Like the majority of general public, until Amal Alamuddin first started dating the world's number one bachelor Mr George Clooney, I had not heard of the human rights lawyer.
However, it was not long before I took notice of her. After all, Mr Clooney could have had his pick of beautiful models and actresses, but he chose the highly intelligent Amal, who clearly has both beauty and brains.
'What a class act Amal Alamuddin is - inside and out. George Clooney's beautiful, brainy bride was the epitome of chic when she wed the Hollywood heartthrob at the weekend,' says Rosie Nixon, Editor of Hello! magazine. 'But despite all the designer threads, shining from each photo is the infectious glow of a woman truly in love - joy radiates from the Lebanese-British beauty, her wide smile captivating not only George, but the whole world. It's instantly clear that these extraordinary individuals have met their match. Now that he can call the stunning, prominent human rights lawyer his wife, it's George Clooney who should be thanking the stars.'
In the lead up to her big day and also afterwards, Amal wowed the fashion world with a series of stylish outfits from designers Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Giambattista Valli. I adored the Giambattista Valli colourful mini dress she wore, the incredible red Alexander McQueen gown, and the supremely elegant Stella McCartney tailored cream wide-legged trousers, navy and cream top and wide brimmed hat that she wore for their official civil ceremony at Venice City Hall. It was definitely reminiscent of the iconic outfit Bianca Jagger wore when she married Mick Jagger.
Although all these outfits were incredible, it was her bespoke Oscar de la Renta wedding gown that really stood out. When I saw her in it, I knew instantly that she is set to be a bridal icon.
Not only did she look incredibly beautiful in her dress, but she oozed sophistication. What I loved so much about her bridal look is its timeless quality. Her wedding style also reminded me of The Duchess of Cambridge, ladylike, and serene. 'Amal's exquisite wedding gown was created by one of the bridal designers I admire most in the world, Oscar de la Renta,' said British bridal designer Suzanne Neville, who was recently responsible for creating Katherine Jenkins' stunning wedding gown. 'The A-line off the shoulder french lace gown is traditional in shape and fabric, but the more modern neckline, and hand beading adds a little sparkle and glamour. I think many brides will take inspiration from the dress as it is the perfect balance, it is both pretty, young, elegant and very wearable,' Suzanne goes on to say.
I am a huge fan of the 'less is more' approach when it comes to wedding fashion. I know we live in the 21st century, but I still believe you should retain a little modesty on your big day and not expose too much flesh. 'Amal Alamuddin effortlessly showcases how modern brides can maintain a chic, feminine and timeless level of sophistication, with a modern, sexy twist,' says leading bridal designer Philippa Lepley, who was tipped to design The Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown.'The intricate french lace detail, hand-embroidered pearls and diamanté finishings on the dress and veil are classic, very beautiful and will stand the test of time,' she says. 'The silhouette and neckline, which accentuates and shows off her figure beautifully, perfectly illustrates how couture dresses can be tailored to suit the individual. The look is very dramatic and clean.'
Amal looked both classic yet contemporary in her Oscar de la Renta gown that was made of French lace, and embroidered with pearls and diamanté. The lace was made at the Sophie Hallette factory in France, the same factory that provided the lace for The Duchess of Cambridge's Alexander McQueen wedding dress. She wore a cathedral-length veil, also edged in lace, to complete the elegant look.
Although George looked his usual handsome self in a made-to-measure Giorgio Armani suit, all eyes were definitely on his bride.
What makes Amal stand out is not only her beauty, but more importantly, her intelligence. In today's celebrity obsessed world where many teenage girls unfortunately aspire to look like reality TV stars, here is a woman who has built up a hugely successful career and got married to the world's most handsome man, no small achievement by any means.