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President Donald Trump dancing with Melania Trump, who wears a white strapless dress© SRIVASTAVA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Melania Trump modelled $100k crystal-embellished wedding dress - with unusual accessories

The US President and the First Lady got married in January 2005

Nichola Murphy
Deputy Lifestyle Editor
January 24, 2025
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January has not only seen changes in Donald Trump's professional life, with his return to the White House as President of the United States, but also his personal life as he marks 20 years of marriage with his wife Melania.

On their anniversary, the 78-year-old reminisced about their wedding day, sharing a throwback photo of the newlyweds walking down the aisle in Palm Beach.

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It reminded fans of the unusual bridal accessories First Lady Melania, 54, teamed with her Dior wedding dress. Smiling from ear to ear, the Slovenian-born model wore her long brunette hair in a chic updo covered with her unique veil, which was ruched around her hair in voluminous bunches before falling to a 16-foot train.

Instead of carrying a traditional floral bouquet, Melania paid tribute to her family by wearing a strand of rosary beads adorned with white roses wrapped around her right hand. The unconventional accessory was not only a sentimental addition to her bridal look but also may have been a tactical one, in order to prevent adding more weight to her 60lbs gown.

HELLO! magazine cover with Donald and Melania Trump on their wedding day© HELLO!
HELLO! covered the Trump wedding in 2005

The bride's $100,000 custom duchesse satin gown featured a strapless neckline, a fitted silhouette leading to a mermaid skirt and a 90-meter train.

The shimmering material was embroidered with 1,500 diamonds and pearls, with the intricate design believed to have taken over 500 hours to create.

U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn after they returned to the White House April 24, 2019 in Washington, DC. President Trump was in Atlanta, Georgia, to address the 2019 Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit.  © Getty Images
The couple got married in 2005

She admitted in an interview with CNN's Larry King that she "loved" her outfit and her extravagant wedding. "When I started planning it was a lot of fun. I loved it, I loved my dress. I had a great time in Paris," she said.

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When asked her thoughts about her big day, she added: "Fantastic, we had a great time."

Donald and Melania exchanged vows on 20 January 2005 at Bethesda-By-the-Sea Church in Palm Beach, Florida. Their star-studded guest list included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Kelly Ripa and Barbara Walters.

Following the wedding, the newlyweds and their 350 guests travelled to Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate for their reception, where the ballroom had been filled with 10,000 flowers.

First meeting

Donald had previously been married to Ivana Trump from 1977 to 1990 and Marla Maples from 1993 to 1999.

He was separated from Marla when he met Melania at a New York Fashion Week party in 1998, where he was meant to be on a date.

Melania Trump's engagement ring close up© Corbis via Getty Images
Melania Trump's engagement ring close up

Recalling their first encounter, Melania told Harper's Bazaar: "He wanted my number, but he was with a date, so of course I didn’t give it to him. I said, 'I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you.' I wanted to see what kind of number he would give me - if it was a business number, 'What is this? I’m not doing business with you.'"

After he handed over all his personal and professional numbers, Melania got in touch; the rest is history! She said: "I was struck by his energy. He has an amazing sense of vitality."

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