>> Karl Lagerfeld, often a quick detractor, seems to approve of Sarah Burton's wedding dress for Kate Middleton, and The New York Times's Eric Wilson agrees: "It was an enormous success for the bride, and a triumph for Ms. [Sarah] Burton. The gown was a triumph not merely because it was pretty — or flawless, actually, a dress that is destined to create a global demand for long lace sleeves." Robin Givhan also echoes the sentiment: "The bride’s gown was a true stunner. It was not a designer’s indulgence. It did not play to our culture’s need for grotesque ostentation. It did not overwhelm the woman — the princess — herself. And with that Herculean act of restraint, Sarah Burton, exceeded all expectations."

Though Middleton's gown is being widely praised, some are questioning whether her sister and maid of honor Pippa Middleton, who also wore a white McQueen dress by Sarah Burton, overshadowed Kate at the wedding. The Sun, for instance, declared: "Gorgeous Pippa is a style hit." But unlike the US, where bridesmaids and wedding guests are told not to wear white out of respect for the bride, it is said to be a superstitious tradition in the UK for bridesmaids to dress similarly to the bride to ward off evil spirits. In fact, all of Princess Diana's bridesmaids wore white dresses similar to her wedding gown.

Wilson notes: "It was a controversial, though savvy, decision for her sister and maid of honor, Pippa Middleton, to wear white, also by McQueen. When Pippa picked up the bride’s train, their matching dresses made the sisters appeared almost as one entity, distinct from the royals but still part of the family."

>> Vera Wang was on CNN this morning, weighing in who she hoped designed Kate Middleton's dress; but, now that it's been revealed to be Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton, how do Burton's other designing colleagues rate the dress? (And one can't help but wonder what Alexander McQueen would have thought of a partnership between his label and Middleton, given that he once famously wrote "I am a c*nt" in the lining of a jacket destined for Prince Charles.) But without further ado . . .

Karl Lagerfeld: “[Middleton] is very elegant. The dress is classic and goes very well in the Westminster decor. It almost reminds me of (Queen) Elizabeth’s wedding, the royal weddings in the '50s. The proportion of the train is good. The lace is very pretty. I like the veil a lot.”

Christian Lacroix: “I like the dress very much, simpler than expected: A combination just in between 1956 Grace Kelly and 1947 Queen Elizabeth dress. I love the modest veil with the Queen Mother’s '30s scroll tiara and balanced volume of the whole gown. She’s radiant; she never was so beautiful. And Prince William’s red Irish uniform is gorgeous.”

Hubert de Givenchy: “The dress is very simple and very nice. The veil is a little flat, but because she has such a lovely face, she can afford to wear it this way. She is very pretty.” 

Peter Copping of Nina Ricci: “Very much in a royal tradition, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth’s — and a little bit Grace Kelly. She looks happy, radiant, and natural.” 

Donatella Versace: "Kate's dress was beautiful. She looked very regal."

Prabal Gurung: “I thought it was pretty and appropriate. A high-profile wedding like this is not the place for making a crazy fashion moment. It sounds like an oxymoron but it was a personal moment in a very public place. The dress clearly said she’s a modern girl and of this generation. It was not McQueen at its theatrical sense but McQueen in its quiet but beautiful sense. I loved the bustle and how her silk tulle veil was moving softly in the wind.”

Jason Wu: “I thought Catherine’s dress looked stunning. The details were very well done and I loved the emphasis on craftsmanship and the use of British talent. Her choice to pay tribute to Alexander McQueen was both touching and exciting.”

Viktor & Rolf: “Kate’s dress was simply elegant. Her hair down was a beautiful and natural touch, and the tiara was stunning. She looked as at ease as humanly possible and was radiant. Our compliments.”

Diane von Furstenberg: “The dress was beautiful. I think she is irresistible, she is so beautiful. I am happy it was McQueen. It was absolutely the right thing to do. They made [the dress] simple, so it wasn’t costumey but a beautiful evening gown. I was happy for Sarah, happy for the Met, and happy for McQueen."

