Friday Fun with a Nautical Slant

Hello-Hello, welcome to an almost-weekend here at The Prepatorium. It’s Friday, the monsoon seems to have finally abated: we actually have sun shining and it’s just plain gorgeous. It seems like a good time for some Friday Fun with a nautical slant, we begin with some amazing cakes.

Fat Girl Cakes / My 1950s Wedding

The next come via Alana Scully Photography/Style Me Pretty (L) and Arte de Ka Cakes (R).

Alana Scully Photography via Style Me Pretty/Arte de Ka Cakes

Here we see a trio of nautically inclined cakes via Bird’s Party Blog.

Bird’s Party Blog

This one is by Miso Cakes, the photo comes via The Cake Blog.

Miso Cakes via The Cake Blog

I like the Nautical Stripes Charm Bracelet from C. Wonder, and the Blue Nautical Stripe shoes by Zara are cute.

C. Wonder/Zara

More jewelry, Betsey Johnson’s Nautical Theme Necklace,on the left, the Nautical Knot Bracelet is by Madewell.

Betsey Johnson/Madewell

Other jewelry options include the Urban Outfitters Earrings or our Needlepoint Anchors Bracelet.

Urban Outfitters/The Preppy Princess

When it comes to apparel there’s no shortage of items at J. Crew, like the Anchor Tee Shirt and the Linen Pocket Anchor Tee.

J. Crew

Equipment’s Whirlpool Anchors silk shirt is on the left, on the right we show the Moschino Cheap & Chic Anchor Heart T-Shirt.

Equipment/Moschino

For your MOTH (Man Of The House) perhaps the Shanghai Anchor Smoking Slippers or J. Crew’s Lightweight Pattern Socks?

Saks 5th Avenue/J. Crew

For the wee Prince, a few styles from Danish brand ej sikke lej, the Sailboat Owl or Sailor Dog tees.

ej sikke lej

From the same shop, your very young Princess In Training may enjoy the onesie, if a bit older the tee could work.

ej sikke lej

Ralph Lauren offers some darling onesies: a vintage print, along with an embroidered navy style.

Ralph Lauren via Saks

One of my all-time favorite infant items: the needlepoint Baby Booties from By Paige.

By Paige

By Paige also has footwear for grown-up girls.

By Paige

But perhaps my favorite nautically influenced shoes come from J. Crew, the Bow Pumps in Ratti Regatta.

J. Crew Collection

They’re not terribly practical they are so distinctive, once worn they are not easily forgotten. But they are darling. Perhaps one would get more bang for their buck by using their pin money for these. The yummy-looking sailboats on the left are by Pink Martinis and Pearls, the collection on the right was shared on The Cake Blog.

Pink Martinis & Pearls/The Cake Blog

Our final item is something new to the Princess, the Reilly tote from Crabberrie Bags, featuring a vintage boat on the water.

‘Reilly’ Tote at PreppyPrincess.com

We hope you enjoy a splendid weekend, be it on land or at sea.

Storied Seersucker Brand to ReLaunch & Will Seersucker Thursday Ever Return?

Good news for a brand we have long loved, Haspel.

Haspel

Haspel clothing has not been manufactured for some time, the brand is being re-launched next spring. For years it was a “go to” for lightweight menswear and other tailored garments, especially seersucker. A bit of history from a 2011 Neiman Marcus blog post about the brand.

Haspel, founded in New Orleans in 1909 and later credited with making seersucker popular in America, is newly compelling right now as young men take a new interest in sartorial tradition—and as temperatures are rising.

Unfortunately, the company’s fortunes changed within months of that Neiman Marcus blog post.  More about Haspel’s storied lineage: suits worn by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird? By Haspel.

Via Kaufmann Mercantile

This Navy working uniform: by Haspel.

Kaufmann Mercantile

Presidents Truman and Franklin Delano Roosevelt wore Haspel suits.  A closer look at the textile.

Kaufmann Mercantile

Now the Haspel brand is being rejuvenated, more from Women’s Wear Daily (subscription required):

After a year’s hiatus, the venerable men’s wear brand, which got its start in 1909, will be relaunched for spring. It is being produced in-house by descendants of founder Joseph Haspel, who have brought CFDA-winning designers Jeff Halmos and Sam Shipley of the brand Shipley & Halmos on board to design the collection.

When going to the company’s website, this is what you now see.

