Forget princess.LeeAnne Lockenlooked like a bridal queen on her wedding day — and had the crown to match.
In this week’s issue of PEOPLE (on stands Friday), theReal Housewives of Dallasstar, 51, shares exclusive photos and details about her April 27-“I dos” to longtime love Rich Emberlin, 56 — including the scoop on her two custom-made outfits and the sparkling jewels accessorizing her looks.
“I’ve never felt more beautiful in my entire life,” Loken says. “Everything was so gorgeous and just fit so perfectly. I wouldn’t change a single thing.”
Made from re-embroidered French lace layered over duchess satin, the ceremony dress featured long lace sleeves and a romantic column silhouette with draped cascading fabric down the front.
“Nardos did that entire dress herself, I totally trusted her completely,” Locken explains. “The only thing I insisted upon was making sure my neck, back, and arms were covered up because I wanted to show a modest amount of skin. Everything else, she totally created for me on her own — in just six weeks!”
Peter Larsen/Bravo
Of course, her dress was just the beginning. On top of it, Locken was draped in $3 million in Joe Pacetti Precious Jewels.
“What an angel Joe Pacetti is,” Locken gushes. “He was like, ‘I just want you to sparkle’ and I sure did.”
Every queen needs a crown and Locken’s was a jaw-dropping 18-carat, white gold, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind, emerald and diamond tiara made up of 94 carats of diamonds and 164 carats of emeralds (valued at $1,550,000).
Matching platinum emerald and diamond teardrop earrings (56-carats of emeralds and 23-carats of diamonds, valued at $600,000) adorned her ears. In addition, Locken wore a similar bracelet with 90 carats of fourteen cut emeralds and 35 carats of diamonds (an $875,000 value).
The emeralds carried special meaning, a way for Locken to play a sentimental nod to the magnolia leaf, the favorite flower of her late grandmother. “I just wanted my grandmother and grandfather to be present, more than anything,” Locken says.
LeeAnne Locken.Peter Larsen/Bravo
Meanwhile, on Locken’s feet, the actress wore a pair of glittering Jimmy Choo shoes. The heels were a gift fromRHODcostarCary Deuber.
“Cary was so sweet,” Locken says. “I was taking care of my sick dog and I couldn’t leave his side, and one day she called to check on me and said, ‘What do you need?’ And I mentioned that I had to get my shoes still and she literally went to Highland Park Village, nd went to Jimmy Choo, texted me pictures of options, bought it for me, and dropped them off that night saying, “Here, they’re your wedding present.’ It was so amazing.”
LeeAnne Locken’s jewels.Peter Larsen/Bravo
LeeAnne Locken and Rich Emberlin’s wedding bands.Peter Larsen/Bravo
Locken kept those shoes on at her reception, too — though changed into something a little more comfortable – and trendy.
She wore a Esé Azenabor lace catsuit withan attached long tulle skirt and intricate scrolling embroidery, which she later took off to get down on the dance floor.
Her emerald green jewels weren’t there, but Locken still shined. This time, Joe Pacetti Precious Jewels provided her with an 18-carat white gold necklace with emerald cut shape motif diamonds weighing a total of 20 carats, which she wore in an unusual place: the back of her hair.
“I wanted something unexpected,” Locken says. “And when they said, ‘Let’s put it in your hair,’ I thought, ‘Well, that’s perfect.’ ”
The necklace carried a value of $75,000. Locken’s articulated platinum chandelier drop earrings (with 28¼- carats of brilliant cut, perfectly matched Russian diamonds) valued at $125,000, while her 18-carat white gold oval shaped diamond pave’ bangle bracelets, each with 23 carats of diamonds, carried a value of $110,000.
Oh, and that’s not where the jewels stopped, either. On the front of Locken’s fabulous cat suit was a platinum lace motif diamond lattice work necklace with 90 carats of matched diamonds with a value of $750,000.
This is Locken’s first marriage and Emberlin’s third. (His 20-year-old daughter, Elise, from a previous relationship was at the wedding as well.)
“It was just such a happy day,” Locken reflects. “When I said I want to freeze this moment in time cause I knew I would never be happier, I wasn’t kidding. Every cell in my body was vibrating with excitement and joy.
“I’m so lucky,” she adds of Emberlin. “I’m so in love with him. I just realized how genuinely blessed I was to be able to say ‘I do’ to him.”
Hoda Kotb covers PEOPLE with daughters Hope and Haley.Brian Doben
Since their big day, Locken and Emberlin have been flying high.
“I really didn’t think it would change our relationship, but it has,” Locken says.
“If anything, it’s made us so gentle and kind to one another,” she continues. “He has woken up every morning and he’s like, ‘How did you feel about being my wife?’ It’s so sweet. And everything we do now, we start tearing up. Just when I think I’m out of tears, I think about him or I read something someone wrote us and I just start crying! There’s just so much love flowing through me right now, I feel like I’m on cloud nine!”
As for the honeymoon, that will have to wait until July, when work commitments die down. “I’ll be worth the wait, just like this day was.” Locken says.
source: people.com
