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Bride: Zara Phillips (Queen’s Grand-daughter – former eventing world champion)
Groom: Mike Tindall (England Rugby Captain)
Best Man: Rugby ace Iain Balshaw, 32, who sported a massive black eye after
a moped accident.
Bridesmaids: Maid of Honour was the horse trainer Dolly Maude, whose six-year-old
son Ted, Zara’s Godson, acted as page boy. The bridesmaids were Stephanie Phillips,
Zara’s half-sister, the daughter of Captain Mark Phillips and his second wife
Sandy Pflueger, Nell Maude, Jaz Jocelyn and Hope Balshaw. All wore dresses by
Sue Palmer, a local dressmaker.
Venue: Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh
Date: 30 July 2011
Vows: Miss Phillips arrived seven minutes late for the 3pm ceremony and
vowed to ‘honour’ her groom rather than ‘obey’ when she exchanged her marriage
vows. (She will also keep her maiden name). The front cover of the order of service
bore the entwined initials Z and M. Hymns included Jerusalem, Guide Me O Thou
Great Redeemer and Amazing Grace. A guest told the Queen how wonderful it was
to hear such a rousing rendition of Jerusalem – to which Her Majesty replied,
“Well, we’ve had enough practice at it.”
In addition to the religious readings, Princes William and Harry read together from Zara’s favourite childhood novel, The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real by Margery Williams.
The rings: The couple exchanged simple platinum wedding bands which were
bought by the groom.
Dress by: the Queen’s favourite couturier Stewart Parvin, chosen off the
peg from the White Room, (her local boutique in Minchinhampton, Gloucester). A
£3,000 cap- sleeved full-skirted classic gown in silk faille and duchess satin,
with a chevron pleated corseted bodice, and a fine tulle full-length cathedral
veil. Jimmy Choo shoes.
Flowers: Made by the Royals’ favourite florist, London based Paul Thomas,
the bride’s bouquet included white calla lilies, dusty miller foliage and alpine
thistles, which are the national emblem of Scotland. The Kirk was decorated with
white stargazer lilies, roses and carnations, and beech and box trees. The Groom,
Best Man and Ushers sported white carnation buttonholes.
Jewellery: Diamond earrings, lent to her by her mother, Princess Anne.
Hair: Evangelos Tsiapkinis from Mayfair salon, Michael John. Her hair was
styled in a smooth and elegant chignon and worn with the ‘Meander’ Greek Key tiara
lent to her by her mother.
Groom’s attire: Classic black barathea morning suit with grey wasitcoat
by Savile Row tailors Cad & the Dandy. £350 Oliver Sweeney shoes.
Wedding cars: Bentleys
Reception: Held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. The newlyweds arrived to
a rendition of Scotland the Brave by the Royal Scots Association pipe band. As
well as the usual wine and champagne, guests were offered a potent cocktail known
as a Snow Leopard containing amaretto and cachaca with cream, rose water and coffee
with their canapes. A sit-down dinner followed which included lobster and crayfish
cocktail, Scottish venison with dauphinois potatoes and a chocolate fondant with
strawberries and was served in a marquee. Afterwards, guests drank ice cold vodka
shots from a vodka fountain in glasses bearing the couple’s intertwined intials
and enjoyed karaoke, with the newlyweds treating them to an ABBA medley.
The celebrations continued into the early hours and morning-suited revellers were seen nipping out for fish and chip takeaways.
First dance: Frank Sinatra, ‘I’ve got you under my skin’
Honeymoon: The bride and groom decided to forego the traditional post-wedding
honeymoon, and returned to their respective day jobs the following Monday.
Number of guests: 400
Special guests: Every senior member of the Royal Family, plus a few showbusiness
faces including TV presenters Natalie Pinkham and Kirsty Gallacher, Saturdays
singer Una Healy and Coronation Street actress Katherine Kelly. Also present were
motor racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart, whose wife, Lady Helen, is Zara’s godmother,
equestrians including William Fox-Pitt and of course England rugby stars Jonny
Wilkinson and Ben Foden and their manager Martin Johnson.
Engagement: Diamond and platinum engagement ring on 20 December 2010 at
their Gloucestershire home after a 7 year courtship.
Where did they meet? The couple met in a Sydney bar in 2003 during England’s
victorious rugby World Cup campaign in Australia.
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