Exclusive: The Duchess of Westminster’s ‘unique’ wedding dress that will never be replicated

Stepping out of a vintage Bentley, blue velvet Silvia Lago heels first, the soon-to-be tenth Duchess of Westminster arrived at Chester Cathedral to the sound of cheers as she prepared to marry the man once dubbed Britain’s most eligible bachelor.

Her exquisite veil blowing in the wind, the bride beamed, taking the arm of her father, banker Rupert Henson, as she walked inside.

It was the society wedding of 2024, when Olivia Henson and Hugh Grosvenor, 7th Duke of Westminster, married on 7 June.

Having inherited his title and control of the Grosvenor estate – now worth an estimated £10.6bn and including 300 acres of land in London’s Mayfair and Belgravia – from his father in 2016, the Duke put on a grand affair to celebrate the couple’s union.

The Prince of Wales – a long-term friend of Hugh, 34, who is godfather to William’s eldest son Prince George and himself a godson of the King – was among the 400 guests who arrived at the cathedral in style, along with his cousin Princess Eugenie.

Also present were Rosie and William van Cutsem, whose daughter Grace was one of the then-Kate Middleton’s flower girls when she married Prince William in 2011.

Fond memories

Emma Victoria Payne, who designed 32-year-old Olivia’s gown and whose bridal atelier EVP is in London’s Chelsea, remembers last year’s wedding as though it were yesterday.

“I was so honoured to be part of their special day,” Emma, 41, exclusively tells HELLO!. “A gust of wind took us by surprise and added to the atmosphere. It was an incredible day and it was amazing to see Olivia’s stunning entrance.”

Creating a look that reflected the history and standing of the groom’s family was no mean feat. However, Emma had plenty of relevant experience. In 2021, she designed a wedding dress for Lady Jemima Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke’s daughter, ahead of her marriage to insurance broker Hugo Davies.

Three years before, she had created a gown for the nuptials of Sophie Carter – one of Kate’s closest friends and a godmother to Princess Charlotte – and Robert Snuggs.

The product of weeks of meticulous work, Olivia’s dress was one of a kind. Made from ivory silk crepe satin and ivory silk organza with bespoke embroidered details, the gown had a scalloped-edge neckline, with its bias-cut skirt, pleated waistband and gathered sleeves creating a sleek silhouette.

The dress also featured wide embroidered silk organza cuffs and a keyhole back, while the pièce de resistance was its detachable 6.5ft silk crepe satin train.

All eyes were on Olivia as she was welcomed into one of the country’s most affluent and well-connected families, but reflecting her own heritage in her look was a priority, too.

“Olivia brought her great-great-grandmother’s veil, circa 1880, into the boutique,” Emma reveals. “We hand picked the elements we loved the most, then took photos to document them and produced hand-drawn sketches of each motif.

“These motifs were then reimagined and transformed into a new graduating repeat pattern. The neckline embellishments were created and the design progressed from there.

“Working with such sentimental and historical family motifs, the bespoke embroidery for the gown and veil became a personal and meaningful representation of Olivia’s family history.”

Finishing touch

The bride’s veil was secured by the Grosvenor family’s Fabergé Myrtle Leaf Tiara, which had been worn by Hugh’s sister Lady Tamara at her wedding to Edward van Cutsem in 2004.

Hugh proposed to Olivia at his ancestral home, Eaton Hall in Cheshire, in 2023, two years after the couple met through friends.

And just like the new Duchess, Emma – whose passion for dressmaking came from her great-grandfather, a womenswear and bridal-gown designer – understands the importance of paying tribute to previous generations.

“My inspiration came from the stories my grandfather used to tell me about the family business, which left a strong impression and led me to pursue a career in fashion,” she says.

“At the age of seven, I used to talk about continuing the business; I was determined to have my own dress company. My parents bought me my first sewing machine for Christmas at eight and I’ve never looked back.”

Sharing the joy

The designer enjoyed not only creating Olivia’s gown, but the time the pair spent together. “Each fitting was such a pleasure, filled with so much excitement and happiness,” she says. “We were especially excited about her trying on her bespoke veil; it was amazing to see the level of detail from all angles.”

It comes as no surprise that Olivia has become a style muse for prospective brides. “We’ve been amazed by the numbers of enquiries and messages we’ve received from past, present and future clients,” Emma says.

“We’ve had requests for gowns with similar design details to the Duchess of Westminster’s gown but would never replicate it. A bespoke EVP gown reflects the client’s unique personality and style.”

Although she is reluctant to share details of forthcoming projects, Emma is looking to the future and will also remember the couple’s nuptials fondly on their anniversary.

“We will enjoy reminiscing on such a special day,” she says. “We are so proud of what we achieved.”

To read the full exclusive interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK on Monday. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.