15 photos that show what royal wedding dresses look like around the world

A royal wedding isn't just a union between two people and their families. It's a national (and sometimes international) affair that attracts throngs of well-wishers, close media attention, and high-profile guests all hoping to catch a glimpse of the happy couple.

Simple, white wedding dresses are traditional in some countries, perhaps with a bit of lace or beading to add to the design. Other royal brides celebrate with bright, festive colors, rich embroidery, and precious stones the size of eggs.

Here's what 15 royal brides wore on their wedding day.

Princess Claire of Luxembourg wore a wedding gown by designer Elie Saab.

Princess Claire of Luxembourg with her father on her wedding day in 2013. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Princess Sofia of Sweden chose a lacy dress by Swedish designer Ida Sjöstedt.

Prince Carl Philip of Sweden with his new wife Princess Sofia of Sweden after their marriage ceremony in 2015 (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Princess Charlene of Monaco's simple Armani gown was embellished with subtle embroidery.

Princess Charlene of Monaco walks down the aisle to marry Prince Albert II of Monaco at the Prince's Palace in 2011. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

​Journalist Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein married the Prince of Belgium in Valentino.

Belgium's Prince Amedeo and his wife Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein at their wedding ceremony at Santa Maria in Trastevere in central Rome in 2014. (Alessandro Bianchi)

Two billion people tuned in to watch Kate Middleton marry Prince William in a now-famous Alexander McQueen dress.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, walks out of Westminster Abbey with Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in 2011. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Bhutan's "Dragon Queen" Jetsun Pema was a commoner before marrying King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in a traditional Buddhist ceremony.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema pose for pictures after their marriage at the Punkaha Dzong in Bhutan's ancient capital Punakha in 2011. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)

Princess Tatiana Blatnik of Greece wore a dress by Venezuelan designer Angel Sanchez.

Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Princess Tatiana Blatnik leave after getting married at the Cathedral of Ayios Nikolaos in 2010 in Spetses, Greece. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

The youngest daughter of Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Princess Benedikte of Denmark, Princess Nathalie's gown was created by Danish designer Henrik Hviid.

Princess Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and her father arrive to her wedding to Alexander Johannsmann in 2011 in Bad Berleburg, Germany. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Viktoria Cservenyak, a former lawyer and writer, chose a dress by another Danish designer named Claes Iversen when she married Prince Jamie of the Netherlands.

Viktoria Cservenyak arrives for her wedding with Prince Jaime de Bourbon Parme at The Church Of Our Lady At Ascension on October 5, 2013 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. (Michel Porro/Getty Images)

​Princess Noor of Jordan was radiant in a beaded wedding dress, though the couple divorced in 2009.

Crown Prince Hamzeh of Jordan and his bride Princess Noor smile during their wedding celebrations held in 2004 in Amman, Jordan. (Salah Malkawi/Getty Images)

Morocco's Princess Lalla Salma, who worked as an engineer before taking the title, broke the tradition of keeping royal wives hidden when she married King Mohamed VI.

King Mohamed VI of Morocco sits with his wife Princess Lalla Salma at the royal palace in Rabat, Morocco, in 2002. (Courtesy Moroccan Government/Getty Images)

Indonesia's Prince Notonegoro and Princess Hayu were friends when they were younger, and dated for 10 years before marrying in a three-day-long wedding celebration.

Indonesia's Prince Notonegoro and Princess Hayu at their three-day wedding, from October 21 through 23 in 2013. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

Karabo Motsoeneng married the King of Lesotho, a landlocked kingdom encircled within South Africa, in a jewel-encrusted dress, necklace, and crown.

The 23-year-old wife of the Lesotho King Letsie III, Karabo Motsoeneng, leaves the Royal Wedding ceremony at the Lesotho Independent stadium in Maseru in 2000. (Juda Ngwenya/Reuters)

​Sayako Kuroda gave up her royal title as Princess of Japan to marry Yoshiyuki Kuroda in a plain, A-line dress and white gloves.

Mrs. Sayako Kuroda and Yoshiyuki Kuroda attend a news conference following their wedding ceremony in Tokyo in 2005. (Issei Kato/Reuters)

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