Famous Brides and Their Tiaras
Click on the wedding portrait to enlarge it.
The official wedding portrait of Princess Grace
and her husband, Prince Ranier III. Grace wears a Her wedding gown was fashioned from twenty-five yards of silk taffeta and twenty-five yards
of antique Valenciennes lace. Her veil was made from ninty yards of Welsh tulle. Her headpiece was fashioned from silk flowers, in a style
reminiscent of the earliest Victorian tiaras. The Victorian style echoed classical laurel-leaf tiaras of the ancient Greeks and Romans.
(See the historical tiara gallery).
Queen Elizabeth wore a Russian tiara that
was made for Queen Mary in 1919. it contained diamonds that belonged to George III. This tiara was so popular in England that
thousands of copies were made for English ladies in the twentiety century. The tiara could be detached from its
frame and worn as a necklace. Tiaras that could be disassembled and worn as a necklace or broach were not at all unusual. Her gown was made of ivory duchess satin with a tigh-fitting bodice and heart-shaped neckline.
The skirt and train were embroidered with thousands of pearls and crystals in an intricate floral pattern. The original tiara
is shown at the left.
No one has found a photo of Mrs. Kennedy wearing a tiara, but we
were able to discover this one with an interesting history. According to Genevive Tupper, who worked as a secretary in the West Wing to seven Presidents,
the First Lady once fastened diamond brooches made by Van Cleef & Arpels in her hair, creating the illusion of a tiara, which she
always wanted to wear.
Princess Diana's tiara may seem rather large, but historically royal tiaras
were larger in size because they had to balance out a larger, more flowing gown. The modern bride should take note of this when choosing her tiara. It must
balance out her ensemble, frame her face, and complement her hairstyle. Diana had it down perfectly.
Click
on the photo for a larger, more detailed image. Princess Grace knew exactly how to wear a tiara. Set in the middle of her head, not the front, and slanted at a 45-degree angle. Her tiara
is backed by an updo which means that you can't see through it--the hair acts as a backdrop to the tiara and allows the headpiece
to become part of the hairstyle rather than a separate piece. Never perch your tiara at the front of your head like a beauty pageant
winner or prom queen! You are a princess bride, not a bride with a tiara on! Click Here for some Tiara Do's and Don'ts.
No one has found a photo of Mrs. Kennedy wearing a tiara, but we
were able to discover this one with an interesting history. According to Genevive Tupper, who worked as a secretary in the West Wing to seven Presidents,
the First Lady once fastened diamond brooches made by Van Cleef & Arpels in her hair, creating the illusion of a tiara, which she
always wanted to wear.
