Wedding dress of Grace Kelly
Encyclopedia
The wedding dress of Grace Kelly was worn by Grace Kelly
in her wedding to Prince Rainer III of Monaco on 19 April 1956. The dress is cited as one of the most elegant and best-remembered bridal gowns of all time, and one of the most famous since the mid 20th century. One author describes the dress as "adding to the marital fervor and elevating matrimonial fashion" and a major influence on women who strove to "emulate Kelly's peau de soie and lace masterpiece". It was designed by Helen Rose
of MGM. The dress consisted of a bodice with an attached under bodice and skirt support. There were two petticoats, one being an attached foundation. The wedding attire included a headdress, veil, shoes and the lace and pearl encrusted prayer book which she carried down the aisle. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the wedding, the Philadelphia Museum of Art
(which now owns the dress) displayed it at the museum between 1 April and 21 May 2006 and reported it to have been arguably its most popular exhibit.
Over 50 years on, the dress is still influential; the wedding dress of Kate Middleton
in 2011 was said to have been inspired by it.
Designer
Because of the close friendship between the two women, Edith Head
assumed that she would be asked to design the wedding dress. Instead,
Helen Rose, a seamstress in the wardrobe department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(MGM), was selected. The dress was gifted to Grace by the MGM studio.
Civil ceremony
For the civil ceremony, which was held at the baroque throne room of the palace on 18 April 1956, the dress worn by Kelly was made of taffeta, pale pink in colour, covered by cream-colored Alençon lace, designed as a "fitted bodice with high rounded collar and a flared skirt". She wore kid gloves and the Juliet cap. The dress for the legal civil ceremony was designed by Helen Rose who also designed the gown for the main religious ceremony. The marriage was legally solemnized, according to the civil code of Monaco, in the presence of 80 guests, which included representatives from 24 nations, and it was performed by Marcel Portanier, Monaco’s Minister of Justice.
Religious ceremony
The formal religious wedding ceremony of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was held on 19 April 1956 at the St. Nicholas Cathedral. The high mass was conducted by the Bishop of Monaco
. The bride wore an elegant wedding dress. It was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt. The dress materials included “twenty-five yards of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels
rose point lace.” The Juliet cap that she wore was bejeweled with seed pearls and orange blossoms. The veil, made of tulle, measured 90 yards. Her other wedding adornments included a small Bible and a bouquet of Lilies of the Valley
. The material cost and manufacturing cost of the dress was indicated as US$7266.68, excluding the fee of the designer.
Wedding entourage
Grace's sister, Peggy, was the Matron of Honor. The wedding entourage consisted of six bridesmaids who all wore yellow organdy dresses. In addition, there were six junior attendants (four girls and two boys) who were dressed in white. Rose did not design the bridesmaids' dresses; instead, they were created by Priscilla of Boston.
called it "the loveliest example of the American product". In a simile given by another reporter, the bridal dress train of 3 foot (0.9144 m) was described as "flowing like a river of whipped cream among the plush red floor."
The wedding announcements, which received wide press coverage, also brought in controversial versions of the claims made by many commercial establishments out to exploit her name such as, the Max Factor
announcement that it would gift the cosmetics to match her wedding dress, and hosier maker Willy’s de Mond announcing that it would gift her the pearled trimmed stockings. All of these claims were subsequently denied by Grace.
presented an exhibition entitled, Fit for a Princess: Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress, that ran through May 21, 2006. The exhibition was in honor of the 50th anniversary of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier's wedding.
Grace Kelly’s 1956 wedding gown has come for praise in recent times because of the striking similarity of Catherine Middleton's royal wedding dress
to it. V-shaped necklines and long, white laced sleeves are particularly mentioned.
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
in her wedding to Prince Rainer III of Monaco on 19 April 1956. The dress is cited as one of the most elegant and best-remembered bridal gowns of all time, and one of the most famous since the mid 20th century. One author describes the dress as "adding to the marital fervor and elevating matrimonial fashion" and a major influence on women who strove to "emulate Kelly's peau de soie and lace masterpiece". It was designed by Helen Rose
Helen Rose
Helen Rose was an American costume designer and clothing designer who spent the bulk of her career with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Career:...
of MGM. The dress consisted of a bodice with an attached under bodice and skirt support. There were two petticoats, one being an attached foundation. The wedding attire included a headdress, veil, shoes and the lace and pearl encrusted prayer book which she carried down the aisle. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the wedding, the Philadelphia Museum of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
(which now owns the dress) displayed it at the museum between 1 April and 21 May 2006 and reported it to have been arguably its most popular exhibit.
