Queen Elizabeth saved up ration coupons, Kate Middleton did her own make-up and Princess Beatrice wore some seriously old shoes: 4 times British royals were thrifty at their weddings
British royals spend a lot of money on their wedding day – millions in fact. William and Kate’s royal wedding cost US$34 million, even though most of that went on security for the event.
But in the end, if you’re spending that much on your special day, it may actually make sense to cut costs in other areas, especially if you’re able to make a statement at the same time. From a wedding dress paid with rations, to vintage wedding attire, here are four times the British royals chose to economise on their wedding day.
A wedding dress paid with rations
As a 21-year-old bride to Prince Phillip, Elizabeth Windsor, now Queen Elizabeth, saved up her ration coupons to buy the fabric for her wedding dress. When her engagement was announced in July 1947, Britain was still embroiled in World War II.
By the time her special day approached in November of that year, the queen had saved up to 200 coupons, several gifted from the British government, which was enough for her silk wedding dress with a 13-foot train. The dress is valued at US$40,000 today – 10 times less than the cost of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress.
Recycling jewellery
World War II was certainly a time of prudence in the royal household. Elizabeth’s three-carat engagement ring was also recycled from the diamonds of Prince Phillip’s mother’s tiara.
Princess Alice of Battenberg gifted the tiara to her son when she knew he was going to propose to Elizabeth. Additional stones from the tiara, which originated from the Russian Empire, were selected to create a bracelet, another part of Elizabeth’s wedding jewels.
DIY wedding make-up
If you’re thinking about hiring a make-up artist for your wedding day even though you have acceptable make-up skills, remember that even the Duchess of Cambridge chose to do her own wedding make-up.
Before her big day, Kate took a few private lessons on make-up from London make-up artist Arabella Preston, but for the day itself, Kate was in control of her natural and soft bridal look.
Re-wearing wedding attire
Princess Beatrice wore a pair of sparkly Valentino heels on her wedding day in July this year, which she had been spotted wearing nine years ago on William and Kate’s wedding day. She also wore the same pair of heels to the 2014 wedding of Belgian royal Prince Amedeo.
The total cost of Beatrice’s wedding to property developer Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi hasn’t been made public, but the pair had a modest reception with only 20 guests at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor.
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When you’re a British royal like Kate Middleton or Queen Elizabeth, the public expects a show, but that doesn’t mean every detail has to be over-the-top extravagant