Haspel.com

My favorite part of the graphic? “Haspel days are here again.” Although “tailored in the USA” is also good to see, especially when a company has Haspel’s heritage.

A Haspel family member remains with the company for its next chapter; WWD’s story quotes the founder’s great-granddaughter, Laurie Haspel Aronson:

The new Haspel offering will be targeted to a younger customer, have a “modern classic” sensibility and be targeted to better department and specialty stores. “The emphasis will be on sportswear, clothing and accessories that have references to our past but with more modern fits,” she said. It will be priced just under designer collections and will include suits at $795 to $1,200; jackets for $695 to $995; shirts for $175 to $225; ties for $95, and chinos for $195 to $295.

Below, a madras coat by the company, circa 2011.

Haspel, via Neiman Marcus Blog

It is delightful to see the brand coming back to life. Our only wish for the future? Adding womenswear to the mix.

Our next story also involves seersucker, and the tradition that used to be known as Seersucker Thursday. First, a spot of background from the US Senate:

In the years before air conditioning made summertime Washington bearable, senators from the South had much to teach their colleagues from other regions about proper attire.

In the late 1990s, Mississippi Senator Trent Lott decided the time had come to revive a long-forgotten Senate sartorial tradition. He selected a “nice and warm” day in the second or third week of June to be designated Seersucker Thursday. His goal was to show that “the Senate isn’t just a bunch of dour folks wearing dark suits and—in the case of men—red or blue ties.” On the day before each year’s event, senators are alerted to the impending “wearing of the seersucker.”

Below, a group photo from Seersucker Thursday 2006.

US Senate Website

Back to the US Senate page:

In 2004, California Senator Dianne Feinstein decided to encourage participation by the growing cadre of the Senate’s women members. “I would watch the men preening in the Senate,” she said, “and I figured we should give them a little bit of a horse race.”

Below, a candid from Seersucker Thursday 2011, via The Caucus blog.

The NY Times ‘The Caucus’

We say the tradition “used to be known” because last year the event (if it can be called that) was discontinued. More from last year’s column on the topic by Dana Milbank at the Post, titled The Seersucker Bond Unraveled:

This is a yarn about a cloth, and what this cloth’s unraveling means to the fabric of our political lives.

Seersucker Thursday would have been on June 21, but on the evening before, the Senate cloakroom’s staff notified members that the custom was being discontinued.  Lott’s former colleagues thought it would be politically unwise to be seen doing something frivolous when there’s so much conflict over major issues.

There was even an online petition to bring back the tradition. Sadly, it didn’t garner many signatures.

The Washington Post blog The Reliable Source reported last week that at least one Senator wore seersucker this year on what would have been Seersucker Thursday (last week on the 20th); below you see Senator Roger Wicker (R) of Mississippi.

C-SPAN via The Washington Post

Back to the Dana Milbanks column of 2012:

But those who canceled Seersucker Thursday have got it exactly backward: Our leaders can’t agree on important things because they’re missing this kind of social lubricant.

There was this from Guest of a Guest‘s Kyle O’Donnell:

What this nation needs is a government organization to step out in their summer best with pride. Don those boat shoes! Whip out that madras! For the stability of this nation, put on that Lilly dress! We can only serve our people if we look good!

LONG LIVE SEERSUCKER!

(Nothing like a little satire.) Much as I would love to see it revived, I think the custom may be gone.

On an up note, the folks at Nebraska’s State Legislature did their own version of Seersucker Thursday.

…on Thursday there was an effort to hold a “seersucker day” at the State Capitol. Some sort of U.S. Senate tradition with a Midwest twist. Some pretty crazy get-ups from senators and lobbyists.

The State Line

Via The State Line, Nebraska State Legislature.

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For the Mad Men fans among us, we leave you with this.

Jamie Trueblood/AMC

And this.

Jamie Trueblood/AMC

How The Palace Will Share the News A Royal Baby Has Been Born

Hello-Hello, today we have some Friday Fun, delving into the details of the impending Royal Birth.

Courtesy Princess Cruise Lines

Many readers are aware a certain Duchess is expecting a baby, said to be due in mid-July. (Yours truly thinks it might be a bit earlier than that.) Above and below we see Kate on June 13, she was officially christening the new Royal Princess cruise ship.

