Amal Alamuddin in wedding dress

September 30, 2014

People and Hello! magazines published the images online on Tuesday, effectively trumping US Vogue and Australia's Woman's Day by showing the first photos of the dress the 36-year-old barrister wore to her wedding reception to George Clooney, which took place at the seven-star Aman hotel in Venice on Saturday.

Alamuddin called on Dominican-born, New York-based designer Oscar de la Renta to create her heavily embroidered, one-of-a-kind gown. The designer, who once said, "I don't really know how to do casual clothes", hand stitched the French lace gown and full circular train with hundreds of crystals and pearls.

"He's such an elegant designer and such an elegant man," she told People.

Over the past three days the bride has donned numerous high-end and fashion forward ensembles by Alexander McQueen, Giambattista Valli, Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana. The ivory gown, which also boasted a floor length veil and off the shoulder neckline, was her most underwhelming wardrobe choice of the weekend.

The couple reportedly exchanged "traditional vows" and platinum wedding bands before concluding the 30-minute ceremony with a "lengthy kiss" on Saturday.

The 100-strong crowd, including Bono, Matt Damon and steely Vogue editor Anna Wintour, "had tears in their eyes" then "went wild".

Close friends Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Ben Affleck were no shows.

The Pitt-Jolie's were busy on the set of their new film in Malta while Affleck was promoting his latest project, the screen adaptation of Gone Girl.

"Here I am sadly. Some of us have to work. It sounded like it went well," he told the Today show in the US.

While there was speculation the couple had booked Lana Del Ray and Andrea Bocelli – the same singers who performed at Kim Kardashian's $12 million Italian wedding to Kanye West in May – the couple asked the daughter of a friend to sing Irving Berlin's hit Always at the ceremony. They chose Cole Porter's ballad Why Shouldn't I to be the soundtrack to their first dance as man and wife, the same song Clooney's parents danced to at their wedding.

The three-day wedding allegedly cost more than $13 million and concluded on Monday with a 10-minute civil ceremony which cost $750. The extravaganza involved dinners, lunches, accommodation at some of the world's most expensive hotels and transport via water taxis. The Oscar-winner also flew in 100 bottles of his own tequila. Each guest was then gifted an iPod featuring the couple's favourite songs and "a hangover" according to Clooney.

Woman's Day will release a special souvenir issue on Thursday with 16-pages dedicated to the wedding.

"Readers will experience every intricate detail, from Amal's amazing dress, George's nerves, the heartfelt speeches, all the celebrity guests and so much more," Woman's Day editor-in-chief Fiona Connolly said.