Fashion designer Elizabeth Emanuel, who created Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress, has urged her sons William and Harry to put the gown on public display.
Emanuel worked on the gown alongside her husband and co-designer, David, in the months prior to the wedding, which was held on 29 July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral, London. Its 25ft train and 10,000 hand-sewn pearls made it the most famous wedding dress in the world.
After Diana’s youngest son, Harry, celebrated his 30th birthday last month, he and older brother William inherited the gown in accordance with their late mother’s wishes.
The designer has now asked the royal princes to put the garment in a permanent exhibition at Kensington Palace in central London, which was Diana’s city home and now home to the next generation of royals.
Emanuel told The Daily Mail newspaper: “I’m hoping and assuming that it will go on display at Kensington Palace, as so many people want to see the dress. It’s ridiculous that the Diana dress was not in the recent V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) exhibition Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 (in London). They had to make do with a video instead.”
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “The wedding dress and other items that were on display at the Althorp Estate (Diana’s family estate) have just been returned to the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry. It is too early to say what the long-term plans will be for the wedding dress.”
Prior to the princes inheriting the gown, it was exhibited at Althorp, the family’s Northamptonshire estate, for two months each year and was then taken on an American tour called Diana: A Celebration, which showcased the bridal gown and 28 of Diana’s designer dresses.
Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car crash in Paris, France in 1997.
Downtown Edgartown was Wedding Central at 1 pm on Saturday afternoon. A group of nervous-looking groomsmen were clustered in front of St. Elizabeth’s Church. Crews were setting up tables under the tent at the Daniel Fisher House. Main Street was crowded with bands of perfectly turned-out couples, the ladies skittering along the bricks in high heels toward the Old Whaling Church and the Harbor View Hotel.
However, Becca Hamilton and Jeff LaMarche’s wedding last Saturday was the Island Wedding of the Year.
The Reverend Canon Robert Edmunds administered the vow.
That’s saying a lot because the Island has 400 or more weddings a year and wedding mags rate Martha’s Vineyard nationally as a top-five wedding venue. Many of the nuptials are elaborate six-figure affairs starring the rich and famous.
But a true Island wedding is a different animal. For starters, one of the prospective spouses has to be an Islander. On Saturday, that would have been Becca Hamilton and Jeffrey LaMarche, both born and raised in Edgartown.
For another, the best Island weddings are planned with a sense of unexpected whimsy, a dash of practicality, and a generous dollop of community participation — a mirror of everyday life here.
Tony Peak led the wedding procession with his bagpipe.
Here’s why the LaMarches get the mythical though coveted Wedding of The Year designation. These two free spirits, both captains on the Chappaquiddick Ferry, got married where they work, aboard the On Time II at Memorial Wharf in Edgartown in front of God, guests, startled fishermen, a few dozen delighted tourists and passersby, and those aboard a couple of passing boats that idled in the channel for a gull’s-eye view of the proceedings.
Several hundred men, women, and children. More than you could fit in the Old Whaling Church. Most of them going crazy with cellphone cameras. At this writing, the World Wide Web from here to Peoria is likely groaning under the weight of wedding photos being uploaded. It was that special.
And the men wore kilts, left to right: Chappy Ferry owner Peter Wells, Tom Sullivan, Rick Hamilton, Matt McKenzie, Sam McKenzie, and piper Tony Peak.
Another piece of the whimsy was provided by Becca’s dad, Rick Hamilton, a man dedicated to his Scots ancestry. He had appealed to all and sundry to wear kilts if they had ‘em. About a half-dozen men including Tom Sullivan and Matt McKenzie and one tyke, Sam McKenzie, came in their clan tartans.
Promptly at 2 pm, bagpiper Tony Peak (“mostly American mongrel, with a touch of Scots”) led the wedding party, pipes skirling, aboard the On Time II to begin a 200-foot voyage to the harbor-facing front of Memorial Wharf. The wedding couple did not pilot the On Time. That was handled by ferry owner Peter Wells, himself dressed in full clan regalia.
Once the On Time II was snugged at the wharf, and after several nonplussed anglers had reeled in, the wedding party completed a stately walk to the wheelhouse where The Reverend Canon Robert Edmunds, in formal cassock (black with red piping and accents), delivered the wedding instructions and administered the vows. The bride was kissed to a roar of applause, pictures were taken, then Capt. Wells sounded the horn and brought the On Time II back to port.