Tory Burch: “Kate looked stunning. Choosing Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen reflects Kate’s modern aesthetic and style, but the handmade lace details and craftsmanship are a great nod to British tradition. The lace, the clean lines of the dress, Queen Elizabeth’s tiara — every detail was stunning.”

Donna Karan: “The dress was extremely elegant. For me, it wasn’t so much about the dress though, it was all about her. She was the most beautiful bride in the world.”

Francisco Costa: “Kate’s dress had a classic elegance with a modern edge. The superb detailing really characterized Sarah’s expert hand.”

Oscar de la Renta: “She looked absolutely ravishing. She looked like a bride should look and she handled herself tremendously. And they look like a much loving couple. I am happy to see fresh blood coming into the family. It was a very traditional, beautiful dress which it needed to be for that kind of wedding. Most of all she devastated with her charm. Listen, she will wear anything and will look ravishing.”

Valentino: “I loved the dress . . . it was very simple and young even if a hint of Grace Kelly's dress spoke of 1950s! I loved the flounce on the back of the skirt and the little decoration all around the short veil. I loved the choice of the tiara: simple, pretty, very right for the dress and for her attitude . . . it was used almost as an hairpiece to keep the hair and the veil, not as a heavy decoration. Compared to the famous Diana’s dress, Diana’s was a dress of a fairy-tale princess . . . still a dress everybody remembers. Kate’s one is a very pretty, modern dress that will be copied everywhere but lacks that fairy-tale element. Today most of the new princesses are young, modern, nonroyal women who have clear ideas, independence from stiff protocol . . . they want to be themselves and not anymore a symbol of the crown.”

Reed Krakoff: “I thought the dress was very modern. It bridged the gap between modern and youthful, and was respectful to the position she is in. It didn’t look to traditional or expected though. I particularly liked the neckline. It was more youthful than I expected. The fact that the bodice was fitted and formfitting was great, because she is a beautiful young woman and it accentuated that.”

>> Sarah Burton has released a statement on being commissioned to do Kate Middleton's wedding dress, and why she previously denied designing it: "It has been the experience of a lifetime to work with Catherine Middleton to create her wedding dress, and I have enjoyed every moment of it," Burton said. "It was such an incredible honour to be asked, and I am so proud of what we and the Alexander McQueen team have created. I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship. Alexander McQueen's designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day.

"The last few months have been very exciting and an incredible experience for my team and I as we have worked closely with Catherine to create this dress under conditions of the strictest secrecy. Understandably, Catherine has been very keen to keep the details of her dress a secret, which is every bride's prerogative, and we gave an undertaking to keep our role confidential until the day of the wedding.

"Catherine looked absolutely stunning today, and the team at Alexander McQueen are very proud of what we have created. The dress was just one component of a spectacular day, and I do not think it is appropriate to comment any further beyond saying that I personally am very grateful and honoured to have been given the opportunity to work on this project, and I wish TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge every good wish for the future."

>> Clarence House has confirmed: Kate Middleton's wedding dress is designed by Sarah Burton by Alexander McQueen. The dress, with its long lace sleeves, sweetheart neckline, and full skirt and train, is earning comparisons to Grace Kelly's wedding dress.

Burton was spotted helping Middleton into her car and adjusting her veil before she headed to the wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey, and then adjusting Middleton's train again before she started walking down the aisle. A team of 60 are rumored to have embroidered the dress, and apparently secret dress meetings were held at Hampton Court Palace.

According to the release, Middleton chose McQueen "for the beauty of its craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing. [She] wished for her dress to combine tradition and modernity with the artistic vision that characterises Alexander McQueen’s work . . . [and] worked closely with Sarah Burton in formulating the design of her dress."

Middleton's veil is held in place by a Cartier ‘halo’ tiara, lent to Miss Middleton by The Queen and made in 1936. Her earrings, a gift from her parents, are by Robinson Pelman — diamond-set stylised oak leaves with a pear shaped diamond set drop and a pavé set diamond acorn suspended in the center, reflecting the Middleton family's new coat of arms, which includes acorns and oak leaves. And her shoes were handmade by the team at McQueen.

More photos of the dress here.