Close-Ups of Kate Middleton's Alexander McQueen Wedding Dress by Sarah Burton

>> More details about Kate Middleton's Sarah Burton-designed Alexander McQueen dress — apparently its seamstresses had to wash their hands every 30 minutes to keep the lace pristine, and the train is 107 inches long, or just under 9 feet. From the release:

"The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court Palace.  The lace design was hand-engineered (appliquéd) using the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, which originated in Ireland in the 1820s.  Individual flowers have been hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered onto ivory silk tulle to create a unique and organic design, which incorporates the rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock."

"Hand-cut English lace and French Chantilly lace has been used throughout the bodice and skirt, and has been used for the underskirt trim.  With laces coming from different sources, much care was taken to ensure that each flower was the same colour.  The whole process was overseen and put together by hand by Ms Burton and her team."

"The dress is made with ivory and white satin gazar.  The skirt echoes an opening flower, with white satin gazar arches and pleats.  The train measures two metres 70 centimetres.  The ivory satin bodice, which is narrowed at the waist and padded at the hips, draws on the Victorian tradition of corsetry and is a hallmark of Alexander McQueen’s designs.  The back is finished with 58 gazar and organza covered buttons fastened by Rouleau loops.  The underskirt is made of silk tulle trimmed with Cluny lace."

Middleton also wore handmade McQueen shoes, a Cartier tiara, and Robinson Pelman earrings. In accordance with tradition, her "something old" was the influence of the Carrickmacross lace-making technique, the earrings were her "something new" and a blue ribbon sewn into her dress was her "something blue."