All the Details Behind Grace Kelly's Wedding Dress (Including the Royal Accessory She Chose Not to Wear!)

Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956, wearing a lace wedding gown created by Oscar-winning costume designer Helen Rose

Over 60 years later, Grace Kelly’s wedding dress remains one of the most famous bridal looks of all time.

On April 19, 1956, the Rear Window actress married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in a glamorous ceremony at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral. Over 600 guests attended the event, which was broadcast live by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios to more than 30 million viewers.

For the religious ceremony, Grace worked with Helen Rose, her costume designer from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, to create an elegant and timeless wedding gown. According to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which previously displayed the actress’s bridal gown and accessories, the dress was kept under strict security in MGM’s wardrobe department. When Grace arrived at the cathedral, she was wearing a lace high-neck gown, which decades later is still a reference point for brides.

In April 2017, the couple’s only son, Prince Albert, spoke with PEOPLE about the impact his parent’s wedding has had on the world.

“It was such an incredible affair, and it’s left such a mark on people,” he said. “What it has meant for people has been incredible. For us, it was — and you’ll have to ask my sisters [Princess Caroline and Princess Stephanie] — for us, it was our parents getting married. But what it’s meant for Monaco, for people around the world, and, how their story continues to fascinate people, that’s something unimaginable.”

Related: Monaco's Royal Family: Meet the Modern Descendants of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly

From the gown to the accessories and all the celebrities who have recreated the look, here’s everything to know about Grace Kelly’s wedding dress.

Her wedding dress was a gift from Hollywood execs

Grace’s longtime costume designer, Rose, created a wedding gown fit for a princess. The now iconic dress was a gift from the actress’s bosses at MGM Studios. Princess Grace was still with MGM at the time of her wedding, and the studio had a policy in place to provide their actresses with bridal gowns.

The gown was handmade with lace, silk, taffeta and tulle

Handmade by Rose and 30 seamstresses in MGM’s studio ateliers, the gown was made of 300 yards of antique Belgian lace and 150 yards of silk, taffeta and tulle. It featured a high-collared neckline that buttoned up the front, long sleeves, a bell-shaped skirt and hand-sewn seed pearls.

For Grace's "something blue," Rose also placed small blue bows down the back of Grace’s skirt. According to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the designer believed the back of the dress should be a focal point because it’s the part guests look at when the bride is at the altar.

Despite the gown’s elegant appearance, it was made of several complex parts. In addition to a lace bodice with an attached underbodice, the dress included a slip and a pleated silk faille cummerbund, per the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Underneath the pleated silk faille skirt, there was also a smoothing petticoat, a ruffled petticoat, a foundation petticoat and a triangular tulle and lace train insert.

While the inspiration behind the gown is unknown, Rose and Grace reportedly pulled some ideas from the MGM archive, per Vanity Fair. They looked at the lace bodice of Dorothy McGuire’s gown from 1952’s Invitation and the high-collar neckline and long sleeves of Elizabeth Taylor’s dress from 1950’s Father of the Bride.

Related: The Best Royal Wedding Dresses of All Time

She wore a Juliet cap and veil instead of a tiara

Instead of a tiara, Grace chose to wear a Juliet cap on her wedding day that featured the same Belgian lace used on her dress. The cap was also embellished with pearls, wax orange blossoms and floral lace motifs, per the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She wore the accessory over a simple tulle veil that was stitched at the edges to showcase two lovebirds.

In addition to the Juliet cap and veil, Grace wore a pair of custom 2 ½-inch heels. The ivory pumps were designed by David Evins and featured rounded toes, lace motifs, a rosette accented with pearls and clear glass beads, according to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A copper penny was also encased in the right shoe for good luck, while the inside of the left shoe was embossed with the actress’s name.

Grace carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and a missal down the aisle

For her walk down the aisle, Grace also carried a small bouquet of lilies of the valley and a missal titled Bride’s Manual: A Manual of Catholic Devotion with Mass for the Marriage Ceremony and the Nuptial Blessing, which was a common tradition for many religious brides at the time. The book was a gift from a family friend and was sent to MGM so it could be embellished with silk, lace and pearls to match Grace’s wedding dress, according to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

She dressed in pink for her civil ceremony

While Grace’s high-neck wedding gown is the most well-known, she actually wore two dresses for her nuptials to Prince Rainier. The couple were required to marry in a civil ceremony on April 18, 1956, the day before their religious service. Grace wore a two-piece light pink taffeta dress overlaid with champagne-colored lace for this event, which was also designed by Rose, per British Vogue.

This chic yet understated creation featured a bell-shaped skirt and a fitted bodice with a rounded collar jacket, which included silk brocade embroidery. She completed the look with a Juliet cap and wrist-length gloves.

Her pink ensemble is not often discussed because after the civil ceremony was over, Grace changed into a simple day dress to avoid any attention.

Grace's wedding dress has inspired a slew of celebrity brides for decades

Princess Grace's wedding dress has withstood the test of time, with other royals and celebrities taking inspiration from her glamorous look. Designer Oscar de la Renta famously once said, “On her wedding day, Grace Kelly gave new meaning to the word icon. Her whole look, from the regal veil to the feminine lace details and the conservative gown, made her an ageless bride."

In addition to royal brides like Kate Middleton, many celebrities have paid homage to Grace with their wedding day looks. Both Paris and Nicky Hilton channeled the actress on their wedding day, opting for heavily embroidered lace in a similar silhouette. Model Jasmine Tookes and actress Priyanka Chopra also replicated the classic look on their big days, choosing a more delicate lace that closely resembled the one used in Grace’s dress.

In November 2022, President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, tied the knot with Peter Neal at the White House in a Chantilly lace Ralph Lauren wedding gown that was directly inspired by the late princess. Biden told Vogue that she had a “vision in my head,” and it was “Grace Kelly’s dress I loved” when it came time to choose a gown.

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