If ever a royal wedding dress summed up its wearer, it was the gown chosen by Sophie Rhys-Jones for her marriage to Prince Edward on 19 June 1999 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Subtle, elegant and classic, this was the final Windsor bridal dress of the 20th century and it saw in a new era with style.
Sophie and Edward’s big day might have been a modern marriage but it had an air of the medieval about it, too. It nodded to the chivalric and heraldic past that still comes alive at St. George’s, home to the ancient Order of the Garter, and the bride’s outfit took on several elements that set the tone for this unusual but striking theme.
The main element of this bridal look was a coat dress made of
ivory silk organza with crepe and tulle, all of it hand dyed. The
bodice featured a V neck with full-length sleeves ending in fluted
cuffs that hinted at the style of the later Middle Ages. The bodice
with fitted waist gave way to a slightly flared skirt that flowed
into a long train. The bride also wore a tulle veil, an inch longer
than her train, which was noticeably caught by the breeze as she
walked up the steps to St. George’s Chapel.
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One of the most striking features of Sophie’s bridal look was the
amount and manner of embellishment on the dress. While both Lady
Diana Spencer and Sarah Ferguson had opted to have motifs on their
wedding gowns, Sophie used her sparkle more subtly. There were over
325,000 pearls and crystal beads on the coat dress, train and veil,
added in discreet patterns to give an overall lustre to the wedding
outfit. They are perhaps most noticeable on the front of the coat
dress, where they sit in neat lines along the bodice and opening of
the skirt.
The dress was designed by Samantha Shaw who had herself got
married just weeks before Sophie and Edward. Already a popular
couturier, she had opened her first studio in Chelsea in 1995 after
studying costume design, and her commission for the royal wedding
dress was announced in April 1999.
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Sophie’s wedding look was completed with some rather special royal
jewellery. The tiara that secured her veil was a special creation,
all in diamonds, featuring pieces from the Queen’s collection
remodelled by David Thomas of Asprey and Garrard. The bride also
wore a striking necklace and earrings, presented to her by her
groom and featuring cream and black pearls.
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That colour scheme was reflected in her bridal party’s outfits with
her two pageboys and two bridesmaids in black and white creations
inspired by the Order of the Garter.
Sophie’s flowers also had a monochrome effect with deep green
foliage set against pale cream flowers. As the bride entered and
left the church there was also a chance to get a glimpse of her
wedding shoes, by Gina, which featured three inch heels.
Sophie’s gown is perhaps not the most talked about of the Windsor wedding dresses but it remains a classic, almost twenty years after it was first seen. The discreet elegance of the Countess of Wessex put a final fashion flourish to the Windsor wedding dresses of the 20th century and nodded to a new wave of style to come.