Courtesy Princess Cruises

This week the Palace shared some information about how news of Kate going into labor and the birth will be released. And it won’t be on Twitter. More from the Daily Mail:

Although both Buckingham Palace and Clarence House have their own Twitter accounts on which details of royal events are frequently now broken, it will most definitely not be the preferred medium to announce the new royal baby.

Instead a formal notice on a piece of creamy A4 size Buckingham Palace-headed paper, signed by the medical staff who have assisted the Duchess, will be brought out of the Lindo’s front entrance by a press officer.

It will then be handed to a waiting driver and driven through the streets of London – escorted by police outriders – to the Privy Purse Door at the front of Buckingham Palace.

Sadly, I must report we do not have a Privy Purse Door here at The Prepatorium. Ahem.

The notice is then placed on an easel.

Via Global News Canada

It will be the same easel used to announce Prince William’s birth. Coincidentally, the Prince’s birthday is today, it was 31 years ago Princess Diana gave birth to him. Remember this?

Via Digital Spy

Kate will deliver the baby in the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital, the same place where Diana had Princes William and Harry.

The Daily Mail

Back to details on how the news will be shared with the world, from the Daily Mail.

‘We wanted to retain some of the theatre of the notice. It is quite important to us that this is done properly and with the degree of dignity that the event demands. This is the birth of a child who will be in line to the throne. It is a rare occasion and it is nice to be able to do it with some historical precedence,’ a Palace spokesman said.

‘It is very important [to us] that it will not be announced first on Twitter, although it will be announced on Twitter in due course.’

It can’t be easy. Being an expectant mother has to be hard enough without all of the added pressure of carrying a child who will be third in line to the Throne. Below you see media outside the hospital earlier this week, in a photo shared by Paul Harrison of Sky News.

Paul Harrison/Sky News Twitter Feed

Kate has done an admirable job coping with a pregnancy monitored by the media and followed throughout the world.

Courtesy of Sarah Campbell

Above we see the Duchess leaving a church service at Westminster Abbey last week, with thanks to Sarah Campbell for kindly sharing her photos. The Palace will even alert the media shortly after Kate is admitted to the hospital, an unusual move.

While palace aides are keen to retain Kate’s ‘dignity’ as a woman in labour, they acknowledge the fact that social media such as Twitter will make it almost impossible to keep her admittance a secret unless she is smuggled in.

‘While it is a deeply personal and private event, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge realise this is a time of national celebration and that there will be vast interest in the baby. They realise many people will want to share in their happiness,’ a spokesman said.

And when will the baby be seen for the first time by those outside the hospital? From People magazine:

The first time the baby will be seen publicly will be when the happy couple pose for pictures on the steps of the hospital in west London. It’s possible that they will also be able to say the name, but that could also follow in a few days. William’s name was released several days post-hospital and Harry’s was revealed as his family left St. Mary’s.

The plans are certainly indicative of social media’s impact, as well as the lightning-fast with which information moves around the world.  Another view of Kate in quasi-maternity wear, this one from late April during a visit to Naomi House, a children’s hospice.

Naomi House & jack’s place Facebook Page

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised someone has come up with a “Royal Easel” Twitter account.

The Royal Easel Twitter

Until next time, may everyone enjoy a splendid weekend!

“The Origins of Preppy” Exhibit

Hello-Hello, welcome to a new week here at the Prepatorium.

We just share one topic today, a look at a new exhibit, “The Origins of Preppy: John Meyer of Norwich“.  Some readers will recall the brand, for those not quite as ancient seasoned (ahem) as your trusty scribe, John Meyer made the most fabulous clothing. Below, a print ad from the brand.

Elise Meyer Pinterest

The exhibit is at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury (CT), more from the exhibit description:

The Preppy style was born on the campuses of America’s Ivy League colleges but it was manufactured using the resources of Eastern Connecticut. Origin of Preppy explores the style’s transformation from campus fad to innovative fashion by pioneering purveyor John Meyer of Norwich.

An installation from the show as well as the woman who created the grouping, Maddie Chapman.

Mattatuck Museum Facebook

I love both the John Meyer button and that tweedy blue and green fabric.

Elise Meyer Pinterest

The exhibit has been put together by Elise Meyer, the founders’ daughter. More from the Norwich Bulletin:

The exhibit is more than just about the clothing trend that became the rage for the most fashionably dressed sporty women of America. For the Northeast and Norwich it was a demonstration of innovation , know-how and determination.

