The official wedding portrait of Prince William and Kate Middleton has been released. It shows a dashing Prince William in his royal garb and Kate Middleton in her Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen gown. They have new titles to go with their marital status, they are now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Below is the photo of the couple with the younger members of the bridal party. The flower girls were dressed in designer Nicki Macfarlane designs.

Kate Middleton selected a gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen for her royal wedding. She married Prince William today, April 29, 2011. The dress was made of Chantilly lace with a V- neck and a beautiful bustle. It had a traditional element with a modern temperament. She was remarkably graceful and self-assured under such scrutiny. Kate completed her bridal look with McQueen shoes and a Cartier tiara, borrowed from the Queen.

Vera Wang has given us a taste of her upcoming bridesmaid collection for David’s Bridal.  This dress is seriously gorgeous.  It is in danger of upstaging most bridal gowns.  I love the volume in the skirt, it clearly took its inspiration from a bouquet of roses.  The one shoulder design has a pretty bow on the upper back corner, a welcomed and unexpected detail.  A black sash finishes the look.  There will be seven dresses in this collection, and they will range from $158 to $200 each.  They make their debut in June.  Finally, bridesmaids dresses that you will actually want to wear.

Reese Witherspoon was gorgeous in a Monique Lhuillier design on her wedding day.  The strapless blush pink gown had a bustier-styled bodice and a veil that extended to the full length of the dress.  It had a satin sash and a lovely tulle skirt.  Her hair was styled straight and her makeup pretty and neutral; she was a beautiful bride.  She carried a romantic blush colored rose bouquet.  Judging from the gown, the flowers and her radiance, it looks like Reese had her fairy-tale wedding. 

Nicole Richie said ‘I do’ to Joel Madden on Saturday, December 11th in a gorgeous Marchesa gown.  The tutu styled dress was like   walking on a voluminous cloud.  It was white with lovely lace in the bodice and sleeves.  She was a beautiful bride in peachy pink makeup and her hair in a sleek bun.  Most little girls dream of being ballerinas when they grow up, and Nicole decided to be one on her wedding day.  Her dress was avant garde, but conservative; no skin was revealed.  This dress was a heavenly dream come true.

Singer Alicia Keys got married on Saturday to her producer boyfriend, Swizz Beatz.  The two tied the knot in Corsica, France by longtime friend Deepak Chopra.  Keys selected a one-shoulder Vera Wang gown with frontal draping to accommodate the bride’s baby bump.  Her ivory silk goddess gown was complemented by her bejeweled hair ornament and purple calla lily bouquet.  The groom wore a Tom Ford tuxedo; he went for a white jacket that was perfect for a summer wedding.

Chelsea Clinton said ‘I do’ to Marc Mezvinsky on Saturday in a Vera Wang wedding gown.  The bride looked lovely in a strapless ivory silk organza gown with an embellished belt.  It had beautiful draping in the bodice that contributed to its elegance.  Chelsea ended the speculation on her dress selection when she walked down the aisle in Rhinebeck, N.Y. with fashion designer Vera Wang in attendance.  Dressing the former first daughter on her big day is a major coup, and further solidifies Wang’s prominence in the luxury bridal arena.

Vera Wang is set to give the girl on a budget the wedding dress of her dreams.  The reigning queen of bridal gowns has teamed up with David’s Bridal to bring affordable dresses to the masses.  Gowns will range from $600 to $1,200, a relative bargain when you consider a Vera Wang gown can cost you between $4,000 and $25,000.  Now this is what I call business savvy.  In order to maintain dominance one has to continually extend into other markets, and this is a logical extension.  We are all living a new reality, we live in a fashion world where high-end and lower-end lines collaborate everyday.  It was only a matter of time before bridal entered the arena.  Lucky for David’s Bridal’s customers, Wang plans on providing the same quality fabrics for her lower-priced designs. 

Vera Wang to Design A Line For David Bridal [The Cut]

Photo: Courtesy of Vera Wang

We are all aware of the, um, questionable dresses bridemaids are often coerced into wearing.  The colors and silhouettes are usually so unflattering that they’ll never be worn after your “friend’s” big day.  Bridemaids have been tortured in this cruel ritual for far too long.  Vera Wang’s new bridesmaids collection is putting an end to that accepted form of punishment with her Spring 2010 Maids collection.  The dresses are stylish and any bridesmaid would gladly incorporate one into her wardrobe.  Even better, the prices range from $180 to $250.  So say goodbye to bridesmaids dresses from hell, and welcome style to your rescue.