<p>When the future Queen Elizabeth II (pictured above) walked down the aisle in London's Westminster Abbey in 1947, her wedding dress was more than a fashion statement: It represented the hopes of a nation, according to royal wedding gown curator Joanna Marschner.</p> <p><b></b>With food and clothing still being rationed in postwar Britain, royal dressmaker Norman Hartnell sought to convey a message of national renewal, instead of focusing on opulent materials. He did this in part by embroidering the gown with garlands of spring flowers.</p> <p>"It is a dress with a message for that particular moment in time," said Marschner, of Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that acts as caretaker for five British royal buildings.</p> <p>"I think you can say that about all the royal wedding dresses—they have become amazing documents that can say a lot about the year when they were worn."</p> <p><i>This article was originally published on April 29, 2011 and updated on May 18, 2018.</i></p>