Princess Kate's stunning Westminster Abbey wedding to Prince William not only went down in history as the moment she became the wife of the future king but also in the style stakes.
The Princess of Wales, 42, looked lit from within during her 2011 wedding where she was totally breathtaking in a bespoke gown made by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen with delicate lace sleeves and a fit and flare silhouette.
© GettyThe crisp white gown with the lacy bodice was styled with an ivory silk tulle veil which was embroidered with a rose, a thistle, a daffodil, and a shamrock, to represent each of the countries that make up the United Kingdom. Completing the look was the late Queen's Cartier Halo Tiara.
© GettyThough the stunning look will be remembered for years to come as one of the most anticipated wedding dresses of the decade, that is not to say that the impact the dress has had on brides-to-be is a thing of the past.
Nikita Thorne, head of strategy at Guides for Brides tells HELLO! that the bridal landscape still feels the ripple effect of the Princess' beautiful look. "The Kate Middleton wedding is obviously the most iconic of all time for the current bride, and everyone wants that big wedding moment," she says.
© GettyKate's dress isn't the only one of that historic royal occasion that has continued to influence bridal styles. "Funnily enough, I think the bridesmaid's dresses [are equally iconic], all I wanted was the Pippa Middleton bum!," says Nikita.
© GettyKate's younger sister Pippa became an overnight sensation thanks to her bespoke figure-flattering floor-length gown that was too designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The gown featured a cowl neckline, lace-adorned capped sleeves, and covered buttons down the back.
© GettyNikita adds that the gown that Princess Eugenie had made for her 2018 ceremony to Jack Brooksbank has also had a lasting effect on bridal trends. "Princess Eugenie's wedding dress with the fact that she was able to show her scoliosis scars had a huge influence on the people that are affected by that," the wedding expert tells us.
© GettySarah Ferguson's daughter wore a gown by Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos with a V-neckline that folds around the shoulders for a structured look. The Princess deliberately opted for a dress with a low back to show the scar from the surgery she underwent at the age of 12 to correct scoliosis in a powerful moment that is not easily forgotten.
© GettyAlison Hargreaves, founder of Guides For Brides adds Meghan Markle into the mix. The Duchess of Sussex, 42, married Prince Harry in the same year as Princess Eugenie said 'I do' in a majestic ceremony at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
© GettyPutting her simplistic Clare Waight Keller gown with a bateau neckline to one side, Meghan Markle has made waves in the cake business with her floral masterpiece by California-native baker Claire Ptak.
© GettyAlison Hargreaves tells us: "All of a sudden, everyone wanted lemon and elderflower cake, and that's something anyone can have at their wedding, so you're not going to be able to get a castle…or a six-tier wedding cake, but there were elements of it. The style of the dress, the style of the bridesmaids' dresses, the colour schemes, the cake flavours.
© Getty"What's probably quite interesting to brides is actually understanding they can bring evidence from that wedding into their own and breaking down the little bits that are very, very easy," Alison adds.
It may surprise royal followers to hear that the experts at Guide for Brides have pointed out that certain celebrity weddings are becoming as influential as royal weddings in the style stakes.
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"I would even say that the influencer wedding is as impactful as a royal wedding these days," says Nikita Thorne. "I certainly was following Katie Penny-Jeffries on Instagram the whole of her wedding…they've got similar budgets to the majority of brides and grooms who are watching what they're doing."