The Vintage Traveler blog shared some delightful John Meyer ads.

John Meyer via The Vintage Traveler

Is anyone else feeling a déjà vu vibe? The “I swear, I wore that!” reaction? In reality it is unlikely I wore any of the pieces shown here, they are from 1967 and 1968, a little mature for someone who was but a wee Princess at that time.

John Meyer Norwich via The Vintage Traveler

We return to the Museum’s description of the exhibit.

The John Meyer of Norwich label provided a certain status and confidence to stylish women from the 1950s through the 1970s. Meyer’s daughter, Elise, has compiled an archive of the groundbreaking businessman including photographs, stories and vintage clothing.

I enjoyed reading Elise Meyer’s blog post about what she learned in putting together the exhibit.

In the project I found profound lessons about hard work and inspiration, about strong communities, about decency and fairness, about American values, about American ingenuity, and most of all, American manufacturing.I learned the value of “good manners in behavior and in dress”, and how that makes everyone a bit more comfortable.

For some reason Ms. Meyer’s good manners reference resonated.

The Vintage Traveler’s perspective on the brand:

If you were around in the 1960s and early 70s, chances are you were in love with the clothes from John Meyer of Norwich.   In my little corner of the world, there were only two shops that carried John Meyer, and both of them were the best stores in town.  Not every girl was lucky enough to own clothes from John Meyer, but the influence of the brand was huge, and one could buy cheaper versions of their beautiful heathery tweeds at places like Sears.  As they say, imitation is the highest praise.

John Meyer Norwich via The Vintage Traveler

The Vintage’s Traveler shares a reaction to the exhibit as well.

…gives a good account of how many girls and young women were actually dressing in the period that is more associated with the mod look and then the hippie look.

Elise Meyer has a partial archive of John Meyer pieces on her Pinterest page, including this classic.

Emily Meyer Pinterest

Remember the old style price tags?

Elise Meyer Pinterest

I imagine a few of our pals in Virginia will also recognize the department store, Miller & Rhoads.  Below, three more styles, these date to 1966.

Elise Meyer Pinterest

Bermuda bags.

Elise Meyer Pinterest

There is even a Pin showing Barbie and Skipper in John Meyer of Norwich.

Elise Meyer Pinterest

You my view Ms. Meyer’s Pinterest archive here. For anyone in the Waterbury vicinity this weekend, the Museum is hosting a party.

Mattatuck Museum Facebook

Don your Madras shorts and Lilly Pulitzer summer dresses and head down to the Museum, on the green in Waterbury for an evening of casual summer fun

Guests will have the opportunity to bid on fun summer experiences including creating your own ice cream flavor, being Museum Curator for a day, naming a martini at a local restaurant and much more.

It looks like a lot of fun. For more on the Fling, click here.

About That Lilly Warehouse Sale & Stephen Bonanno Sandals

Hello-Hello, it is a glorious Friday here at The Prepatorium, we hope you are enjoying warm breezes and sunshine at your Palace.

Today we have a follow-up on our quick preview of the Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale last week.  Not only did Racked Philly do advance coverage of the event, London’s The Daily Mail covered the sale.

The Daily Mail June 7, 2013

The Daily Mail piece borrowed heavily from a Racked story about the sale. The Racked article featured text and lots of wonderful photos from Julie Davis, below, the line waiting for the sale as of 5am Thursday morning, the day the Sale started.

Julie Davis/Racked Philly

I was confused by the Daily Mail story, it spoke about people camping out ahead of time, talking about info posted on Lilly’s site.

The site revealed that shoppers had been lining up outside the 240,000 square-foot venue in Oaks, Pennsylvania, since last Sunday so they could snap up the best bargains when doors opened Thursday.

Julie Davis/Racked Philly via The Daily Mail

The confusion comes because I thought camping out ahead of time was against Lilly’s “rules” for the Sale.

At any rate, Julie’s photos show that once inside there was a lot of merchandise available Thursday morning.

Julie Davis/Racked.com

Things looked well-organized by item, size, etc.

Julie Davis/Racked Philly

And prices seemed clearly marked.

Julie Davis/Racked Philly

From the Daily Mail:

Dresses started from $79, marked down from $178 to $348, and wedged shoes were discounted from $198 to $99.

