The first big royal wedding in decades, the nuptials of Kate
Middleton and Prince William attracted an incredible amount of attention. The
Knot reported that more than 1 million people lined the streets between
Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey (where the ceremony took place), 5,000
block parties were thrown, 23 million people tuned in to watch. cable and live
broadcasts, and 1,900 lucky guests lined up in pews inside the church. Numbers
that, when you really stop to think about them, are mind-boggling.
Another amazing number? $434,000, or the price of Kate Middleton's
fashion-changing wedding dress (via Page Six). Designed by Sarah Burton for
Alexander McQueen, the custom gown featured a V-neck, long-sleeved lace bodice
that was overlaid with a full-skirted ivory silk gown. The skirt's lace
appliqué was handcrafted by the Royal School of Needlework (by Town &
Country), a beautiful detail that surely added several thousand dollars to the
total cost. The look was completed with a lace veil and the Cartier Halo
Tiara, on loan from the Queen.
Like other royal brides, Kate managed to pay tribute to her new
husband and her private relationship in a sweet and understated way. By adding
William's sweet flowers to his shield-shaped bouquet, the new princess showed
her affection in a way a multi-million dollar wedding simply couldn't.
