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Zara Phillips waves to the crowds as she leaves Canongate Kirk after her wedding to Mike Tindall© Getty

Zara Tindall's satin bridesmaid mini dresses broke the royal mould

Princess Anne's daughter's bridesmaids included her half-sister Stephanie

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
March 29, 2023
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Zara Tindall (née Phillips) found the perfect balance between following royal protocol and adding her own rebellious details to her wedding day with Mike Tindall in 2011.

Not only did she ditch traditional nude nail polish when it came to her hidden pedicure, which acted as her 'something blue', but she also chose surprising bridesmaid dresses for her maid of honour, Dolly Maude.

WATCH: Zara and Mike Tindall look loved-up as they emerge as husband and wife following wedding ceremony

The horse trainer – whose son also acted as a page boy – was pictured standing in the sunshine outside Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh on 30 July 2011 following Mike and Zara's wedding ceremony. Dolly looked beautiful in an off-white mini dress with capped sleeves, a fitted waist and a pencil skirt that fell to her knees.

It was very different from the floor-length gowns other royal ladies chose for their bridal parties. For example, Princess Kate's maid of honour Pippa Middleton rocked a white floor-length gown to her sister's big day and Zara wore a green strapless bridesmaid frock at her brother Peter and sister-in-law Autumn Phillips' nuptials.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Lady Amelia Spencer parties in second wedding mini dress with husband Greg Mallett

Zara Tindall's chief bridesmaid Dolly Maude
Bridesmaid Dolly Maude wore a pencil mini dress to Zara's wedding

Dolly added white heels and a silver bracelet and wore her dark hair in an elegant updo adorned with white flowers. She was pictured alongside the other bridesmaids including Zara's half-sister Stephanie Phillips – Captain Mark Phillips and his second wife Sandy Pflueger's daughter – who wore A-line versions of the knee-length dresses by local dressmaker Sue Palmer paired with white ballet shoes.

Meanwhile, the bride was a vision in an ivory silk dress fashioned by designer Stewart Parvin, one of her grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s favourite couturiers. 

Zara Tindall waving to crowds on her wedding day
Zara and Mike got married in Edinburgh in 2011

She added a precious Greek tiara that belongs to her mother, Princess Anne, which acted as her 'something borrowed.' It consisted of a brilliant-cut diamond surrounded by a glittering wreath and was gifted to Queen Elizabeth II by Prince Philip's mother Alice – and the late Queen subsequently passed it on to her daughter, Princess Anne.

SEE MORE: Second royal wedding shoes: Meghan Markle, Princess Eugenie and more rarely-seen heels

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