Pippa Middleton marries James Matthews in Giles Deacon wedding dress

Today, Saturday 20th May 2017, Pippa Middleton is marrying her multi-millionaire partner James Matthews in a traditional church service held in the Middleton family’s local parish of Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Since the engagement was announced last July, we’ve all been wondering what the Duchess of Cambridge‘s younger sister would wear on her big day – and who would design it.

British couturier Giles Deacon was the favourite, after being spotted at the 33-year-old’s London home with an armful of dress bags. But he wasn’t the only contender: The party planner reportedly held meetings with numerous designers in a bid to find the perfect dress.

Would Middleton follow in her sister’s steps and wear a decadent, lace Alexander McQueen creation? Would she turn to safe, bridal bet Jenny Packham? Or go all out with a big, white, frothy Ralph & Russo number?

Now we know.

Seems Pippa, like Kate, is a fan of decadent bridal gowns as she too opted for a lace gown. Arriving today at St Mark’s in a vintage, open top Rolls Royce, Pippa revealed she’s wearing a dress with short, capped sleeves – and a high neckline, dotted with intricate pearls.

In contrast, Kate’s 2011 McQueen number boasted long sleeves and a V-neck design.

The elegant dress also features a dramatic shape with a tulle-filled, floor-sweeping train, folds at the front, and a chic (and on-trend) key hole cut out on the back.

Despite not being a royal herself, Pippa added a touch of regality to her look with a delicate tiara. She completed her look with a chic updo, dainty drop earrings and a veil by British milliner Stephen Jones.

As for the designer? It appears the rumours were true: Pippa’s beautiful, lace creation was indeed designed by Giles Deacon.

Deacon, who stopped showing at London Fashion Week last year to spend more time focusing on couture, is no stranger to wedding dress design. In 2011, he famously created Abbey Clancy’s strapless, tiered creation for her marriage to Peter Crouch. He’s also a seasoned red carpet designer, and has dressed everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Cate Blanchett and, of course, his ‘Game of Thrones’ girlfriend Gwendoline Christie.

An interview with Hello!, published last year, revealed that Deacon’s certainly a fan of the Middleton sisters. “I think they’ve both got divine style,” Deacon told the magazine. “They’re thoroughly modern girls promoting British brands and looking fantastic.”

But what of Pippa’s dress? “I wanted that ‘how-was-that-done?’ factor,” Deacon explains in a conversation with Business of Fashion. “It’s all hand-pieced which is why you don’t actually see a seam.”

“There’s incredible movement,” Deacon continues. “I always loved the dancing scenes in ‘The Leopard’. I know they were all hoop crinolines in the film, but there’s something gorgeous about having that great movement, with the skirt spinning round, keeping its shape.”

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Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

A complete timeline of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews’ relationship

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