There is always a lot of excitement surrounding weddings and a Royal wedding is no exception! Here at Calico Laine we're delighted for Meghan and Prince Harry and obviously, working in the textile industry we are very keen to see which Bridal Fabrics will be chosen for the dress. Traditionally Royal brides such as Princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge have worn silks. Princess Diana had an outstanding dress intended to go down in history designed and made by David and Elizabeth Emanual. The gown is certainly well recognised as an iconic piece due to its exaggerated ruffles, 20 foot silk taffeta train and £9000 price tag. Kate Middleton on the other hand decided on a more classical look whilst still using traditional bridal fabrics. This dress was designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and had hand stitched silk flowers on the bodice and on the underskirt. Even the shoes were silk with hand embroidered flowers to match, no wonder the rumoured cost was over £250,000. There will be no expense spared for Meghan Markle when she starts planning her big day and there's no doubt her dress will be outstanding, we look forward to seeing the final piece in the spring. Unlike the Royal family, most of us don't have an unlimited budget for our wedding gown but that doesn't mean it wont be extraordinary. Here at Calico Laine we have a fabulous range of bridal fabrics. If like Princess Diana you like the crisp silk taffeta then our Satin Back Dupion would work as a great alternative. This line has an excellent colour range and is reversible. The Dupion side has the look of shot silk or taffeta while the other has a shiny satin finish. If you want to recreate something similar to the beautiful lace gown worn by The Duchess of Cambridge then we also stock a stunning range of heavy corded laces. Since the wedding of Price William and Kate Middleton lace fabrics have remained the height of fashion for wedding, occasion and evening wear. They are set to remain on trend well into 2018 too. The corded lace creates a classic look and can be used in conjunction in many other bridal fabrics such as the Duchess satin or the Satin back Crepe.