Wedding and dupe. Not traditionally two words you’d celebrate being found cosying up together. Deception, lying, cheating; certainly not the foundations of a strong and stable union. But in recent years ‘wedding dupes’ have come to mean something altogether different.
Indeed, wedding retailers have witnessed a huge surge in requests for ‘dupes’ in the past few years, with the proliferation of excessive, opulent celebrity weddings on social media no doubt fuelling the rise. Companies are doing their best to keep up, recreating some of the most memorable pieces from recent weddings in the public eye at more affordable price points. Here are some of the best of them; our 5 IDEAL wedding dupe ideas.
CHANDELIER TIERS – KALEY CUOCO & RYAN SWEETING
Despite having the potential to become a serious hazard — especially if you’ve invited children (or carousing adults) to your ceremony – there’s no denying that Kayley Cuoco and Ryan Sweeting’s wedding cake was a spectacular creation. The tiers were assembled upside down, and finished with an extravagant chandelier suspended on top. While most bakers might not want to brave such a daring design, The Butter End Cakery took Kayley’s cake dreams and made them into a reality; the cake was literally hanging from the ceiling!
Want to give your own wedding cake an a-list makeover? Ask your baker to let their creativity run wild with suspended tiers which can wrap around your wedding cake, adding a unique and showstopping touch. Should that be beyond their skillset, why not fashion a lamp shade from a wheel of cheese or something?
EVENING DRESS – MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY
We’re a nation who are ironically both swept away by royal wedding euphoria and then intent on hating on the happy couple from here on in. Once again, then, we’re looking back to what Meghan wore on her big day — this time, it’s all about her second gown. Meghan changed into an uber chic halter neck dress designed by Stella McCartney for the reception part of the wedding, a fitted floor length piece fit for the radiant princess (#teammeghan).
Shortly afterwards, the ecommerce fashion retailer ASOS unveiled a dress which captures the same understated elegance, with a more payday friendly price tag of £120. Surprisingly, the actual dress is available to buy online, a rarity when it comes to garments designed for an event with the gravity of a royal wedding; but if the £3,500 checkout total is over budget, then rest assured that you’ll find some dupes which are surprisingly close to the real deal.
CARTIER EARRINGS – MEGHAN MARKLE & PRINCE HARRY
When the royal couple tied the knot back in 2018, The Duchess of Sussex wore the stunning yet simplistic Cartier 18 karat white gold and diamond galanterie stud earrings, and they complemented the timeless elegance of her fitted gown. The earrings were a perfect statement in line with her overall wedding day look, understated and simply ethereal. If you’re still in awe of these beauties, then head to the online retailer Etsy where you’ll find an extraordinarily similar pair for around £17 — a notable (to put it mildly) saving when compared to the Cartier price tag of $16,500 (£13,500).
ENGAGEMENT RING – BEYONCE KNOWLES & JAY-Z
From Cartier to Carter here. Billionaire rapper Jay-Z took heed from his partner Beyoncé Knowles imploration on hit ‘Single Ladies’ in 2007 when he finally ‘put a ring on it’ — and he certainly chose well. Not every man would feel comfortable heading into the jewellers and finding the perfect engagement ring for their partner, but Jay-Z picked a stunning Lorraine Schwartz 18 carat platinum ring with a price tag of $5 million. If you’re looking to convey the same luxury look for a split shank band, and in terms of style emerald cut, diamond engagement rings are the best bet.
FLOWER WALL – KIM KARDASHIAN & KANYE WEST
Looking to get your photographs exactly right? A statement backdrop could be the way to go, taking some inspiration from the music mogul Kanye West and businesswoman Kim Kardashian West. Though he was never much of a romantic, the couple marked their first moments of married life by posing in front of a decadent wall of flowers, showing that ‘Ye could, in fact, take the intimacy.
While not all of us can stretch our budgets enough to accommodate such aggrandized features, there are a few alternative ways to recreate this, and they’ll look just as gorgeous in your pictures. Consider adding some flower lined arches, or look at lining the walls of your venue with some paper flower creations, for a quirkier, less pricey option. Or, investigate holding your wedding in an area of natural beauty to produce similar effects. Many wedding venues in Cumbria and the Lake District come with a spectacular natural back-drop as part of the package. Dupe lovers rejoice – or is the flower wall the dupe? Hmm…