Kate Middleton Wedding Gown on Display for Public
The dress that spurred copies around the globe is part of the royal exhibit.
July 22, 2011 — -- Those shoes. Those diamonds. That dress.
The nuptials were months ago and the duke and duchess are already settling into married life, but there's no reason to forget Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding day.
Beginning Saturday, Buckingham Palace will host an exhibit with some of the most memorable ornaments from William and Kate's special day: the 3-foot-high wedding cake, the glittering Cartier tiara borrowed from the Queen and, of course, the gown that spurred a ripple of copycats and envious brides around the world.
SEE PHOTOS: Will and Kate's Royal Wedding Day Memorabilia
"I think the thing that people will really see when they come here to view the dress is just how beautiful the detail is," said curator Caroline de Guitaut of the Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen design.
The satin-gazar and lace wedding dress was handmade at the Royal School of Needlework by staff, tutors, graduates and students from around the world. As they applied yards-long lace appliqué to the dress, they washed their hands every half hour to ensure it stayed immaculate.
One of the themes laced through each part of the exhibition is the duchess' desire for simplicity and tradition. "She didn't want to make a statement," said Shane Connolly, artistic director of flowers, of Kate's lily of the valley and hyacinth bouquet.
Simple, maybe. But boring? Not at all. The proof is in the pudding or, well, the cake. Each of its five layers is adorned with edible flowers: 17 variations, according to cake designer Fiona Cairns.
Although visitors might not get close enough to slip their feet into the bride's size 8 Alexander McQueen heels, it's still a treat for those who didn't get a coveted invite to the wedding.
The display runs until October as part of the palace's Royal Faberge exhibit.
SEE PHOTOS: Kate Middleton's Best Fashion Moments