Facts on Meghan Markle's Wedding Dress
The Gown Was Designed by Clare Waight Keller
Clare Waight Keller, an acclaimed British designer, crafted the look. Waight Keller is currently the artistic director of Givenchy, the French fashion house. She previously worked as the creative head at Pringle of Scotland and Chloé.
The Dress Had a Unique Neckline and Sleeves
The elegant, minimalist gown featured a bateau neckline and three-quarter sleeves. The dress is in a pure, white color, and was created out of a "double bonded silk cady" fabric, according to the Palace.
Meghan Helped Design the Dress
According to the Palace, Meghan met Waight Keller in early 2018 to discuss the dress, and the duo worked closely together on the design process.
Meghan's Veil Was Long and Dramatic
The veil was also designed by Waight Keller and her team. It was created from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers in silk threads and organza. Meghan's veil was five meters long, which is roughly 16.5 feet in length.
Her Veil Held a Secret Symbolism
On the morning of the wedding, Kensington Palace revealed the touching details of Meghan's veil. "Ms. Markle expressed the wish of having all 53 countries of the Commonwealth with her on her journey through the ceremony. Ms. Waight Keller designed a veil representing the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country united in one spectacular floral composition," the Palace said on Twitter.
And, It Included a Nod to California
In addition to the flowers representing nations in the Commonwealth, Meghan selected two flowers to be embroidered on her veil. The first was the wintersweet, which grows around Harry and Meghan's home, Nottingham Cottage. The other was a California poppy, a touching nod to Meghan's home state.
Meghan's Bouquet Was Hand-Picked by the Groom
The bride's bouquet featured Forget-Me-Nots picked by Prince Harry himself among other blooms, such as sweet peas, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia, and a sprig of myrtle.
Meghan Choose Her Wedding Tiara With the Queen
Meghan borrowed the Queen Mary's bandeau tiara from Queen Elizabeth for her wedding day look. The bride reportedly visited Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace to choose a tiara to wear on the big day. The Queen Mary's bandeau tiara once belonged to Queen Mary, who was married to King George V and is Queen Elizabeth's grandmother.
Queen Mary's Bandeau Tiara Has a Storied History
The tiara's history dates back to 1893, when the center stone was gifted to Mary of Teck from the County of Lincoln. In 1932, the diamond and platinum tiara was created to accommodate the center brooch. The tiara was bequeathed the tiara to Queen Elizabeth when Queen Mary died in 1953.
Cartier Completed Her Bridal Look
The bride wore a pair of Cartier diamond earrings with a matching diamond bracelet to complete her wedding day look.
Designer Clare Waight Keller Revealed Meghan Knew What She Wanted
A day after the wedding, Waight Keller revealed Meghan "had an idea of what she wanted" when they first met to design the dress in January, ITV reports. The designer wanted to capture Meghan's "modern, fresh" style in the design, and also wanted the bride "to feel like it was absolutely right for the occasion."
And Meghan Was "Thrilled" With Her Veil's Special Meaning
The veil's intricate embroidery included a flower from each of the 53 Commonwealth nations. Waight Keller revealed Meghan was "really thrilled" to include the symbols of each nations in the design. "A lot of the work she's probably going to do in the future will be connection to the Commonwealth," Waight Keller told ITV. "And so that was something I really thought could be quite compelling."
Meghan Changed Into a Second Wedding Dress
After the ceremony, Meghan changed into her second wedding dress for the evening reception. For this sleeker, sexier look, Meghan chose a bespoke design by Stella McCartney with a high neckline.
Meghan's Something Blue at the Reception Was a Nod to Diana
Meghan wore a striking piece of jewelry to the evening wedding reception: an aquamarine cocktail ring that once belonged to Princess Diana. We've got more on that stunning ring here.
Here's what you might have missed about the gorgeous gown.