When it came to finding ‘something old’ for her wedding last week, Princess Beatrice had a very special item indeed: a dress borrowed from her grandmother the Queen.
The original diamante-encrusted dress was designed by Norman Hartnell for Her Majesty to wear to a movie premiere in 1962.
Though her dress was old, it seems Beatrice was bang on trend. Vintage dresses are soaring in popularity, with many brides tweaking their grandmother’s dresses.
Here, five women tell JILL FOSTER why they ‘did a Beatrice’ on their big day…
When it came to finding ‘something old’ for her wedding last week, Princess Beatrice had a very special item indeed: a dress borrowed from her grandmother the Queen
GRAN ASKED, ‘WHERE’S THE RUFFLE?’
Bridhe McGroder, 37, works in marketing. She married her husband at Hackney Town Hall in September 2017. The couple live in London and have a four-month-old daughter. Bridhe says:
I’ve always loved vintage clothes but it wasn’t until I got engaged that I considered wearing my grandma Joan’s dress from her wedding in 1947. My mum, Therese, had also worn it in 1980, so I tried it on and luckily it fitted. I never even tried another dress.
It needed a few alterations, but nothing major — the ruffle that had worked in the 1940s and 1980s had to go — so I took it to Splendid Stitches who took up the hem slightly.
They took some of the detail out but kept the beautiful vintage lace, originally from Ireland. It felt very special to have something with so much family heritage — plus it saved me a lot of money!
Bridhe McGroder (left), 37, works in marketing. She married her husband at Hackney Town Hall in September 2017. Pictured right: Ms McGroder’s grandmother Joan
On the day itself, I felt fabulous and very privileged to be wearing something both Mum and Grandma had worn. Mum loved the changes I’d made. My grandma is still alive — she’s 100 now — but didn’t get to see the dress on the big day because she lives in New Zealand and was too frail to travel.
We had a second celebration there not long afterwards and I wore it again. She thought it was wonderful that I’d worn her dress, although her first words were ‘Where’s that ruffle?’
I was so proud to wear something so beautiful that two such inspiring women had worn before me.
I FELT LIKE SHE WAS BY MY SIDE
Charlotte Smith, 33, a personal assistant, married husband Alex, 33, a civil servant in 2016 in their home county of Devon. Charlotte is expecting their first baby in October. Charlotte says:
I’d seen photographs of both my mum and granny wearing the same dress for their weddings, in 1983 and 1958 respectively, but I always felt I’d probably want my own dress.
Charlotte Smith, 33, a personal assistant, married husband Alex, 33, a civil servant in 2016 in their home county of Devon
I’d seen photographs of both my mum and granny (pictured) wearing the same dress for their weddings, in 1983 and 1958 respectively, writes Charlotte Smith
But when I got engaged, I tried on ‘the family dress’ and it was a done deal — the champagne colour suited my skin tone.
We took the sleeves off to make it strapless and used the material to expand the dress. I think Granny — who died in 2011, aged 81 — would have loved it. Wearing her dress was a way of having her there with me.
I discovered a little blue ribbon tied into the fabric — her ‘something blue’ — and it made me feel close to her.
NAN KEPT THE WEDDING DRESS IN THE SHED
Amie Chelsea Roberts, 30, works in public relations. She married Luke, 32, in 2013, in Florida. The couple live in Lincolnshire. Amie says:
I hate being the centre of attention, and wedding-dress shopping was my idea of a nightmare. But I needed a dress so I took my nan, mum and sister with me for moral support.
Every time I put on a dress, it didn’t feel right. I kept saying: ‘I want something with less of this or more of that’, and my nan kept saying: ‘Ooh, my dress was like that’.
I thought she was exaggerating. But after three days of fruitless shopping, I went back to her house and she persuaded me to try hers on. It wasn’t in the best condition — she’d kept it in the loft and shed for 48 years.
Amie Chelsea Roberts, 30, works in public relations. She married Luke, 32, in 2013, in Florida. The couple live in Lincolnshire
Pictured: Ms Roberts’ grandmother Ann Lovegrove on her wedding day in 1965
But when I tried it on, it simply felt right. When I walked into the room both Mum and Nan burst into tears. It was beautiful, fitted perfectly and, what’s more, it was free.
I wanted to make it a little more modern as it had a very puffy underskirt, which isn’t my style. With Nan’s blessing, I asked a seamstress to make it more column-like and alter the neckline into a sweetheart style.
Nan got married in October 1965 in church, whereas I was getting married on a beach, so it needed to look less formal and be cooler due to the hot sunshine.
What was really strange was that I didn’t need any alteration in the fit. Nan had exactly the same size 10 figure as me when she married at 18. She was thrilled to see me wearing it on the day and it made it extra special for me, too.
Amie’s grandmother, Ann Lovegrove, 73, is a retired school administrator. She married her husband Brian, 76, in 1965. Ann says:
When Amie tried on my dress for the first time, I couldn’t believe I’d ever been that slim! We dry-cleaned it and even soaked it in the bath for two days to remove all the marks.
I shed a tear or two when I saw her on her wedding day, wearing the dress I’d worn 48 years previously. It was meant to be.
I ADDED CRYSTALS AND USED THE FIVE-METRE TRAIN TO ENLARGE IT
Stephanie Langley-Poole, 33, an insurance director, married husband Tom, 32, who also works in insurance in 2018. The couple live in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Stephanie says:
My Aunt Jill wore my grandmother Pamela’s wedding dress for her own wedding in 1979, and after Tom and I got engaged she mentioned that I should wear it, too.
When I tried it on, it was too small for my size 10 frame. It had a 5m train which I didn’t like, and an awful pink lining. It definitely wasn’t ‘The One’.
Stephanie Langley-Poole, 33, an insurance director, married husband Tom, 32, who also works in insurance in 2018
My Aunt Jill wore my grandmother Pamela’s wedding dress (pictured) for her own wedding in 1979, and after Tom and I got engaged she mentioned that I should wear it, too, writes Stephanie
But I took it to a bridal alterations company which said it could use the fabric from the train to make the dress bigger; modernise it with Swarovski crystals down the back; and straighten the upturned collar.
By the third fitting I was considering alternatives. And then at the fourth fitting, just eight weeks before the wedding, all the alterations came together and I fell in love with it.
I was always very close to my grandmother, who died in 2008 at 79. My dad was very moved that I was the third woman in his family wearing her wedding dress.
WEARING IT MOVED GRANDAD TO TEARS
Kara Allsopp, 28, a nursery nurse, married Steven, 29, who works in retail in June 2019 in Sheffield, where the couple live. Kara says:
When I was little, I used to love dressing up in my nan June’s wedding dress. It was a gorgeous lacy tea-dress that she’d worn in 1960.
After I got engaged, the more I looked at designs, the more I was drawn to her gown.
Kara Allsopp, 28, a nursery nurse, married Steven, 29, who works in retail in June 2019 in Sheffield, where the couple live
When I was little, I used to love dressing up in my nan June’s wedding dress, writes Kara
When I asked Nan if I could wear it, she broke down in tears. But she was 5ft 5in and I’m 5ft 10in, so it needed rather a lot of altering. I had the sleeves taken off, and the material was used to make the dress bigger.
Sadly, my nan never got to see me in it. After a few months of ill health she died three months before the wedding. My grandad Colin said he’d understand if I didn’t want to wear the dress any more, but I wanted to carry her up the aisle with me.
Both he and my dad were very emotional about seeing me in Nan’s dress.