ONCE UPON A TIME: For the first Russian Imperial wedding in more than a century, the newly crowned Princess Victoria Romanova Romanoff (formerly known as Rebecca Bettarini), exchanged her vows in a gown designed by Reem Acra.
The bride chose a silk duchess Mikado ballgown with covered buttons on the sleeves and an embroidered cathedral-length train for her wedding to Grand Duke George Mikhailovich at Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, Russia. She found and bought the Reem Acra gown (the model is called “Captivating”) at a store in Russia, a spokesman for the designer said.
A spokesperson for the designer said, “This dress is a classic that is made to give a nod to the purity of the symbolism of marriage. It is made and assembled in New York City with European fabrics, a combination of two worlds.”
The princess changed into a second Reem Acra dress for the reception, according to the designer’s spokesman. The embroidered gown with beads and crystals, named “Mesmerized” by the brand, requires a couple of hundred hours of work and 10 people to complete. The company declined to comment on the retail prices for the Mesmerized and Captivating gowns, since executives were uncertain in which stores

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