5 interesting facts about royal weddings

Invented the white wedding dress

Queen Victoria, who married Prince Albert in 1840, first popularized the tradition of wearing a white wedding dress.

Pioneered cake figurines

Victoria and Albert’s wedding cake was the first to be decorated with figures of the bride and groom on top. The two-tier cake was nine feet in diameter and weighed 300 pounds.

Always draws a big audience

When Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten on Nov. 20, 1947, the ceremony was broadcast over the radio to 200 million people. Elizabeth and Philip received 2,500 wedding presents and 10,000 congratulatory telegrams.

All eyes on Diana

When Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, it was attended by 3,500 people. Roughly 750 million in 74 countries tuned in on television.

Long train running

Princess Diana’s wedding dress was the longest of all royal brides. It had a 25-foot train, the longest ever worn by a royal bride.