This weekend one of the most anticipated weddings of the year took place, especially for the couple, who had to postpone their wedding up to three times previously. The big day finally arrived, and Princess Theodora, fourth daughter of Kings Constantine and Anna Maria, and the American lawyer Matthew Kumar They said ‘I do’ in a ceremony celebrated by the Orthodox rite in which they were surrounded by their family and friends. In addition to the entire Greek Royal Family, representation from our country also attended – we were able to see Queen Sofia, Infantas Elena and Cristina with Juan, Miguel and Irene Urdangarin -, something that is not surprising due to the family ties and affection that unite both royalty. After so much expectation, one of the great mysteries was the bridal look that the bride would wear, from the dress to whether she would wear a tiara to accompany the historic veil that we already knew she intended to recover. Theodora did not disappoint, and, as if she were a princess from a story, she appeared in the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Saint Mary, in Athens, wrapped in a stunning custom design created by Celia Krithariotiwith whom we spoke to discover all the details of this historic style.
© GTRESZendaya, Emily Ratajkowski, Beyoncé, Chiara Ferragni, Taylor Swift, Kate Moss, Alessandra Ambrosio… Lisa’s celebrities that they have succumbed to this Greek Haute Couture designer is, simply, impressive. However, these months she has faced a new challenge, going from dressing pop princesses to a true royal. “It is a true honor to dress a royal princess“She explains to us when we ask her how she feels about having been chosen by Theodora of Greece for such an important day for her, in which all eyes will be on her work. “It implies a sense of history, responsibility and emotion. Knowing that this dress will be part of such an important moment in history makes you feel very humble, you feel the weight of tradition, but also the excitement of creating something new. It is an indescribable joy to see the final idea come to life on such a grand stage and be appreciated by the press and people around the world.”
© MATTIA BETTINELLI
© MATTIA BETTINELLIThe creation process
Bringing a Haute Couture dress to life is always a dream process that involves as much enthusiasm and magic as it does hours of work, but if you add to that the fact that it is a bridal style and that, in addition, it will be worn by a member of the royalty, demand and attention to detail are multiplied, if possible, even more. “From initial sketches to final fitting, the design required several months of meticulous planning,” says Celia. “It began with countless consultations to capture the vision and essence that a royal dress demands. Every element was carefully considered, from the choice of fabric down to the smallest ornaments, and all the tests were one more step towards perfection: a royal wedding dress made with love, which perfectly combined with the grace, quality, courtesy and elegance of Princess Theodora, an exceptional and loving woman.” .
© Celia KrithariotiThe inspiration
What point do you start from when creating such an impressive and important dress? In this case, as the designer herself explains, it came from a fusion between the history of royalty, the principles of the brand itself and its commitment to elegance, femininity and nature. “We looked into the archives for historical dresses worn by queens and princesses of the past, but we also took inspiration from natural motifs, such as floral patterns and soft, flowing lines, to add a sense of freshness and vitality. The idea was to create something regal but full of life, a dress that embodied both tradition and modernity. Since our atelier was founded in 1906, we have had the honor and privilege of dressing royalty and powerful women from around the world. This legacy has instilled in us a. “deep understanding of tradition and a passion for innovation, our dresses are a testament to our ability to seamlessly fuse timeless elegance with contemporary style.”
© Getty ImagesThe result was a romantic dress with a Bardot neckline, cut to the waist and an ‘A’ line skirt ending in a train made of an exclusive hand-painted and embroidered organza. To provide a touch of originality without departing from the elegant, timeless, delicate and ‘princely’ image, it was decorated with brush strokes and French lace adorned with exquisite crystals and delicate flowers that added depth and texture to the piece. “This combination of art and craft makes the dress not only beautiful, but also a unique piece that reflects both tradition and modern elegance,” details its creator.
© Getty ImagesThe embroidery, how many stones, hours of work and tests
The aforementioned embroidery was one of the aspects that required the most work in the design. “Intricate floral motifs, inspired by centuries-old royal patterns, were hand-sewn into the fabric. In total, more than 500,000 tiny crystals and flowers were applied, each by hand, requiring nearly 1,200 hours of work by a expert team of craftsmen. Every detail was evaluated and refined throughout several tests to achieve the perfect balance between brilliance and sophistication.”
© GTRESA historic veil and tiara with Egyptian origins
As had been revealed before the wedding itself, Theodora completed her bridal style with a family heirloom, the veil that Princess Margaret of Connaught once wore at her wedding to Prince Gustav Adolf of Swabia in 1905. Thirty years later, the Queen Ingrid recovered this piece in her own marriage and it was subsequently inherited by her descendants, beginning with Queen Anne Mary and continuing through Queen Margaret. Queen Mary of Denmark also wore it to say ‘I do’ to King Frederick in 2004. It is a delicate and beautiful piece made of Carrickmacross lace and embroidered with motifs of lilies, meadowsweet flowers and shamrocks.
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© Getty ImagesAs for the jewelry, without a doubt, the most spectacular of the Princess’s bridal look was the incredible tiara she wore to crown her semi-updo. This is the ‘Khedive of Egypt’ tiara, a family heirloom that has been in Greek royalty for more than a hundred years, since the last Khedive of Egypt gave it to Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century. A work of the Cartier house, it is made up of diamonds set in laurel spirals, a symbol of victory and glory. After belonging to Margaret of Sweden, it was passed down to her only daughter, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, and for the past six decades, all of her female descendants have used it at their weddings; a list now joined by Theodora of Greece. Plus two other family jewels: diamond earrings from Crown Princess Margaretha of Sweden and a bracelet made from Queen Alexandrina’s diamond sautoir.
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