Snow White

Because girls love diamonds and pearls

Golden Glamour

Springtime Garden Wedding

Iconic wedding gowns a quick look at bridal fashion that made history

The dress that Grace Kelly wore for her April 19 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier was designed by MGM costume designer Helen Rose and was made from 25 yards of silk taffeta, antique rose-point lace and pearls by three dozen seamstresses, who worked on it for six weeks.

The wedding dress that Queen Victoria wore to marry Prince Albert in February 1840 sparked a trend for white wedding dresses that is still in vogue today.

Queen Elizabeth II was just 21 when she wed Prince Phillip in November 1946. The couple had met when she was just 13 years old at the wedding of his cousin, Princess Marina of Greece. Her Majesty famously saved up ration cards to purchase the material needed. The gown was made of ivory duchess satin and decorated with 10,000 imported white pearls, silver thread and tulle embroidery. Her bridal ensemble also included a 15-foot patterned full court train attached at the shoulders, and a silk tulle veil held in place by a tiara lent to the princess by her mother.

The first of Elizabeth Taylor’s seven husbands was Conrad “Nicky” Hilton. They were married in Beverly Hills in May 1950 and Liz wore a dress by Helen Rose – the MGM costumier who designed Grace Kelly’s wedding gown. The dress bore a striking resemblance to the one Taylor wore in Father of the Bride, the costumes of which were also created by Rose.

In May 1959, when Elizabeth Taylor married her fourth husband, singer Eddie Fisher - who left his wife Debbie Reynolds to marry Taylor – she wore a short, hooded, forest green dress with matching shoes and a bouquet made up of orchids and baby's breath. 

Audrey Hepburn married actor Mel Ferrer in September 1954, after starring with him on Broadway in Ondine. She wore a typically full-skirted Fifties ballerina-length style by Pierre Balmain with roses in her hair.

For her November 1961 wedding to Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner wore a halterneck dress with a sheer shawl.

Bianca Jagger decided against a traditional wedding dress for her May 1971 wedding to Mick Jagger, opting instead for a white skirt suit by Savile Row tailor Tommy Nutter - who had previously tailored suits for the Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Yoko Ono. The designer had made a shirt for Bianca to wear under the jacket but it did not fit as she was four-months pregnant - so she wore nothing underneath instead. She kept the Riviera sunshine off with a wide-brimmed hat.

Non Traditional Centerpieces

For a whimsical wedding, gather balloons that go with your color scheme and inflate with helium. Then, use a mesh net (found at a craft supply store) to connect the balloon to a small basket. Make sure your basket is weighed down by putting marbles or vase fillers. If desired, cover the weights with faux flowers to hide them from sight.



For a garden wedding, display large, colorful bird cages on tables for a simple, yet eye-catching, centerpiece. Weave ivy or a few flowers into the cage if you choose, or set a few candles inside to create a more intimate mood. 



For a cold-weather wedding, lanterns are a cozy touch for your tables. Choose vintage-style metal lanterns that play off rich hues in autumn; or, apply this idea to a summer wedding by choosing sleek white ones instead. Place a single pillar candle inside the lantern, and adorn the lantern with appliqués that coordinate with your color scheme or wedding theme.

Cornflower Blue and White