The section for ‘seconds’ really had people ‘going nuts’ as merchandise dropped as low as $10.

But not everyone was/is happy. Why not? The headline from another story about the sale should give you an idea.

Racked Philly

Julie Davis also wrote this story, asking if those purchasing sale merchandise solely for the purpose of re-selling it have ruined things.  It is a solid follow-up piece, noting two primary themes among those responding to stories and posts online about the sale:

1) People were aghast that anyone would wait in line for five days for bargain bin clothing (“Nope, nope, nope. This makes me rashy and panicky just to think about,” said a commenter on Jezebel, who picked up on the story); and

2) Swarming eBayers are the devil for hoarding the event’s merch with the intention of resale, keeping the goods from Lilly’s “real” fans.

There were also multiple threads on Facebook on the topic. Some were happy with their experience at the sale, others were not.

Additionally, there was a third group of comments from those who prefer a return to former warehouse sale practices, like invitation-only shopping. Many reacted to photos like the one just below, noting that some customers were clearly not “Lilly lovers,” and were purchasing only for purposes of reselling.

Julie Davis/Racked Philly

Back to the follow-up story by Ms. Davis:

Multiple commenters left accounts of run-ins with resellers, including this tale of woe on our sister site: “Woman came out with 10 trash bags basically trashing Lilly saying they were dizzy and wanted to vomit with all the color of the horrible clothes, my friend asked why they bought so much and they said they were ebayers. My friend said it was horrible because she had to leave without getting in and the woman handed her a card saying you can buy from me I’ll only charge you 2 times the price I paid.”

There were also many who felt that Racked and other media “ruined the sale,” clearly not the case. The Lilly Pulitzer brand continues to generate enormous revenue for its corporate owner, Oxford Industries and the reality is that Oxford/Lilly is primarily interested in selling merchandise.  The company, and the Warehouse Sale, have moved (by design) beyond the more collegial days of yore.

Oxford Industries

As noted in a previous post, Lilly sells an awful lot of goods on the Rue La La flash sale site. I see more and more discounted Lilly inventory on Rue La La each month, not less. It is a far more cost-effective means for disposing of merchandise than renting and staffing a warehouse.  This is the first year in quite some time LP is limiting itself to only one warehouse sale, I wouldn’t be surprised if we continue to see it kept to one a year moving forward.

The online-only Endless Summer sale is due to be repeated this year. There was some sentiment expressed in comments on the Racked story suggesting this be the only type of sale in the future, below we share a sampling of those comments:

• “I hope Lilly wises up and cancels the warehouse sale and makes it an online sale instead so we all get a fair shot at the goods.”
• “I have to agree with the poster above, move the sale online and discontinue Warehouse Sales if it is not going to be fair to all.”
• “They should can the Warehouse Sale and take those funds and put the money into the Online Sales and everyone will have a fair chance at the Lilly. Limiting items in online shopping carts can deter the Resellers.”
• I”f Lilly corporate doesn’t want to lose their core customers and still wants to preserve their “cash cow” the smart move would be to have Rue La La handle their sales. Let the liquidation experts handle it.”

Back to the Racked Philly story:

Even if it can be successfully argued that resellers have put a damper on this event, we doubt Lilly Pulitzer will revert back to inviting VIP shoppers via mailer only. True, the mailer kept resellers at bay—but it also prevented the sale from becoming the cash cow that is today. And while signs posted around the warehouse noted that the brand reserved the right to limit shoppers’ purchases, but we never saw (or heard of) anyone being flagged. What do you think? Has the Lilly Pulitzer Warehouse Sale jumped the shark?

No one with whom I spoke could report any instances of Lilly limiting purchases.  What are your thoughts…? Have we moved beyond the days of the Warehouse Sale, would you prefer it all be moved online?

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Our other tidbit today involves Stephen Bonanno, the sandal maker and seller.

Stephen Bonanno

All is not peace, love and happiness for the fabled company. Apparently the company was overwhelmed by the volume of orders received during its one-day 50th anniversary sale. Customers have been waiting almost five months for the sandals purchased at 50% off during the sale. Below, a graphic from the Stephen Bonanno website:

StephenBonanno.com

The company’s Facebook page is filled with posts from concerned/perturbed/irate customers. The company says the orders will be filled, more from WPEC-TV:

“Everything will be delivered, it’s just going to be delivered late,” said Lisa Simone, an employee of the sandal company and the owner’s fiancée.  Simone says the company was flooded with orders during that one-day sale with some women buying 8 or 9 pairs.

