A Century of Wedding Gowns

An exhibition of wedding dress design through the decades has launched and will run until Thursday 24 March 2022.

The exhibition explores how gown styles and materials have changed over the decades, including those borrowed and adapted in wartime. Each dress has a story to tell about the bride, time and place.

The exhibition juxtaposes handmade, homemade, borrowed, and rejuvenated gowns from past decades with the work of fashion designers, Norman Hartnell and Bruce Oldfield. Their designs are reflected in several gowns, some being copies of the most well-known royal wedding gowns and tiaras, including Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Other gowns have been donated or loaned by high profile figures or bridal salons. These include two gowns worn by the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland (on loan by Her Grace’s kind permission); local celebrity and Dragon’s Den star, Sara Davies’ wedding dress; a gown donated by Kleinfeld, New York – known for the TV programme Say Yes to the Dress; and a 1923 winter velvet wedding gown, handmade by Coco Chanel for a family friend.

For enthusiasts of Downton Abbey, there is a copy of the Crawleys’ Downton Tiara displayed with a wedding gown worn in Northumberland in 1898.

A Century of Wedding Gowns is a free exhibition. A small part of the exhibition that features some of the aforementioned dresses has a suggested donation of £5 per person.

Accompanying events

Private tours

Available throughout the exhibition period

Private tours have a cost of £6 per person, with a minimum booking of 8 people. They last for approximately 1 hour and include entry into the paid section of the exhibition which features copies of Royal Wedding Gowns alongside dresses by Coco Chanel and Bruce Oldfield.

When you contact us, please state 2-3 preferred dates and times. Depending on availability we can offer tours in the following times:

• Mondays 2pm-5pm
• Tuesdays 10am- 4pm
• Thursdays-Saturdays 10am-4pm

To enquire about booking a private tour of the exhibition with a Cathedral guide, please get in touch with Rachael Rickwood by emailing learning@newcastlecathedral.org.uk.

Anniversary Celebration, Tour and Afternoon Tea package

If you are planning to book for the service on Saturday 19 March, why not also consider attending a guided tour of ‘A Century of Wedding Gowns‘ prior to the service and rounding off your special afternoon with a delicious afternoon tea, served by the Cathedral’s talented Café 16 team in our beautiful Refectory?

For more information about any of these events, please contact the Cathedral on 0191 232 1939 or via office@newcastlecathedral.org.uk.

For more information on all Newcastle Cathedral’s worship services and special events please visit our What’s On calendar. We look forward to seeing you soon!