Zara Phillips & Mike Tindalls Scottish wedding: the gown, the hats, the love

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall went through with it! And there were no “Princess Charlene” moment where the bride attempted to flee to another country in tears. Thank God. The bride wore a gown by Stewart Parvin – exposed arms! NOES! That’s so not royal, but I guess they made an exception for Zara. Maybe because she’s not a princess and because the whole wedding took place in Scotland, not Westminster or something? Perhaps. Here’s more about the wedding:

Zara Phillips, Prince William’s cousin who is 13th in line to the throne, and Mike Tindall, captain of England’s rugby team, were married on a glorious, sunny day in historic Edinburgh Saturday.

The 3 p.m. ceremony took place at Canongate Kirk, a small Church of Scotland venue where the Queen worships when she stays in Edinburgh. The modest church dates back to 1688.

The bride made her arrival at a fashionably late six minutes past the hour in an ivory silk and duchess satin gown by Stewart Parvin – the personal couturier to the Queen – and a silk tulle cathedral veil. She carried a huge bouquet of cream-colored flowers and accessorized with Jimmy Choo shoes and a tiara on loan from Princess Anne. Tindall wore a suit adorned with coattails and a light grey stripe on the trouser legs.

Guests began arriving at 1 p.m. via private coach bus, and the women were resplendent with colorful hats and fancy fascinators.

Princess Beatrice was among the first guests to arrive, wearing a turquoise hat with matching floral dress. Prince William and wife Kate (who wore a cream suit and matching hat) pulled up right afterwards in a black Jaguar. Princess Anne and her husband Tim Laurence followed and then another car brought Prince Charles and Camilla, also dressed in cream.

The guests posed for the throngs of people lining the narrow cobblestone streets, while Queen Elizabeth, in a dignified peach dress and hat, and Prince Phillip smiled to the crowd upon their arrival.

At the bride’s request, the Gordonstoun Chamber Choir – the student chorus from the Scottish private school she attended – sang at the ceremony, performing the “Gaelic Blessing” and then “Amazing Grace” at the signing of the register.

The reception will be held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen’s residence not far from the church. Zara spent many school holidays visiting her grandmother there. The use of the venue (which is being closed to the public for five days) is valued at an estimated $60,000. It will cost a reported $800,000 to police the wedding, and marksmen are expected at vantage points to protect the royal guests.

With guests expected to number no more than 300, the couple looked forward to a private, family affair. “My wedding will be nothing like Kate and William’s. For a start, there won’t be anywhere near as many people. It will be a lot smaller, just close family and friends. Kate and William’s wedding was amazing but ours will be very different,” Phillips told Hello Magazine.

[From People]

As you can see from the photos, Duchess Kate recycled outfits for both the pre-wedding party (in green Diane Von Furstenburg) and for the wedding (a suit that Kate first wore in 2006). Any thoughts on Kate wearing such a light color to another woman’s wedding? Eh. Are the rules different in the UK? Because I would never wear something so light to a wedding. Of course, I can’t pull off these kinds of hats either.

PS… I love the Queen in pink. She looks so cute!

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame.

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