The company had a whopping 4,000 orders in just one day. Simone says in an average day they get 50 to 75 orders for sandals. She claims they were so overwhelmed they got behind.

For more information, the Bonanno Facebook page may be found here.

Until next time, may everyone enjoy a simply splendid weekend!

Of Weekends & A Royal Wedding

Hello-Hello, what a weekend it was, the royal wedding in Sweden just knocked my socks off.

Formal events got underway Friday night with a dinner at Stockholm’s Grand Hôtel for family members. Princess Madeleine is fourth from the right; the groom, Christopher O’Neill, is on her right (our left).

Brigitte Grenfeldt, Royalcourt.se

A better look at the elegant Elie Saab dress worn by the Princess, it is from the designer’s Resort 2013 collection, on the right we see the Jenny Packham gown worn by Crown Princess Victoria, it is from the spring/Summer collection.

Elie Saab/Swedish Royal Court/Jenny Packham/Swedish Royal Court

Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece used her Instagram account to share photos from the wedding weekend.

Princess Marie Chantal Instagram

She was in an Oscar de la Renta gown from the designer’s spring 2013 collection. We show it below as worn by model Karlie Kloss in the runway show.

Style.com

The wedding itself was one elegant event, with glittering tiaras, shimmering gowns and some serious party frocks. It was also a significant gathering of European royalty.  Below, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, as well as Princess Charlene of Monaco. Princess Charlene was one of the few titled women not wearing a tiara.

Leif R. Jansson/ScanPix – Swedish Royal Court

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon as they arrive for Saturday’s ceremony.

Maja Suslin/Scanpix via Swedish Royal Court

The bride’s sister, Crown Princess Victoria and her husband, Prince Daniel, and the couple’s child, Princess Estelle.

Stellapictures/Swedish Royal Court

Victoria wore a gown by Fadi al Khoury.

Via

More on Princess Victoria’s gown from the Swedish Royal Court news release.

The Crown Princess wore a greige rosé dress with aubergine accents. The dress is made from hand-dyed double-sided silk organza with layers of hand-dyed tulle in three shades, silk threads, Lurex threads, pearls and Swarovski crystals in amethyst and pale grey opal.

The Crown Princess has worn the designer before, and attended his show as she opened Stockholm Fashion Week in August of 2012.

Below, the mother of the bride, Queen Silvia arriving with her son, Prince Carl Philip.

Maja Suslin/Scanpix via Swedish Royal Court

The Queen’s gown is described as “a jade-coloured dress with a train. The dress is silk organza with embroidered silk lace and Swarovski stones.”

Below (left to right) we see Crown Prince Frederik & Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Norway’s Princess Märtha Louise, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon, also of Norway.

Royal House of Norway

The Queen’s husband was not available to escort her to the wedding because he was walking the bride up the aisle. Below we see King Gustav and Princess Madeleine, he wears what would be formal evening attire for the military, he is an Admiral in the Swedish Navy.

Sandberg/ScanPix via Swedish Royal Court

The Swedish Princess wed the British-born financier in the Royal Chapel at the Palace.

Anders Wiklund/Scanpix via Swedish Royal Court

On the altar, Princess Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta’s crown, it was at the baptismal font when Princes Madeleine was christened. The crown dates to 1778.

Swedish Royal Court

The bride was exquisite.

Swedish Royal Court

From the Court Chaplain’s remarks to the bride and groom during the service:

“And the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinth. 13,13). Of faith, hope and love. Of these love is the greatest. But also greater than power and riches. Such is the greatness of love.

Yes, right now we find ourselves in a room of faith and of the heart. The Royal chapel encloses the two of you in God´s loving care, and it gives space as well as direction to your life together.

What is really great, however, is also what is created when all the little words and the warm, tender glances form a web of security and rest in your everyday life. Every day. The numerous moments are joined together into a life, your shared life. Take care of the moments!

Valentino Garavani Archives Facebook Page

She wore a gown by Valentino Garavani, founder of the eponymous fashion house of that name.

Valentino Courtesy Photo

More on the dress from the Palace news release:

The wedding dress is made from pleated silk organza with appliquéd ivory-coloured Chantilly lace. The upper section of the bodice is lace with a deep-cut back. Narrow vertical pleats open up from the accentuated waist, above the wide skirt, which ends with a four-metre-long train.

