian fashion at the end of nineteenth century.  Following the tradition started by Queen Victoria, Princess Alexandra selected an ivory gown, with a separate bodice top and full skirt made of English silk with a Honiton lace overlay featuring elaborate embroidered symbols of an English rose, an Irish shamrock and a Scottish thistle.  The gown was further embellished with orange blossoms and myrtle garlands and the silver moiré train was 21 feet in length and she wore a veil of Honiton lace with a wreath of even more orange blossoms and myrtle.  Her bridal bouquet was made of white rosebuds, lilies of the valley, rare orchids, orange blossoms and of course the traditional sprigs of myrtle said to have been grown from a planting taken from Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet 23 years earlier.  Prince Albert Edward gave her a wedding present of a pearl necklace, earrings and brooch which she wore along with an opal and diamond bracelet that was a gift from Queen Victoria.  (For more information about the wedding of Prince Albert Edward and Princess Alexandra and A British Royal Bride – Princess Alexandra, please click on the link )

 Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra at the time of their engagement Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra on their wedding day

At the time that Alexandra came to England to marry the heir to the throne it had been a few years since the death of the Queen Victoria’s husband, her beloved Prince Albert, and the Queen had withdrawn from society stifled by her grief and a self-imposed period of prolonged mourning.  Prince Albert Edward was heir to the throne and as the Prince of Wales he was put into service as the Queen’s representative for official functions and together the royal couple proved to be extremely popular with the public.  Prince Albert Edward soon became obsessed with royal protocol and dressing in proper clothes for every occasion and it was not unusual for him to completely change his clothing a dozen times a day.  Taking on her new role as Princess of Wales, Alexandra was always acutely aware of her royal duty to dress appropriately for official functions and whenever she was seen in public she was always elegantly dressed in fashions made with the finest fabrics that flattered her.

Princess Alexandra was also very creative in adapting her style of clothing to mask several physical impediments.  It was said that she had a scar on her neck, possibly from surgery when she was a child, and she would wear day dresses with high collars and in the evening she wore multiple layers of pearls or diamond necklaces that would cover her neck, these were known as collier de chein meaning collar necklace.  This style of jewelry became very popular with society ladies and a fashion trend was soon started.

Princess Alexandra also developed a curvature of the spine which was a complication from rheumatic fever that she contracted in 1867.  As a result, she walked with a distinct limp for several years and she very cleverly adapted her clothing to distract from the physical disability thereby minimizing attention to the problem, or so she thought!  The public noticed anyway, calling it the “Alexandra Limp”, and in a strange way it caused another fashion trend.  Ladies so admired everything about Princess Alexandra that they were soon emulating the limp by wearing special pairs of shoes in different heel heights or walked with canes.  The strange trend did not last long because women fashions were soon changing from dresses with full skirts to more tapered ones causing women to walk with smaller steps and thus eliminating the “need” to limp.

In 1901, Queen Victoria died and Prince Albert Edward became King Edward VII.  As Queen Alexandra prepared for the coronation she knew she wanted a very special gown and she called upon her friend, Lady Curzon, to help her.  The Coronation Day was set for June when the weather in London would be hot and since the Queen would already be wearing a heavy velvet robe as part of her coronation regalia the material for the dress was made of lightweight net with metallic embroidery.   Lady Curzon oversaw the making of the beautiful material which was created in India and the fabric was embroidered with the symbols of England (rose), Ireland (shamrock) and Scotland (thistle) which would represent the countries that King Edward would rule.

Part of Queen Alexandra’s coronation regalia included a Queen Consort crown that was especially made for her to wear.  In 1849, the East India Company had acquired the large 186 carat diamond, known as the Kohinoor Diamond, which was given to Queen Victoria.  The Kohinoor diamond was said to be cursed and if any male wore it he would surely lose the throne.  Queen Victoria, being female, did not fear the curse and the Kohinoor diamond was cut into a smaller 105 carat diamond which Queen Victoria wore set in a brooch.  After the death of Queen Victoria, the Kohinoor Diamond was set into the Queen Consort’s crown instead of King’s crown to avoid the possibility of the validity of the curse.  Queen Alexandra’s crown had a platinum frame designed as circlet accented with four large crosses (the center cross was set with the Kohinoor Diamond and the other crosses and four large fluerde-lis were set with “smaller” diamonds) and formed the base of the crown.  Four arches were set with three rows of diamonds each and gently curved to join together and then topped with a diamond encrusted orb and cross at the center, approximately 3688 diamonds were used.    An inner lining of purple velvet was used under the arches and ermine lined the base so that it would set comfortably on the Queen’s head.

(Special Royal Note: The custom continued afterwards with the Kohinoor Diamond always worn in the Queen Consort’s crown, this was done for Queen Mary at the coronation of George V and Queen Elizabeth at the coronation of George VI but for their daughter’s coronation, Queen Elizabeth II wore the St. Edward’s Crown that has been used to crown every sovereign since 1661.

To complete her coronation ensemble, Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s diamond bracelet and earrings.  Then she layered even more jewels across the front her coronation gown and they were stitched onto the fabric.  At her waist she wore the Dagmar necklace (a reminder of her Danish heritage) as a stomacher and several diamond earrings were added to the necklace as pendants.  She also wore a set of Queen Victoria’s diamond bow brooches pinned down the front of the gown with additional emerald earrings suspended from the bows as pendants. Around her neck Queen Alexandra wore Queen Victoria’s large diamond necklace and her customary strands of several pearl necklaces.  Needless to say, the bodice of her coronation dress sparkled beautifully!

During the reign of King Edward and Queen Alexandra, which became known as the Edwardian Age (1901-1910), women fashions changed from dresses with full skirts worn with several layers of undergarments to dresses with tapered skirts, tight laced corsets and bustled trains accented with layers of lace and beaded appliques.  Queen Alexandra continued to influence fashion and King Edward spent lavishly on a large wardrobe of dresses and countless pieces of jewelry including necklaces, bracelets, brooches and tiaras.  The King was very interested in what the Queen wore and he was always aware of royal protocol and correct dress, in fact the King once reprimanded the Queen for wearing her Garter sash incorrectly and had her change it immediately before leaving the palace!

     

After the death of King Edward VII in 1910, Queen Alexandra took on a smaller role as Queen Mother and she quietly retired to her country home Sandringham to allow her son, King George V to begin his reign.  The youthful appearance that had remained with her throughout the years had begun to fade and she took to wearing heavy make-up and veils to shield her aging face.  She slowly removed herself from public as her hearing and eyesight began to fail and she spent an increasing amount of time with her children, grandchildren and her beloved dogs.

Over the following years, Alexandra health slowly declined and she developed severe rheumatism in her legs and she lost her eyesight as well as her hearing due to a hereditary condition inherited from her mother, she was almost completely deaf.  On November 20, 1925 the Dowager Queen Alexandra died at Sandringham after suffering a heart attack.  She is buried next to her husband in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.