How Paris Hilton's 'timeless' Oscar de la Renta wedding dress was created

The socialite and reality TV star says she worked for months designing her gown

Paris Hilton wore custom designs by Oscar de la Renta for her wedding to Carter Reum. Photo: Jose Villa / Shutterstock

It took modistes more than 1,400 hours to hand embroider Paris Hilton's gown for her "fairytale wedding" to Carter Reum on Thursday.

“We spent months designing my dress to perfection with the amazing Oscar de la Renta designers, Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim,” Hilton told Vogue. “I love how it turned out. I wanted something that was timeless, elegant, chic, and iconic, and I am so happy.”

Hilton, 40, became engaged to businessman Reum, also 40, in February and posted details of the wedding in Los Angeles on social media, saying she couldn't believe she was "finally" a wife.

“I finally got to kiss my prince and begin the happily ever after I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little girl,” she wrote.

“Wifey for lifey,” the new bride added in a Twitter post, alongside photos of herself in her lace wedding gown, a long sleeve and tulle ball skirt gown embroidered with pressed flower thread work.

Oscar de la Renta also shared a video of the making of the gown, which it said was crafted at its New York City atelier.

"Her ball skirt is a technical feat with over 20 layers of tulle that drape atop a crinoline petticoat," the fashion house posted.

The wedding took place at the former Bel Air estate of Hilton's late grandfather Barron Hilton, the successor to hotelier Conrad Hilton.

Guests included Kim Kardashian, Nicole Richie and Paula Abdul. Singer Kim Petras sang the classic Can't Help Falling In Love as Hilton walked down the aisle, while Demi Lovato performed the Whitney Houston-Dolly Parton classic I Will Always Love You at the reception. Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Paris' younger sister, was maid of honour.

"I remember my first two steps down the aisle so clearly. Getting to see the faces of all my loved ones, and closest friends out in the crowd, and all their eyes on me I felt more like a princess than ever before. Then seeing Carter’s handsome face… It was almost more emotional than the first look," Hilton writes in a blog on her website parishilton.com.

Paris Hilton says she spent months creating the wedding dress with Oscar de la Renta designers Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim. Jose Villa / Shutterstock

She had four changes of outfits at the ceremony, and wore another custom Oscar de la Renta taffeta bustier cocktail dress at the reception. The dress also featured 3D floral embroidery, in keeping with the theme. Oscar de la Renta also designed the dresses of the flower girls Teddy and Lily-Grace, the bride's nieces.

Her make-up for the big day was inspired by Marilyn Monroe. “The look is very classic. It’s very heavily inspired by a Marilyn Monroe kind of feel,” said celebrity makeup artist Steven Tabimba. “She really left it in my hands, and said 'do your thing'."

Her cocktail dress for the reception was also by Oscar de la Renta. Photo: Jose Villa / Shutterstock

Hilton, who has been engaged three times before – to actor Chris Zylka in 2018, shipping heir Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis in 2005 and model Jason Shaw in 2002 – met Reum, a venture capitalist in 2019.

For the wedding, the groom wore an Ermenegildo Zegna made-to-measure navy silk single-breasted shawl-lapel tuxedo.

Who is Carter Reum?

Reum is the co-founder of M13, a holding company that has invested in more than 125 companies including Lyft, Pinterest, and SpaceX. He is also the co-founder of Veev Spirits with his brother, Courtney. The brothers also wrote a book together called Shortcut Your Startup.

Reum's late father, Bob Reum, was president, chairman, and chief executive of Amsted Industries, which is one of the largest private enterprises in the US, currently valued at $4 billion, according to Forbes.

A wedding series

It will not be a Paris Hilton wedding unless it is turned into a reality show. Hilton, best known for the reality series The Simple Life and the Paris Hilton's My New BFF franchise, stars in a new series called Paris in Love, which will document her love story with Reum. The show premiered on her wedding day on Peacock TV.

"I grew up reading fairy tales and dreaming of my 'happily ever after'. Now that I’ve finally found mine, I can’t wait to share it with you for the rest of our lives," she posted along with a trailer of the show.

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