Staggering cost of Kate Middleton's stunning wedding gown - and all the sentimental details you missed

With almost 2,000 guests in attendance, a million fans camped outside and over 36 million viewers watching from home, people were eager to catch the first glimpse of Kate Middleton ’s bridal gown.

Already renowned for her simple yet elegant style, royal experts had been speculating for months over what type of dress Kate would opt for. And from the moment she was pictured stepping out of the car to greet the waiting audience in a long-sleeved lace gown designed by Alexander McQueen’s then-creative director Sarah Burton, bridal fashion was forever changed.

“Kate’s dress is still a huge favourite and one we see brides regularly use as inspiration,” bridal expert and Head of Strategy at Guides for Brides Nikita Thorne tells OK! “Even over a decade on, it is so highly searched for and it really was a turning point in bridal fashion, ushering in a whole new style.”

The stunning gown had a boned bodice to cinch in the waist and padding around the hips to create a more extreme silhouette. The underskirt had trim crafted from English and French Chantilly lace and the ivory silk tulle had hand-cut flowers placed on using the Carrickmacross lace technique.

Nikita explains that prior to Kate and William’s 2011 nuptials, bridal fashion was varied but tended to favour a particular style: “The strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline was the most popular choice. Material was often heavy layers of satin and tulle as well as textured skirts. Lace was seen as a bit of a dated fabric but that all changed with Kate."

She adds: “Her style balanced tradition and modesty with a modern look. The long sleeves were a unique choice and the high neckline featured a deep v-neck made from lace so she wasn't covered up entirely. The full train added a dramatic effect too. Kate cemented her status as a style icon in that moment and her dress had a lasting impact on bridal fashion from then on.

"Even today, we see brides wanting the elegant long-sleeved look, the plunging neckline or the lace details. Veils are a huge bridal fashion accessory at the moment too. It just proves how timeless Kate’s choices were.”

The Palace revealed that Kate had commissioned Sarah and Alexander McQueen for the “beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing.” They added that Kate wanted her dress to combine “tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work.”

Nikita notes that Kate had been inspired by the wedding dresses of Grace Kelly and other former royals and her style was elegant without going overboard: “Kate's style had an air of Grace Kelly and other royal weddings before her. Her background of being a "normal citizen" before she was a princess was in focus here. It was elegant and show-stopping without being too ostentatious.”

One of the most impressive things about Kate’s wedding gown is the level of detail that went into making it. Extreme measures had to be taken to ensure no damage was done to the lace. The team of embroiderers from the London Royal School of Needlework reportedly had to wash their hands every 30 minutes and the needles had to be switched out for new every three hours to keep the fabric as pristine as possible.

It was filled with hidden details too. The dress featured four plant motifs, including a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock that were all hand cut from the lace and hand-appliquéd onto ivory silk tulle to represent England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There were also a total of 58 gazar and organza-covered buttons that lined the back of the bodice and they were all fastened by Rouleau loops. The ivory and white satin gazar skirt had been designed to look like the opening of a flower and Kate's train was 9 feet long.

The dress cost a whopping £250,000, making it the fifth most expensive dress of all time.

“The details on Kate’s ceremony gown were so well thought through, especially the design of the lace which honoured the national flowers of each UK nation,” Nikita notes. “It's these small details that really add to the symbolism of the look and wouldn't be easily seen unless you were able to view it up close. “

Kate and William had met at St Andrews University in the early noughties and their strong relationship was built from a firm friendship. Despite a privileged upbringing, Kate was not from an aristocratic background and was considered a 'commoner' marrying into the royal family.

And Nikita believes that Kate’s enduring bridal appeal is not only a testament to her effortless style but also her fairytale.

“Brides have been more comfortable having a fuller train after seeing Kate's effortless style. I think the fact Kate came from a "normal" middle-class family makes the public feel more drawn to her, and her choice of gown on her wedding day was something that many brides could see themselves wearing. She embodied a true fairytale princess. A normal girl who finds her prince."