Zara's elegant dress transforms her into quintessential English bride

By Deborah Arthurs


The blushing bride chose a full skirted gown with a row of covered buttons, and wore her mother's tiara to complete the elegant look


She is the royal known for her unconventional dress sense, with leopard print hats, a pierced tongue and plenty of cleavage her trademark.

Today though, the Queen's granddaughter put aside her more outlandish image and transformed into a quintessential English bride.

Her dress, by the Queen's own couturier Stewart Parvin, was a picture of elegant sophistication.

Picture of perfection: The short train and ivory silk was a traditional and demure choice for her big day


It was expected that Zara would wear a traditional gown - more classically beautiful and less high fashion that Catherine Middleton's Sarah Burton gown - and she did not disappoint.

The full gown was created in ivory duchess silk and softly ribbed faille, the skirt given volume with acres of stiff lace beneath. The corseted bodice of the gown ending in dramatic pleats on its dropped waist and sculpted the bride's slim figure, giving a dramatic bell-shaped silhouette.

No wonder she looks so happy! Beneath Zara's veil was her mother's glittering Greek Key tiara

The epitome of elegance: With silk tulle straps, a full skirt and a cathedral length veil, Zara looked gorgeous


Rather than the cropped jacket Zara was tipped to wear, she gave the gown the more demure touch that the royal occasion demanded.

The dress was crafted in faille, a softly ribbed silk. The chevron-pleated bodice ended in dramatic pleats on its dropped waist.

Silk tulle straps formed a V-shape at the back of the gown, with bias-cut raw-edged ribbons in silk faille and duchesse satin decorating the neckline and empire seam below the bust and finishing the hem of the dress. The full skirt featured concealed pockets.

Her full, cathedral length veil, pulled over her face as she arrived on the arm of her father Mark Phillips, was held in place by the Greek Key tiara, lent to Zara by her mother, Princess Anne.

The Princess Royal received it as a gift from the Queen in 1972, and wore it often during her engagement to Mark Phillips.

Adorable: The flower girls in their full-skirted frocks excitedly await for the beautiful bride to arrive

And the bidesmaid's looked good too: Maid of Honour Dolly Maude looked pristine with her elegant up-do and neat dress

Zara's hair and make up beneath that statement veil were simple and natural.

A girl after her mother's heart, Zara is a creature of habit when it comes to her hair, and today was no exception.

She wore her hair as she usually does for formal events - in a classic French twist - which she had created by Evangelos Tsiapkinis from the Mayfair salon MichaelJohn.

In her feet were the number one choice of shoe for so many brides: ivory Jimmy Choos.

Her white bouquet of elegant calla lilies was designed by London florist Paul Thomas

Zara is said to have chosen the Stewart Parvin gown from wedding boutique White Room in Minchinhampton.

The designer, who christens his dresses with such romantic names as Easy To Love and I've Got a Crush On You, seemed to have hit the mark today, as Zara appeared relaxed and happy - surely the goal of any bride on her big day.

Stewart Parvin was also behind the Queen's dress.

The three young bridesmaids wore white - echoing the bridesmaids at the wedding of Catherine and WIlliam - and the full-skirted dresses cinched with pale china blue ribbon featured columns of covered buttons running down the back, reminiscent of the detailing on the back of Pippa Middleton's now iconic bridesmaid dress.

Mother-of-the-bride Princess Anne performed impeccably from a style point of view, wearing a swishy coral pleated skirt with a vintage-inspired cropped jacket (knowing thrifty Anne, it could well really be vintage), its floral print adding the right amount of levity to the neat tailoring.

As ever, her hair was styled in the usual immaculate bouffant, topped off with a fascinator that matched the coral skirt.


source: dailymail