Dove Cameron's Final Valentino Wedding Dress Fitting in Rome

A Wedding She Never Pictured

Cameron says she never really dreamed about her wedding as a child. The closest thing she had to a fantasy was renting out something like Carnegie Hall, entering in a big black dress made of feathers, and having a 32-piece orchestra play. Now that the wedding is real, she says she feels "wildly unprepared," but in a good way. Getting married, in her words, feels right, natural, and easy, "a natural, beautiful next step." Her simplest explanation is that she's in love.

She is glad the celebration will run longer than a single day, because people keep warning her that it will go by very fast. She adds that it doesn't feel real yet, and that she and her fiancé keep telling each other it will feel real once they're there.

Seeing the Full Look for the First Time

Inside the Valentino studio, a member of the team greets her and has her close her eyes before revealing the dress on a mannequin. Cameron has seen the gown several times, but this is the first time she has seen it complete with the veil. She says every viewing feels like seeing it for the first time, and the team member agrees that it feels different each time.

Cameron wanted a dress that was "simple but elevated" and that she felt like herself in. She describes the goal as classic and timeless but still interesting. She calls the result very romantic and says it feels more like "a second skin" every time she puts it on.

2:22

The Celestial Veil

The veil gets the most attention during the visit. Someone in the room says it is equal to, if not better than, the dress itself. Cameron connects its design to her middle name, Celeste. She wanted something celestial and unique, and she describes the finished veil as an art piece.

According to Cameron, the Valentino team pitched the concept because it looks so dramatic when it trails behind her and the sun hits it. The team member imagines it looking like "floating constellation on the ground." The veil is embroidered with moons and many small stars.

The veil also changed over the course of the fittings. At the very first fitting it was perhaps a foot or two longer, and the length was later reconsidered. The team also made it more practical by adding separations on both sides so Cameron can reach her arms out and hold her bouquet.

Trying It On

Cameron says she doesn't know why she's nervous, then admits she's going to cry. The team member tells her it would be strange if she didn't. After putting on the dress, she says it is usually very hard for her to feel like herself in a dress, but that she does in this one, and she thanks the team.

4:00

The Family Call

Cameron explains that her mom and sister couldn't be in Rome, so she calls home to show them the look. Her mother and grandmother appear on the call. Her grandmother tells her she looks gorgeous and says she likes her hair that way. Cameron hands the phone to someone named Caitlyn so she can put on the veil for them.

The reveal is kept private from the groom. Cameron confirms that Damiano isn't seeing any of this until the day itself. The call ends with her family saying they will see her in a couple of days.

5:12

Details: Movement Without a Big Skirt

Asked to describe Cameron's style in three words, a member of the fitting team says "strong, timeless, ethereal," then adds that there are about 20 other words that would fit. They joke that the trouble is they love too many things, including words and clothes.

Cameron says she will never get over the fit of the dress. She credits the result to the care, effort, and pace of the work. They then turn to the buttons, which run from the top of the dress all the way to the hem of the train and also appear on the sleeves. Cameron calls the buttons possibly her favorite detail and admits that sounds odd given how elaborate the veil is.

She explains why the details matter to her. She loves movement in garments, but she didn't want a dress with a large skirt because it didn't feel like her. Instead, she wanted the movement to come from other parts of the look. She says this is also why she ended up with three dresses.

6:12

How Overwhelming the Planning Was

Cameron says everyone warned her how hard planning a wedding would be. She and Damiano brushed it off, assuming they would figure it out and that it couldn't be that hard. The team member points out that she has been doing this alongside releasing an album and preparing for a tour.

Cameron acknowledges that, but addresses anyone planning a wedding right now, offering "love and appreciation and solidarity." She says the process was so overwhelming that she couldn't have predicted it. Because so much has led up to this moment, she says, it still doesn't feel real.

Working With Valentino

Cameron closes by calling Valentino her dream house to collaborate with on her wedding look. She says she cries every time she comes into the studio because the team was so kind and went "over the top" for her, and jokes that they must put something in the air. In the end, she says, the experience is special because it is her wedding, and all of it together is what makes it meaningful.