Princess Beatrice Breaks Royal Tradition With Her Wedding

Just like so many other brides these days, Princess Beatrice had to curate a bridal look and wedding that adhered to social distancing guidelines in a short amount of time.

It’s not every day that a royal pulls off a secret wedding, but Princess Beatrice did just that after having to postpone her previous wedding date in May. Her original wedding plans with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi involved a ceremony at the Chapel Royal on the grounds of St. James’s Palace in London, which has a 150 person capacity, with a reception following in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. With coronavirus forcing the couple to postpone their nuptials, they opted for a more intimate wedding than we are used to seeing from royals, with a 20 person ceremony at The Royal Chapel of All Saints on the grounds of Royal Lodge followed by a reception in a marquee at the same location. As far as royal weddings go, this might be one of our favorites, precisely for its intimate nature and departure from typical royal traditions. So, today we decided to discuss what makes this romantic, quarantine wedding so refreshing for a royal!

The Intimate Ceremony

Following a fitting “secret garden” theme, the wedding was held on July 17 with only 20 guests attending, a big difference from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 600 person wedding! The unfortunate circumstances of the pandemic allowed the couple to celebrate their wedding with only their closest family and friends. Of course, Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh were in attendance and were the only members of the royal family allowed in the socially distant, official wedding photos. All guests attending the wedding were required to social distance beforehand, which included the bride herself as she was quarantined with her family so that her father would be allowed to walk her down the aisle.

The Vintage Dress

All hail the queen’s fashion! Princess Beatrice broke the tradition of having her wedding gown custom made by a famous designer, and instead opted to borrow one of Queen Elizabeth’s old dresses. The last-minute request to wear the Norman Hatwell gown that Queen Elizabeth wore in 1962 to the “Lawrence of Arabia” film premiere was lovingly granted. The diamanté-encrusted gown is trimmed with Duchess satin and was refitted to the bride with the addition of organza puff sleeves - a trend that is taking over the fashion world right now! The princess also donned the Queen Mary diamond fringe tiara Queen Elizabeth wore on her big day back in 1947. We love how sustainable and refreshing this bridal look is, with almost every piece being borrowed or re-worn. Princess Beatrice opted for a modern look that was still vintage and romantic.

The Reception

Who said royals don’t know how to party - social distant style that is. The reception held on the grounds of the Royal Lodge was a modern couple’s dream. Fourteen of the couple’s friends gathered for the reception, with the marquee decorated with sofas, a jukebox, a dartboard, and draft beer. There was even a bouncy castle for guests to enjoy, something you wouldn’t typically find at a royal wedding reception, but we are 100% here for! Glamping pods were set up on the grounds as well to give guests a place to stay overnight. As we’re sure the combination of draft beer and a bouncy castle was a big hit, we expect more couples to go this route in the coming months.

Breaking Royal Tradition

At LVB, we’re all about brides breaking out of tradition to do exactly what works for them and their partners. Princess Beatrice didn’t feel the need to wait to get married and instead opted for a meaningful, smaller ceremony. With the princess’s wedding breaking tradition in multiple ways, from the more laidback reception to the borrowed gown, her biggest departure from tradition was with her wedding ring. In a nearly 100 year tradition, the royal family has been using Welsh gold in their wedding bands since the Queen Mother’s wedding in 1923. Both of the most recent royal brides, Princess Eugenie and Meghan Markle, chose the traditional gold. But, when Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi helped design the rings, he chose platinum for both her engagement and wedding rings, giving them wedding rings that are romantically unique to them.

Congratulations to Princess Beatrice on a beautiful wedding, we wish them a lifetime of happiness. Share this with a bride who is planning her own secret wedding and if you’re looking for something similar to Princess Beatrice’s gown, keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming collection to be launched very soon!

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