Over 50 years on, the dress is still influential; the wedding dress of Kate Middleton
Wedding dress of Kate Middleton
The wedding dress of Kate Middleton was the bridal gown worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, on 29 April 2011. The dress was designed by English designer Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen....
in 2011 was said to have been inspired by it.
Designs
Grace Kelly’s marriage involved two separate functions, the first, a civil marriage and the second, a religious marriage, held on successive days. Kelly was assisted on her wedding day by Helen Rose, the wedding dress designer and MGM studio's costume designer, as well as Virginia Darcy, Kelly's MGM hairstylist.Designer
Because of the close friendship between the two women, Edith Head
Edith Head
Edith Head was an American costume designer who won eight Academy Awards, more than any other woman.-Early life and career:...
assumed that she would be asked to design the wedding dress. Instead,
Helen Rose, a seamstress in the wardrobe department of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
(MGM), was selected. The dress was gifted to Grace by the MGM studio.
Civil ceremony
For the civil ceremony, which was held at the baroque throne room of the palace on 18 April 1956, the dress worn by Kelly was made of taffeta, pale pink in colour, covered by cream-colored Alençon lace, designed as a "fitted bodice with high rounded collar and a flared skirt". She wore kid gloves and the Juliet cap. The dress for the legal civil ceremony was designed by Helen Rose who also designed the gown for the main religious ceremony. The marriage was legally solemnized, according to the civil code of Monaco, in the presence of 80 guests, which included representatives from 24 nations, and it was performed by Marcel Portanier, Monaco’s Minister of Justice.
Religious ceremony
The formal religious wedding ceremony of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier was held on 19 April 1956 at the St. Nicholas Cathedral. The high mass was conducted by the Bishop of Monaco
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Monaco. It was erected as the Diocese of Monaco by Pope Leo XIII on March 15, 1887, and was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese by Pope John Paul II on July 30, 1981.The...
. The bride wore an elegant wedding dress. It was a high-necked, long-sleeved gown with a fitted torso and billowing skirt. The dress materials included “twenty-five yards of silk taffeta, one hundred yards of silk net, peau de soie, tulle and 125-year-old Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
rose point lace.” The Juliet cap that she wore was bejeweled with seed pearls and orange blossoms. The veil, made of tulle, measured 90 yards. Her other wedding adornments included a small Bible and a bouquet of Lilies of the Valley
Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis , commonly known as the lily-of-the-valley, is a poisonous woodland flowering plant native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe....
. The material cost and manufacturing cost of the dress was indicated as US$7266.68, excluding the fee of the designer.
Wedding entourage
Grace's sister, Peggy, was the Matron of Honor. The wedding entourage consisted of six bridesmaids who all wore yellow organdy dresses. In addition, there were six junior attendants (four girls and two boys) who were dressed in white. Rose did not design the bridesmaids' dresses; instead, they were created by Priscilla of Boston.
Publicity
The "serenely regal" dress was described by the media when the details were disclosed two days before the wedding. While one columnist observed that it was a "charming dress though not a superb one", the general observation was that the gown was magnificent. Continuing the idea of a rivalry between European and American clothing in Monaco, The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called it "the loveliest example of the American product". In a simile given by another reporter, the bridal dress train of 3 foot (0.9144 m) was described as "flowing like a river of whipped cream among the plush red floor."
The wedding announcements, which received wide press coverage, also brought in controversial versions of the claims made by many commercial establishments out to exploit her name such as, the Max Factor
Max Factor
Max Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
announcement that it would gift the cosmetics to match her wedding dress, and hosier maker Willy’s de Mond announcing that it would gift her the pearled trimmed stockings. All of these claims were subsequently denied by Grace.
Further acclaim
On April 1, 2006, The Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
presented an exhibition entitled, Fit for a Princess: Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress, that ran through May 21, 2006. The exhibition was in honor of the 50th anniversary of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier's wedding.
Grace Kelly’s 1956 wedding gown has come for praise in recent times because of the striking similarity of Catherine Middleton's royal wedding dress
Wedding dress of Kate Middleton
The wedding dress of Kate Middleton was the bridal gown worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at her wedding to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, on 29 April 2011. The dress was designed by English designer Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen....
to it. V-shaped necklines and long, white laced sleeves are particularly mentioned.