Well. This whole effect -- the dress, the tiara, the flowers -- was flawless on her. It's daunting under the most low-key of circumstances to make your wedding gown just the way you want it, much less when you're a princess who's walking in the footsteps of an insanely popular new duchess who just did this. I think she aced it, and that Peter Pilotto did her a much greater service than Givenchy/Clare Waight Keller did for Meghan. (I'm still cranky, yes.)
Eugenie
She is GLOWING. And while I've got you, here's the skinny on her emerald tiara: Per the Palace, "Princess Eugenie is wearing the Greville Emerald Kokoshnik Tiara, lent to her by Her Majesty The Queen. The tiara was made by Boucheron for Mrs Greville in 1919 in the fashionable ‘kokoshnik’ style popularised in the Russian Imperial Court. The tiara is made of brilliant and rose cut diamonds pavé set in platinum, with six emeralds on either side. The tiara was bequeathed by Mrs Greville to Queen Elizabeth in 1942." Few people realized it was still kicking around, so good on QE2 for digging into the vault. It is reminiscent to me of Meghan's tiara, as well, with the large stone in the center. If pressed, I'd pick this one, because... well, emeralds. I cannot go against the emeralds.
Eugeni
Here's one thing I think Euj got exactly right: She knows she's going to be photographed in the car and in a carriage ride, and so she made sure her dress had a little bit of interest on the bodice.
It looked lovely on the stairs, too. And Andy seems chuffed.
This seems like a good time to drum up an informative caption about the detailing: Per the Palace again, "The symbols are a Thistle for Scotland acknowledging the couple's fondness for Balmoral, a Shamrock for Ireland as a nod to the Bride's Ferguson family, the York Rose, and ivy representing the couple's home. Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos have reinterpreted these symbols in a garland of rope like motifs, woven into a jacquard of silk, cotton and viscose blend. Once the artwork was completed, it was translated into a jacquard weave in the Como region of Italy. The result is a very modern looking fabric using a highly intricate weaving technique."
The wind took the train, but only a little. JUST enough to make a cool photograph.
Jack Brooksbank
Jack seemed nervous, but sweetly so. I didn't have a photo of this from inside, but he had his glasses on all the way until Eugenie joined him, and I wonder if he needed them for distance -- as in, to see her coming up the aisle. His blue vest and pale tie echoes a color scheme we see later in Beatrice and Zara, but if I may... they don't really jibe wth the suit for me. Green would've been niftier, if we were going for a jewel tone (which, as I will say a hundred times more in the Royal Family post later, was clearly the order of the day).
Jack Brooksbank
Here's Jack with his brother. I will never stop wondering at how bizarre this must all be for the extended family of the folks who AREN'T royal. He seemed absolutely thrilled for his brother and Eugenie; when she was entering the church and they could tell, he and Jack were almost bouncing.
Eugenie and Andrew
Not in love with Andrew's color scheme, either. The gents could do with a rewind. But what can you do? How about some floral details. The Palace was so helpful today: "The Wedding bouquet consists of Lily of the Valley, Stephanotis pips, hints of baby blue thistles, white spray roses and trailing ivy. Sprigs of myrtle from Osbourne House are also included in the bouquet. The tradition of carrying myrtle began after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany. In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today. The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria's eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858."
I downloaded a lot of photos. But the church, and the walking, and the train... le sigh.
YOUNG LOVE.
They were stroking each other's hands during this bit, which I always find very romantic.
I like this shot because it puts the emerald and the bridal party's green accents in the same shot. Everything was, indeed, thought well through. Oh, and her matching earrings were apparently a gift from Jack.
Poor Jack could NOT get the ring on over her knuckle. He finally sort of wedged it on there, but I couldn't tell how far down her finger it got, and started imagining her having to pause the ceremony in order to rescue it from circulatory peril.
I freely admit that I only downloaded this picture to see how the ring ended up faring.
The carriage ride
People DID turn out in the end, too. I'm so pleased for her.
And, a close-up of the carriage for you.
This is the romantic version of the kissing photo... and, by the way, he really did grab her; it was so sweet, like he couldn't wait any more.
And this is the version I like better, with half the kids looking at them like, "What are they DOING," and one little girl giggling like mad.
"There's a room in the back. Meet you in five."