Monday, May 02, 2011

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Cake)

The Royal Wedding Cake of Prince William and his wife Catherine was a traditional eight-tiered wedding fruit cake designed by prestigious British baker Fiona Cairns. Each layer represents something special and meaning. The cake looks gorgeous, must have took the baker team days and hours to prepare for the Big Day. Great job! 

Insights of the WEDDING CAKE:

Along the cake's base ran ivy leaves, symbolising marriage, and the bottom three tiers were decorated with piped lace work and daisies, meaning innocence, sweet William - grant me one smile - and lavender.

There were infill features of cascading orange and apple blossom, honeysuckle, acorns with oak leaves - meaning strength and endurance - and bridal rose, which symbolises happiness, and myrtle.

The fourth tier featured the intricate garlands, reflecting the architectural details in the room, and above this was another cake covered with lattice work and piped leaf detail.
Lily of the valley - representing sweetness and humility - covered the sixth tier which also had an artistic interpretation of the couple's cipher - their initials intertwined below a coronet.

The four flowers of the home nations - English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil and Irish shamrock - were featured on the penultimate tier and the top cake, around six inches in diameter, was covered with lace details with a garland of lily of the valley and heather on top.



Fiona Cairns, stands next to the wedding cake that she and her team made for Prince William and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, in the Picture Gallery of Buckingham Palace. - UK Daily Mail

The project has left cake-maker Fiona Cairns exhausted but elated after working for five weeks on the project. - UK Daily Mail


Staff perfect the special cake, that was covered in cream and white icing and decorated with up to 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers. - UK Daily Mail

The chocolate biscuit McVities cake that was specially requested by Prince William. - UK Daily Mail

The McVitie's Cake Company has been asked to make a chocolate biscuit cake for the reception, as well as a few hundred slices for the buffet. Apparently, this type of cake is a favorite of Prince William. McVitie's has a long history with the royal family, dating back to the wedding of King George V and Queen Victoria, and just recently Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip's 60th wedding anniversary in 2007. - E! Online

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Fashion)

Now that Miss Catherine's mysterious wedding gown has been revealed, let us find out how others dressed up for the Royal Wedding such as The Queen, Princess Camilla, Carole Middleton, and the wedding party. How do you like their hats and fascinators? 

Queen Elizabeth II chose an Angela Kelly single crepe wool primrose dress with hand-sewn beading at the neck in the shape of sun rays. Pinned to her matching double crepe wool tailored primrose coat was Queen Mary's True Lovers Knot diamond brooch. Her hat with silk roses -- also designed by Angela Kelly -- was a lovely addition to her outfit. Ladylike accessories like white gloves, pearl necklace and white handbag added a timeless elegance. - AOL Royal Wedding

Camilla wore a hand-embroidered Anna Valentine champagne silk dress and duck egg blue coat. - UK Daily Mail

Carole Middleton chose a pale blue Catherine Walker wool crepe coat-dress over a matching silk dress. - UK Daily Mail

Arrival of Princess Anne, daughter of The Queen


Philippa Middleton, Kate's younger sister and maid of honor, arrived at Westminster Abbey on Friday wearing a sleek ivory satin dress with a crepe cowl neckline by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. - AOL Royal Wedding

Philippa Middleton, the maid of honor, changed into an emerald green Temperley London gown with a plunging neckline and sparkly embellishments. She paired the jewel-toned stunner with Aruna Seth's "Lynn" sandal, a silver strappy shoe with rhinestone accents. - AOL Royal Wedding
The cheerful bridesmaid and page boys
 

The young Bridesmaids’ dresses were designed by childrenswear designer Nicki Macfarlane to echo the Bride’s dress.
The Bridesmaids’ dresses have been created using the same fabrics as the Bride’s dress.  The ballerina-length, full, box pleated skirt gives the dresses a sculptural quality, with the layering of ivory over white satin gazar adding depth of colour.  They have all been hand-finished with delicate English Cluny lace, which is visible under the skirts, and four layers of net underskirt.  The puff sleeves and neckline are trimmed with the same English lace as the Bride’s underskirt. The backs have been finished with the same button detail.
The sashes are made of pale gold, wild silk, which is tucked at the front and tied at the back in a sumptuous bow.

The Pages are wearing a uniform in the style of that worn by a Foot Guards officer at the time of the Regency (the 1820s). The Pages will wear a gold and crimson sash (with tassel) around their waists. - Official Royal Wedding Website

Sunday, May 01, 2011

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Dress & Jewelry)

Miss Catherine Middleton's wedding dress revealed! It was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.

Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace throughout the bodice and skirt of the wedding gown

Gorgeous look of Miss Catherine's timeless wedding dress - The skirt echoes am opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats.




Here's the details of the DRESS:
Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace have been used throughout the bodice and skirt, as well as the underskirt trim. The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar. The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats. The train measures two metres and 70 centimeters long. The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen's designs. The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops. The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace. 


Here's the details of the JEWELRY:
Miss Catherine wears a Cartier 'halo' tiara, lent by The Queen, on her wedding day. The tiara was presented to The Queen by her mother (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother) on the occasion of her 18th birthday. Also, Miss Catherine's wedding look completed with a pair of diamond-set stylized oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pave set diamond acorn suspended in the center, by Robinson Pelham. The earrings are inspired from the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. According to the official Royal Wedding website, the earrings were made to echo the tiara and a personal gift to the Bride from her parents for her wedding day.

Recap of the Beautiful Royal Wedding of William and Catherine (The Decor & Bridal Bouquet)

An English Garden inside Westminster Abbey on Prince William and Catherine Royal Wedding. The simple elegant green and white decor speaks classy and modern at the same time. I simply love it!


The Westminster Abbey

Getting ready for the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Miss Catherine

Preparation for the Royal Wedding

Simple green and white theme for the church decoration - LOVE IT!

Eight Maple Trees lined inside The Westminster Abbey

The grand altar decorated with green and white floral - shows ELEGANCE

Catherine Middleton's Royal Wedding Bouquet

Bits and pieces about Catherine's bridal bouquet:
According to a statement on the Official Royal Wedding Website, the bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. (Isn't sweet that Catherine actually included "sweet William" blooms into her bouquet? I wish I could find "sweet Randy" blooms for my bouquet too!) The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers. 

Here are flowers' meanings in the bouquet:
Lily-of-the-valley: Return of happiness
Sweet William: Gallantry 
Hyacinth: Constancy of love
Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection
Myrtle*: The emblem of marriage; love

*Check out the history of Myrtle in Royal Wedding Bouquet here!



Photo Credits: Yahoo!