Planning a wedding is almost always stressful as couples have an endless list of things to think about and organise, not to mention a royal wedding.
From finding a date that works for everyone to deciding which work colleagues to leave off the guestlist – arranging the perfect day can take years.
But when it came to planning their royal wedding, The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Kate, had just four months to sort everything out – with the added pressure of knowing it would be watched by millions of people around the world.
However there were reportedly tears behind the scenes when details of one of the most important parts of the day – Kate’s dress – were leaked to the press.
The bride-to-be had done everything she could to keep the designer she had chosen – Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton – secret but word got out and hit the headlines.
At the time, The Sunday Times reported: ‘A fashion source said that the dress will be a combination of Middleton’s own design ideas and Burton’s deep knowledge and understanding of high fashion.’
Speaking on Channel 5 documentary Secrets of the Royal Dressmakers, exert Katie Nicholl claimed the future Queen was heartbroken that her secret was out.
She said: ‘Behind the scenes I think that caused tears at the Palace because Kate had done everything she could to keep the wedding dress a secret.’
Burton, of course, denied any involvement until she was officially announced as the designer when Kate stepped out of the car in front of Westminster Abbey.
And the leak didn’t seem to bother Kate on the big day. She was the most beautiful bride and she couldn’t have looked happier to marry her prince.
Burton attended the royal wedding and styled Kate’s dress before she walked down the aisle, making sure everything was perfect.
Wedding dress designer Caroline Castigliano says the big reveal was still special, even though the designer had been leaked.
She said: ‘Everybody loved Kate’s dress. That excitement when she stepped out, it was just ‘‘wow’’.
‘Incredible. She looked sensational. Even now it gives me butterflies.’
Burton used traditional Carrickmacross craftsmanship in making the dress, a technique which dates back to the 1800s, to represent ‘something old’.
The attention to detail was breathtaking – from the hand-cut Chantilly lace of the sleeves, to the lace applique on the bodice and the individual lace roses, thistles, daffodils and shamrocks hand-engineered on to the ivory silk tulle.
The skirt was crafted with white satin gazar arches and pleats to echo an opening flower. And the weight of the silk tulle underskirt and 2.7m train ensured it glided along.
Kate’s veil was also created at the Royal School of Needlework and crafted with hand-embroidered flowers, and on the back of her dress were 58 buttons of gazar and organza, which fastened by means of rouleau loops.
It has been reported that Kate first noticed Burton’s work when attending the wedding of Camilla’s son Tom Parker Bowles in 2005, where she had designed the bride Sara Buys’ gown.
