Olivia Henson looked the epitome of a beautiful bride as she arrived at Chester Cathedral this morning to marry her groom, the Duke of Westminster.
The soon-to-be Duchess, 31, wowed the crowds – gathered in their hundreds – as her father, Rupert Henson, helped her step out of her vintage Bentley wedding car that escorted the pair to the cathedral door.
She looked ethereal in a bespoke gown by London-based designer Emma Victoria Payne, which was completed with a veil and the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, made for Grosvenor brides to wear on their wedding day.
The tiara has been in the Grosvenor family since its creation in 1906, while the bride’s stunning dress featured floral motifs and edgings from Olivia’s great great grandmother’s veil from around 1880.
As she arrived at the cathedral for the historic wedding, the bride was accompanied by a woman who appears to be her mother, who carried her train in a sweet moment.
She also nodded to the traditional ‘something blue’ for brides with a subtle nod in her footwear as she sported teal velvet block heels.
Olivia Henson looked the epitome of a beautiful bride as she arrived at Chester Cathedral this morning to marry her groom, the Duke of Westminster.
Olivia Henson arrives for her wedding to Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster at Chester Cathedral
Olivia is getting wed to the Duke of Westminster at Chester Cathedral today
Olivia’s stunning bridal dress featured a partly open back as she arrived at Chester Cathedral
The bride’s veil appeared to have a mind of its own as it flew around in the wind upon Olivia’s arrival
To complete her elegant ensemble, Miss Henson carried a bouquet of flowers, picked from the Easton Hall gardens, comprising Meadow grass, Ox eye daisies, Iris, Rose, Clematis, Mock orange, Scabious, Sweet pea, Astrantia, Martagon lily and Love in a mist.
Her dress – constructed in ivory silk crepe satin and organza – featured a scalloped edge neckline with a delicate bespoke hand appliquéd embroidery comprising of floral and leafy motifs.
It also boasted a sleek silhouette with a bias cut skirt, pleated waistband, gathered sleeves, wide embroidered silk organza cuffs with a scalloped edge repeat motif and button detailing.
The back of the bridal gown featured a dropped waist, key hole back and a detachable two metre silk crepe satin train with a panelled construction.
On the veil, meanwhile, personalised initials and wedding date completed the design in the centre back.
The city of Chester, 14 minutes’ drive from Eaton Hall, the Duke’s ancestral home, has largely come to a standstill to celebrate the couple’s big day – with a host of high-profile attendees, including Prince William and Prince George seated in the pews of the city’s ancient cathedral.
The wedding, which will see 400 guests attend from the cream of high society, will be led by the Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford.
Olivia Henson in her wedding dress outside the Cathedral for her wedding to Hugh Grosvenor
Olivia looked stunning as she arrived for her wedding to the Duke of Westminster today
Meanwhile, the Bishop of Chester, the Right Revd Mark Tanner, will preach and the Revd Canon Rosie Woodall will lead the prayers.
Music will be performed by the Chester Cathedral Choir and will include three local young choristers Grace Crook, Isla Mills and Cassie Lounds, who all attend The Queen’s School in Chester.
The pair are due to return to their country pile after the ceremony for a private wedding reception; lavish Eaton Estate has been home to the Duke’s family since the 1400s.
There has been no expense spared for the couple’s big day; the stunning car that the bride arrived in this morning with her father was originally made for W.O. Bentley, the founder of Bentley Motors, in 1930.
And the flowers, all 100 per cent British, have been carefully chosen from local growers through the Flowers from the Farm network, which champions artisan growers.
The groom, Hugh Grosvenor (left), arriving at Chester Cathedral for his wedding to Olivia Henson
Prince William arriving at the Duke of Westminster’s society wedding to Olivia
Princess Eugenie (pictured) arriving at the cathedral for the wedding of Hugh and Olivia
Hugh smiles and waves as he arrives at the cathedral in Cheshire to wed Olivia
Speaking ahead of the wedding, a spokesperson for the Duke and Miss Henson said they were thrilled to wed so close to the Eaton Estate, saying: ‘It means a lot to them to marry in Chester Cathedral, especially given the Grosvenor family’s long and close personal connection to both the Cathedral and the city of Chester.
The spokesperson added: ‘The Duke and Miss Henson have taken a great deal of care in planning the wedding, putting their own personal stamp on all the arrangements and have made a conscious effort to involve local and regional suppliers in several aspects of the day.’
