Royal wedding: Everything that happened from the kiss to the reception gown

The ceremony took place today at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle

Olivia Petter,Sarah Young,Chelsea Ritschel
Sunday 14 October 2018 15:59 BST
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The couple drove off in an Aston Martin DB10 (Getty)
The couple drove off in an Aston Martin DB10 (Getty)

The second royal wedding of the year has finally arrived as Princess Eugenie tied the knot with fiancé Jack Brooksbank today.

Although it was a slightly smaller affair than the preceding nuptials between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, a royal wedding is still a royal wedding.

Anticipations have been running high for weeks and although most of the details have remained shrouded in secrecy until today, we can now reveal exactly how the celebrations played out - here’s everything you need to know.

When and where was the wedding held?

The ceremony was held at 11am on Friday 12 October at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, which is where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex tied the knot just five months ago.

The cermony will be followed by a short carriage procession through Windsor high street and a lunch hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle.

A nighttime reception will be held at Royal Lodge, the York family’s residence in Windsor Great Park.

What happened during the ceremony?

The wedding service was led by the Dean of Windsor with the Rt Revd. David Connor officiating.

The prayers were led by The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu and there were performances from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrea Bocelli.

As Eugenie and Jack left the castle, they passed the Galilee Porch at St George's Chapel, where they were waved off by senior members of the royal family, including the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The carriage then continued onto Windsor High Street, where the couple greeted a huge number of well-wishers lining the streets for their special day.

Could the public watch it?

The ceremony was broadcast live on television from 9.25am.

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The coverage was also presented as part of a special This Morning programme fronted by hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford who were in Windsor for the day.

There were also around 1,200 members of the public on the grounds, who received invitations to attend as part of a public ballot organised by Buckingham Palace.

Who designed Princess Eugenie wedding dress?

One of the most speculated details of any wedding is the bride’s dress, and a royal wedding is no exception.

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Princess Eugenie’s gown was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, who founded the British based label Peter Pilotto, in London in 2007.

The ivory gown features a neckline that folds around the shoulders and a low-back design that was a special request from Eugenie so as to reveal the scars on her back she acquired after an operation at the age of 12 to correct her scoliosis.

The fabric of the dress was designed by Pilotto and De Vos at their studio in East London and features a number of symbols that have specific meanings to Eugenie, including a thistle for Scotland.

What were the couple's vows?

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank chose to say traditional vows just like past royal brides and grooms of years past.The couple made the same vow to one another as they held hands.

Eugenie said: “I Eugenie Victoria Helena take thee Jack Christopher Stamp to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, according to God’s holy law; and thereto I give thee my troth.”

Did they kiss?

Princess Eugenie and her new husband Jack Brooksbank shared their first kiss as a married couple on the West Steps of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, following the ceremony.

The couple were surrounded by the bridal party, including Princess Charlotte, three, and Prince George, five.

They shared two kisses on the steps, one just outside the chapel, and another before they boarded the Scottish State Coach for a public ride around Windsor.

Were there any special readings?

A passage from the F Scott Fitzgerald's book, The Great Gatsby, was read by Princess Beatrice at the couple's wedding - describing the smile of the central character, a fictitious embodiment of America's jazz age.

The book holds a special place in the couple's heart as it has been revealed that Eugenie read the book soon after meeting Mr Brooksbank on the ski slopes of Verbier in Switzerland in 2010, and immediately thought of her newfound love.

Who were the bridesmaids and pageboys?

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were a pageboy and bridesmaid.

Other bridesmaids included Mia Tindall - daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall - Mia's cousins Savannah and Isla, Eugenie's goddaughter Maud Windsor and Robbie Williams' daughter, Theodora. The other pageboy was Louis de Givenchy, six, the son of friends.

What's inside the wedding gift bags?

The gift bags at the wedding supported a great cause: young women artisans in West Bengal, India. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, made the gift bag announcement on his Instagram account Friday. "All guests and members of the public invited to celebrate the royal wedding will receive a Key to Freedom bag," he noted.

"Key to Freedom is an initiative founded by The York Family to support and find a route to market for products made by the Women’s Interlink Foundation, which provides vulnerable young women from West Bengal, India, with skills to earn an income."

The bags were filled with snacks and a magnet along with specially-branded mementos to mark the wedding day and a biodegradable poncho in case of rain.

What will the cake be like?

The wedding cake has been designed by London-based cake designer and former costume designer Sophie Cabot.

According to the Palace, it will be a traditional red velvet and chocolate cake but “with a modern feel” and will be decorated in Autumnal hues and will feature intricate sugar work.

“I am incredibly excited to be given this wonderful opportunity to create such a special and unique cake,” Cabot said of being chosen to design the cake.

“It has been lovely working with Princess Eugenie and Jack and I really hope they enjoy the cake on the day.”

Who attended the wedding?

A host of celebrity guests attended the wedding which saw a star-studded congregation of 800 people gather at St George's Chapel.

Princess Beatrice pictured alongside Princess Eugenie at Royal Ascot 2018

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, and the Prince of Wales have joined the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex among more than 40 members of the royal family.

Among those sitting in VIP seats in the chapel were entertainer Robbie Williams, Hollywood actress Demi Moore and supermodel Naomi Campbell. Other celebrity guests included Kate Moss, James Blunt, Ellie Goulding, artist Tracey Emin and model Pixie Geldof.

There were also some local school children in attendance alongside prominent members of the Windsor community and staff from the Royal Household.

What music was played?

The church music was as star-studded as the guest list, with performances by opera singer Andrea Bocelli and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Bocelli sang “Ave Maria” and “Panis Angelicus”.

The wedding also had a slight military theme with trumpeters from the band of the Household Cavalry performing a fanfare.

What car did they drive to the reception?

Following a lunch hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle, the couple left in style as they drove off in a grey Aston Martin DB10 - with Eugenie still in her wedding gown.

The couple left for the evening reception in an Aston Martin DB10 (Getty)

The £2m car was made for the 2015 James Bond film Spectre and isn't available for public purchase as there were only eight models made.

Princess Eugenie required help getting her gown in the car (Getty)

Because of the tight fit of the sports car, it took a few minutes to fit Eugenie's long train, with the help of her sister and the bride's father.

Where is the reception and what did the bride wear?

The reception will be held over two days at the Royal Lodge, with an evening reception planned for Friday night and an all-day reception planned for Saturday.

Princess Eugenie wore a blush silk gown designed by Zac Posen, which was "inspired by the beauty of Windsor and the surrounding countryside," according to the palace.

The bride's reception gown was designed by Zac Posen 

The draped gown featured signature drapes and embroidering of the White Rose of York on the back and shoulders.

The bride also wore diamond and emerald drop earrings given to her by her husband and a hair slide borrowed from the Queen.

The hair slides, which can also be worn as brooches, "were originally commissioned by William IV in 1830 for Queen Adelaide."

What did President Trump say about the wedding?

The President of the United States tweeted his well-wishes to the newlyweds the day after the wedding, calling the bride "truly beautiful".

He wrote: Princess Eugenie of York was a truly beautiful bride yesterday. She has been through so much, and has come out a total winner!"

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