Thanks to Queen Victoria popularising the white wedding dress – bridal gowns before that were usually coloured – royal wedding dresses are now usually white or cream, and no matter the silhouette, fabric or style, it will be the most exquisite example of that particular designer's work. There is always lace, there are often hand-stitched seed pearls, and most of the dresses have hidden meaning. The Queen's featured ears of corn to represent fertility and Sarah Ferguson's had waves and anchors in tribute to her husband's naval career.