Wedding of Zara Phillips to Mike Tindall: 30th July 2011

Buckingham Palace announced on the 21st December 2010, the engagement of Zara Phillips to rugby union player Mike Tindall, who plays for Premiership side Gloucester and the England national team. On the 9th March 2011, they chose a date and location 30th July and, surprisingly for some, Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

After pre-wedding events, rehearsals, checks and quite possibly some jitters the couple were married this afternoon after a 45 minute ceremony which started at 3pm.

Zara entered the church on the arm of her father Mark, wearing as revealed, a Stewart Parvin creation. The full gown was created in ivory duchess silk and softly ribbed faille, the skirt given volume with acres of stiff lace beneath. The corseted bodice of the gown ending in dramatic pleats on its dropped waist and sculpted the bride’s slim figure, giving a dramatic bell-shaped silhouette. Silk tulle straps formed a V-shape at the back of the gown, with bias-cut raw-edged ribbons in silk faille and duchesse satin decorating the neckline and empire seam below the bust and finishing the hem of the dress. The full skirt featured concealed pockets.  The cathedral length veil was held perfectly in place by Princess Andrew of Greece’s Meander Tiara. The tiara was a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth from her mother-in-law and has been passed to Princess Anne and now Zara.

Zara wore her hair as she usually does for formal events – in a classic French twist – which she had created by Evangelos Tsiapkinis from the Mayfair salon MichaelJohn. On her feet were the number one choice of shoe for so many brides: ivory Jimmy Choos. Her white bouquet of elegant calla lilies was designed by London florist Paul Thomas.

The groom on the other hand wore a suit by Cad & the Dandy his shoes were by Oliver Sweeney and his cufflinks were by rufflinks. His best man, Iain Balshaw and ushers, Ian Tindall, Peter Phillips, James Simpson-Daniel, James Lofthouse, Andrew Beattie all wore suits and shoes by the same designer.

Even though this was a quiet wedding, we saw both royalty and celebrity out in force this afternoon. For the royals, Her Majesty The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, The Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Tim Laurence, The Earl of Inverness, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Earl and Countess of Strathearn, Prince Harry of Wales, Princess Beatrice & Princess Eugenie of York, Lady Sarah Chatto, Autumn & Peter Phillips.

On the opposite side we had some rather unusual guests from the celebrity world. As well as Mike’s contingent of rugby players, in which you saw the likes of Clive Woodward, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson, Austin Healey, Martin Johnson, Ben Foden, we saw racing driver, Sir Jackie Stewart, whose wife Helen is godmother to Zara. Irish jockey AP McCoy, Olympic skeleton racer, Amy Williams and then some less famous faces, Katherine Kelly an actress on Coronation Street (a british soap opera), Una Healy a singer in a girl band, Natalie Pinkham and Kirsty Gallacher both TV presenters.

After the service, bride, groom and guests returned to The Palace of Holyroodhouse to enjoy the reception and the public were allowed inside Canongate Kirk to have a look at the royal venue.

Zara has opted to keep her maiden name due to her commitments in equestrian eventing, and for now a honeymoon has been postponed possible to do with Zara’s training for the 2012 Olympics and Mike’s commitment to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Perhaps this will be the last British Royal wedding we may enjoy for a while, but it was certainly an event to keep us going until the next one.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Greek Meander Tiara, Mike Tindall, Scotland, Tiaras, Wedding, Zara Tindall.

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