Pippa Middleton's Wedding Dress Designer Reveals the Secrets Behind Her Gown as She Celebrates Anniversary

Pippa Middleton and James Matthews are celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary on Wednesday, May 20, but it seems like yesterday that they walked down the aisle. The couple married at St. Mark's Church in Englefield, England, located a stone’s throw from the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, where the reception was held. Although her high-profile wedding was attended by royals and celebrities alike, it was the bride’s dress that truly stole the show.

Pippa chose a classic lace dress by British designer Giles Deacon, with the high-necked, cap-sleeved design featuring a full skirt, hand-embroidered pearls and a keyhole back. The gown doesn’t have any visible seams, and at the time, Deacon told Business of Fashion, “I wanted that ‘’How-was-that-done?’ factor.”

To accomplish the look, the design was “all hand-pieced,” he said, adding it was “why you don’t actually see a seam.”

Pippa’s gown also had a vintage movie influence, with Deacon telling the outlet that he “always loved the dancing scenes in The Leopard,” referring to the 1963 historical drama. “I know they were all hoop crinolines in the film, but there’s something gorgeous about having that great movement, with the skirt spinning round, keeping its shape.”

Although her gown's '60s influence didn't necessarily count as Pippa's “something old,” she took care of that with an accessory from big sister Kate's wedding day.

Pippa wore the same Robinson Pelham pearl drop earrings she wore to Princess Kate's 2011 wedding—a sweet touch that referenced her own journey from bridesmaid to bride.