By Denis Probst – Own work, archive Denis Probst, CC BY-SA 3.0 lu, Wikimedia Commons

While many royals prefer to turn to their own national designers or those of the country that they are visiting, there are a few designers that remain popular across many royal families. Elie Saab has been chosen by multiple royal brides to create their wedding dress. 

Saab, a Lebanese designer, moved to Paris in 1981 to study but returned to Beirut in 1982 to open his own label. He started by designing intricate and detailed wedding gowns that featured embroidery, lace, and beading. In 1997, Saab launched his first ready-to-wear collection. His elegant and detailed gowns continue to be exceedingly popular. 

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Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy wore an Elie Saab gown for her October 2012 wedding to Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg. Her pearl and crystal encrusted gown featured a thirteen foot train and took over 3900 hours to create. 

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Claire Margareta Lademacher also turned to Elie Saab when she married Prince Felix of Luxembourg in 2013. Her ivory gown was made of lace and silk and her three metre train featured neo-Baroque flower details. 

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The Luxembourgish Grand Ducal Family favours Saab, as Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg also chose a Saab gown for her 2023 wedding. She wore a satin gown with cross-body pleating and an embroidered tulle veil. 

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In 2023, Saudi architect Rajwa Al Saif wore an Elie Saab custom-made gown for her June 2023 wedding to Crown Prince Hussein. The white and ivory satin gown featured structured draping and an asymmetrical neckline.