As a premier Long Island wedding venue, Chateau Briand has been the site of countless elegant affairs, featuring brides in flowing white gowns surrounded by an atmosphere of modern luxuriousness and jaw-dropping beauty.
This high level of graceful grandeur is achieved by Chateau Briand’s crop of capable wedding planners. With skilled precision and attention to detail, they have the talent to turn your abstract dreams into a wedding day reality. But from where do they draw their inspiration? Just like you, our wedding planners pay close attention to other people’s nuptials—even those of the rich and famous.
Legendary weddings have stood the test of time thanks to their grand scale, artistry, and sheer opulence. In an effort to share the fabulously special days that continue to inspire us, here is our list of the most incredible wedding days of famous couples.
Jackie Onassis and John F. Kennedy
Sept. 12, 1953
The marriage of Jackie O. and J.F.K. was a stately late-summer affair in Newport, RI, on the oceanfront estate owned by Jackie’s stepfather. It was the high-society wedding of the year—or perhaps the decade—and even included a blessing from the Pope. By the numbers: the event took place on a 300-acre stretch of land; 600 diplomats, senators, and social figures crowded in the church for the ceremony; 2,000 “uninvited guests” cheered outside the church; and it took the newlyweds nearly two hours to shake the hands of the nearly 1,200 reception guests. By all accounts, it was more like a coronation than a wedding.
The Bride’s Dress: Jackie wore a dress of ivory tissue silk, with a portrait neckline, fitted bodice, and a bouffant skirt embellished with bands of more than 50 yards of flounces. Her bouquet was pink and white spray orchids and gardenias.
Lady Diana and Prince Charles
July 29, 1981
There’s nothing quite like a Royal Wedding, as illustrated by the fact that we have three such events appearing on this list. First, the most famous of them all—the union between Lady Diana and Prince Charles. As this was in the days long before Twitter, anyone who wanted to catch a glimpse of a wedding fit for a princess had to tune in on television—and tune in they did, with 750 million people around the world watching the broadcast. As for the actual guest list, the ceremony was seen by 3,500 while about 600,000 people flooded the streets of London in the hopes of seeing the new princess’ impossibly long wedding dress train.
The Bride’s Dress: Princess Diana’s dress was covered in 10,000 pearls and sported a 25-foot train. The dress itself was an intricate ivory taffeta gown paired with an 18th-century heirloom tiara and a 153-yard veil.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z
April 4, 2008
Here’s something to strive for: Beyoncé and Jay-Z are such a power couple that even though the details of their wedding remain a total mystery, it is still one of the most memorable weddings in modern history. Very little is known about the nuptials—other than it took place at Jay-Z’s New York apartment—and it was a top-secret and intimate affair, with only 40 guests, all of whom were required to abide by a no recording device rule. Although, a few grainy images have surfaced in the years following—most notably from Beyoncé’s mom, who posted a photo in 2009 of the couple walking down the aisle, post ceremony.
The Bride’s Dress: Beyonce reportedly wore a white strapless sweetheart gown with a curve-hugging bodice, billowing skirt, and dramatic train. YAS QUEEN.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
Sept. 14, 2013
Talk about #marriagegoals. Ever since their wedding in 2013, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend have put their loving relationship on full display, mostly via insanely sweet Twitter and Instagram posts. The couple’s tender displays of love were made official at a ceremony in Lake Como, Italy, at popular wedding destination Villa Pizzo. The reception included a performance by Stevie Wonder, while DJ duties were helmed by hip hop pioneer Biz Markie. Of course, John Legend serenaded his new bride with a song of his own, and famed foodie Teigen chose a four-tiered carrot cake over the traditional wedding cake.
The Bride’s Dress(es): Supermodel Chrissy Teigen wore three Vera Wang creations on her special day: An ivory strapless open-back tulle skirted ball gown for the ceremony; a mermaid gown with micro-pleated bodice and sheared organza full skirt at the reception; and another mermaid gown, a shade of crimson, for the afterparty.
Kate Middleton and Prince William
April 29, 2011
The grand tradition of Royal Weddings continued in 2011, as Charles’ son William and the heir apparent to the grace of Princess Di, Kate Middleton, were wed at Westminster Abbey in 2011. Henceforth known as His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge, respectively, William and Kate brought their brand of royal glamour to the world of stately weddings. Interesting tidbit: The royal wedding cake was actually a giant fruitcake, which is traditional in England. It was made from 17 individual fruit cakes, had eight tiers, and was decorated with cream and white icing and up to 900 individually iced flowers.
The Bride’s Dress: Middleton wore a ballgown-style dress with long lace sleeves, a daring plunging neckline and a sweetheart silhouette. It was complemented with a fingertip-length sheer veil and a train far shorter than that of Princess Diana.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry
May 19, 2018
And finally, the most recent Royal Wedding featured a couple that intentionally went against generations of royal wedding custom. This time, William’s younger brother Harry eschewed tradition and married American actress Meghan Markle in a glamorous affair that took place at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, rather than Westminster Abbey like royal couples before them. The couple also bucked the tradition of the royal fruit cake, opting instead for a lemon elderflower cake. But they did remain true to at least one tradition: an elegant carriage ride through Windsor immediately following the exchange of vows.
The Bride’s Dress: Markle wore a silk dress with three-quarter-length sleeves, an open boat neckline and a train with a built-in triple organza underskirt. There was no lace or other embellishments, however, a piece of the blue dress from Markle’s first date with Prince Harry was stitched into the gown.