Mr. Peak led the wedding party away from the dock through a gathering crowd drawn by his pipes to the wedding party procession heading toward Main Street and the wedding reception at Atria restaurant.
The bride wore a full-length ivory champagne gown with small pearls at the bodice and a shimmer of delicate sequins. The gown had a short train, a good decision, considering that footing and clean decks can be tricky on ferries. The bridesmaids wore midnight blue knee-length dresses, suitable for reuse, perhaps at a Holly Ball this holiday season. The groom and groomsmen wore buff-colored suits. The wedding party completed their ensembles with fire-engine red sunglasses. Island chic, baby.
On Monday afternoon, Becca and Jeff took a few minutes to review their wedding day with The Times. “We’re kind of shy in general and we were nervous and a little embarrassed by all the people who came,” Becca said.
“I told myself that all these people came because they love us. When I got real nervous I could look at the people and see someone close to me, like my Grandma.
“So many people helped us, Winnetu, Atria, Peter (Wells) and Jay (Gruner). Atria was fantastic and very generous. Benito’s (Oak Bluffs hair salon) even gave Jeff a trim and cleanup — he was looking a little Duck Dynasty a week ago. Your Market provided champagne. We are lucky people.”
The community aspect of this wedding was apparent in the manner in which people and businesses showed up for a couple of kids who worked hard to scrape together a down payment on a house and were strapped for wedding funds. For example, Jason Gruner, a Chappy resident, stood next to his gleaming Jaguar at Memorial wharf, dressed in a chauffeur cap and white gloves. Mr. Gruner, his wife, Lisa, and two-year old daughter, Ella, would drive the couple to the to the Winnetu Resort following the reception for a night in the wedding suite, courtesy of owner Mark Snider and his staff.
The Gruners had worked mightily on the event because they like the couple and because of a strong bond cemented two years ago. “Ella decided to be born in the middle of the night two years ago, long after the ferry stopped running,” Ms. Gruner explained. “We called for an emergency run and Jeff showed up to take us to the mainland.”
The couple’s offbeat wedding plan drew rave reviews from onlookers. The best testimony about an Island wedding must be pronounced by Islanders. Delia and Chris Gibson, Oak Bluffs natives, were at Memorial Wharf with their two grandkids — Alishay, 5, and Rhemel, 2 — to do some last-day Derby fishing in the Edgartown Harbor channel that often attracts bonito and false albacore.
The kids were enthralled with the bagpipes and the wedding pageantry and color. “This is great,” Ms. Gibson said. “We’re lucky to have been here today. The kids love the bagpipes and the colorful clothes and I have never seen a wedding aboard a ferry before.”
The Bachelorette stars Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried are finally actually getting married, and they’re sharing some scoop with fans. Desiree and Chris had previously indicated that they hoped to get married in January 2015, and now they’re confirming it is official. Unfortunately, it also seems official that it won’t be televised for fans.
Desiree tweeted that it’s been an incredible journey with the love of her life and that she can’t wait to marry him. She then linked to an Instagram post that shares a quick video of the two throughout their courtship and engagement. At the end, it has a “Save the Date” shot confirming that Desiree and Chris will marry in January. The video didn’t specify an exact date, however.
Hartsock has designed her two wedding gowns, and she told Bridal Guide that they are a combination of romance and glamour. While Desiree told the site that she would think it would be fun to let fans get an inside look at the reception, and be a part of the event, it seems the plans just didn’t come together.
Though the network hasn’t confirmed anything, sources recently indicated that The Bachelorette wedding definitely wouldn’t be televised. Supposedly even Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray’s wedding, should it happen, may go on without cameras as well.
Desiree and Chris’ fans are definitely bummed that they won’t get to go along for the ride. That said, surely there will be lots of updates shared via social media, and perhaps a spread of some sort will pop up on one of the bridal sites.
Hartsock shares that she is focusing on a romantic palette for her wedding, but there are fun components incorporated as well. She plans to have a milkshake bar and a baseball cake topper, both for Chris’ sake.
What comes after the wedding? It seems that The Bachelorette couple definitely plans to stay in Seattle, and they aim to have “a kid or two and definitely a puppy or two” within the next few years.
For his part, Chris hasn’t shared anything specific about the big wedding lately. He did tweet a tease that the countdown is beginning, or perhaps already began, and many suspect that was indeed wedding related. However, it doesn’t give fans much to work with.