Ewa-Marie Rundquist, The Royal Court

It was a beautiful look. The designer has also created gowns for many other notable brides, including the afore-mentioned Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece and actress Anne Hathaway.

Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum Archive

Marie-Chantal shared a photo of herself on Instagram with Mr. Garavani and Giancarlo Giammetti, his partner, as they flew to Stockholm.

Marie-Chantal Instagram

Both bride and groom looked beyond happy.

Janerik Henriksson/Scanpix via Swedish Royal Court

They beamed throughout the ceremony.

Swedish Royal Court/ Anders Wiklund-Scanpix

One of the official photos.

Ewa-Marie Rundquist/Kungahuset.se

And another.

Ewa-Marie Rundquist/Kungahuset.se

Here you see the younger members of the bridal party with the couple.

Ewa-Marie Rundquist/Kungahuset.se

The young bridal attendants carried Lily of the Valley. Floral decorations were inspired by an early Swedish summer, more from the Royal Swedish Court:

The colour scheme for the decorations is light green, white and pink, using beech leaves, cow parsley, pink and white peonies, white lilacs, foxgloves, delphiniums and lilies of the valley.

The bride’s bouquet.

Swedish Royal Court

After the ceremony Princess Madeleine and Mr. O’Neill proceeded by cortège to a location where where they boarded a boat for the reception.

Swedish Royal Court

Arriving at Drottningholm Palace for the reception, you can just about see the boat in the background.

Jonas Ekströmer/Scanpix via Swedish Royal Court

The Princess changed into another gown for the reception, it is a Nina Ricci creation worn by her mother to the Nobel Prize Awards in 2001. Madeleine also changed her hairstyle, wearing it down from the elegant updo seen at the ceremony.

Nobel Media AB 2006

And the song chosen for the couple’s first dance? Mr. Bojangles.

Friday Fun with a Royal Slant

Hello-Hello, it is a Friday. We hope you are about to enjoy a lovely weekend, June is one of my favorite months.

We wanted to share a few things that caught our attention this week, tidbits we thought might put a smile on your face. We begin with this photo:

BBC Facebook

Imagine you are an anchor at the BBC, reading the news. There is a live audience in the background, much like the morning news shows here in the US.  While reading the hits you sense a frisson of unusual energy in the studio, so you turn around to see what in the dickens is going on.

BBC News

The Queen of England was standing in the audience watching the news, just part of the crowd. Her Majesty was on hand to officially open the rebuilt and remodeled BBC Broadcasting House.

In other royal news, tomorrow is the big wedding in Stockholm when Sweden’s Princess Madeleine will wed Christopher O’Neill.

Swedish Royal Court

The couple live and work in the city: Princess Madeleine at the World Childhood Foundation, Mr. O’Neill at an investment banking firm.  The Princess is the youngest child of Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia.

Bruno Ehrs via Royal Court

The groom has dual US and UK citizenship, both parties will remain at their jobs in New York following the honeymoon. Mr. O’Neill has officially declined the offer of being titled as “Prince Christopher”.

Ewa-Marie Rundquist/royalcourt.se

Below you see the couple earlier this week at ceremonies marking Sweden’s National Day yesterday.

mm

Traditional Swedish costumes are worn for the event.

Official Princess Madeleine Facebook Page

Tonight there is a private dinner for guests, more from the Sacramento Bee:

The Royal Court said guests include the U.K.’s Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward and Sophie, Princess Takamado of Japan and princes and princesses from Norway, Denmark, Greece, Luxembourg and Monaco.

Other well-known invites include the CEO of fashion retailer H&M, Karl-Johan Persson, golfer Jesper Parnevik, Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson, Broadway’s “Phantom of the Opera” star Peter Joback and Colombian billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo.

The ceremony is tomorrow afternoon in the Royal Chapel at the Palace in Stockholm. Following the ceremony there will be a dinner at Drottningholm Palace, where Princess Madeleine was born and raised.

Dick Norberg/Royal

The bride will wear a wedding gown designed by Valentino Garavani.  Methinks we shall see some serious party frocks in the next few days, and a tiara or two as well.

As of this writing guests have started to arrive for tonight’s dinner, below we see the couple arriving.

Aftonbladet. se