Will Desiree Hartsock and Chris Siegfried share more about their The Bachelorette wedding before the big day? Fans will have to stay tuned for more details, but at least now they know Desiree and Chris have set a firm date and it’s only a matter of weeks away.
Congratulations, you’re engaged. Once the excitement of sharing the news with your loved ones and Facebook friends dies down, there are several important issues to consider. This includes building your guest list, setting a budget, picking a venue, DJ versus band and other to do’s. However, there are also some vital details pertaining to insurance that many prospective newlyweds overlook. True, it’s not the most exciting topic, but it is, nonetheless, something that should be considered before marriage.
Before you tie the knot, make sure you consider these options:
Whether you’re traditionalists who believe an engagement ring should cost three months of the future husband’s salary or you’re a modern couple who opted to go Dutch and split the cost, an engagement ring is no small investment. Even if the ring is a family heirloom that didn’t cost anything, it’s a good idea to be protected against the unthinkable circumstance of losing your ring.
“Most renters or homeowner’s insurance policies offer riders for special or expensive items like engagement rings, costing on average $1 to $2 for every $100 to replace the ring,” says Doug Menges, chief claims officer for Mercury Insurance Group. “Show your insurance agent a receipt for the ring, as well as an appraisal, to assure you get sufficient coverage.”
* Compare your existing auto insurance providers.
Many couples don’t have the same carrier for auto insurance when they join together in holy matrimony, but keep in mind marriage can impact how much you pay for your premium.
“This is especially timely for me, because my daughter is getting married this summer,” says Menges. “I know that married couples tend to pay lower auto insurance premiums because, statistically, they’re safer drivers than single men and women. So, you can be sure I’ve already told her and my future son-in-law they should talk to their insurance agent, because they will most likely qualify for additional discounts that may lower their premium.”
Be sure to talk about accidents, outstanding tickets, coverage lapses and similar issues while you’re deciding if a joint policy is right for you. And don’t be afraid to reach out to a local insurance agent for advice on how to best proceed.
If you opt to combine policies, consider what’s most important to you when choosing a provider. Is it the cost of your policy or having a local agent with whom to build a relationship? What about insurance bundling options and the discount types offered? When you agree upon what you’re both seeking, you can choose to stay with one of your current providers or find a new company. Regardless of what you decide, however, it’s a good idea to shop around to see if you are getting the most for your money.
* Create and merge itemized household inventories.
Whether you cohabitate with your beloved before or after taking the marriage plunge, an important insurance lesson is to keep a detailed record of everything you own. Mashable lists several apps that will assist with the inventory process. This inventory keeps track of the belongings you’ve accumulated over the years and helps your homeowners or renters insurance provider determine the proper amount of coverage you’ll need if you fall victim to a burglary, fire, natural disaster or other loss requiring a claim to be filed.
When you move in together, be sure to combine your respective inventories into one master list, and remember to add all of the gifts you receive at your engagement party, bridal shower and the wedding.
Say goodbye to wedding chintz — floral trends for the bridal season 2014/15 are all about keeping it bold, striking and natural.
Ahead of New York International Bridal Week, which runs this weekend, wedding florists in New York are reporting a move away from “vintage” floral arrangements and a return to contemporary design and serious style statements.
“I have seen in 2014 a move away from vintage to more bold statements — no more vintage china, no more blush, no more gold,” explains Jessy Wolvek, Owner of Fleurs NYC.
“Now, we are starting to see cut crystal with bright coloured flowers such as reds, burgundies and hot pinks. Ironwork and dark vases are becoming popular.”
Meanwhile in London it seems British brides are opting for a slightly more romantic, natural look when it comes to decorative floral accents, with an emphasis on sustainability.
Organic local flowers are the order of the day it seems, as couples become more aware of their carbon footprint.
“As always with weddings, lots of gorgeous scented garden roses have predominated this year, with soft, wild looking flowers such as dahlias, peonies, freesia and delphiniums enhancing the look further,” says Jessica Simmonds, Creative Director at upmarket London florist Okishima & Simmonds.
“Another trend that we have definitely noticed this year is the use of natural elements in the table centers — such as bark and tree trunks.”
Whilst Simmonds predicts a continued British emphasis on homegrown designs, in New York Wolvek envisages a much bolder future.
“For 2015 I predict the return of black!” she states. “In candlesticks, tabletops, vases. And more bold colours! No more delicate vintage softness.”
