Five Things I Loved About the Royal Wedding Ceremony

History was made today when Prince William, Duke of Cambridge married Miss Kate Middleton who became the Duchess of Cambridge around 11:00am this morning. Below are my top five favorite items about their ceremony:

5. The Ceremony Music:  The Westminster Abbey Choir and Chapel Royal Choir along with the London Chamber Orchestra, and a fanfare team of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force provided the music for the ceremony that was selected by the Bride & Groom. The musical selections were a perfect fit for the mood of the much anticiapted Royal Wedding.

4. The Guests’ Attire: Although all eyes were on the Bride and Groom, it was hard not to notice the ornate outfits of some of their guests. The most noticeable accessories would be the customary gravity-defying hats typically worn for Royal Weddings. Princess Beatrice, 22, and 21-year-old Princess Eugenie, daughters of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, made a fashion statement with their choice of unique hats. Below are a few of my favorites worn by the Princess' & Victoria Beckham.

3. The Bouquet: Kate chose to carry a modest bouquet made of lily-of-the-valley. According to the royal press release, "The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers." Simple, but classic.

2. Bridal Party: Although I love big grand family affairs, I am a fan of smaller more intimate bridal parties. Princess Catherine & Prince William opted to have their siblings (Prince Harry & Pippa Middelton) as their Best Man and Maid of Honor. Having a smaller bridal party cuts down on confusion and costs. If you are struggling with the decision on who to include on your wedding day, my advice is to keep it simple. You will thank me after your wedding!

1. The Dress: It's Sarah Burton! After months of speculation and rumors, it was revealed that Sarah Burton, The Alexander McQueen designer is the woman behind Kate Middleton's wedding dress. I love, love, love the timeless, elegant, and crisp gown that Kate chose. In this day and age, you don’t see long sleeved laced gowns; however the new Duchess of Cambridge undoubtedly made a fashion statement.

Tell us, did you watch the royal wedding? What were your thoughts?

Congratulations Prince William & Princess Catherine!

 

*Photos courtesy of the Associated Press

The Royal Wedding: William & Kate

As a Wedding Planner, one cannot help but get excited about the upcoming nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In keeping with the excitement of all things Royal, here are a few details about the much anticipated event!

Save the Date: The marriage of Prince William and Miss Catherine “Kate” Middleton will take place at Westminster Abbey on Friday 29th April 2011 around 11:00 am.

All about the Bride: A little background on the future princess

Catherine “Kate” Middleton from Berkshire, England was born on January 9, 1982. She met Prince William in 2002 while attending University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Although Kate Middleton does not come from royalty, she is the daughter of a self-made millionaire.

Invitations:

Invitations to the wedding of Prince William and Kate have been issued in the name of Her Majesty The Queen. Around 1,900 people have been invited to the service at Westminster Abbey, and 650 people have been invited to the lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace given by The Queen.

Reception: Around 300 people have been invited to the dinner at Buckingham Palace given by The Prince of Wales. A rough breakdown of numbers of guests is as follows (this includes spouses)*:

Guest List: The vast majority of guests are drawn from the Bride & Groom's Family and Friends – over 1,000

• Over 50 Members of The Royal Family
• Over 40 Members of Foreign Royal Families
• Over 200 Members of Government, Parliament and Diplomatic Corps
• Approximately 80 guests drawn from Prince William’s charities, including some individuals who are not in senior positions, who the Prince has known for some time
• 60 Governors-General and Realm Prime Ministers
• 30 Members of the Defence Services

Budget: With close to 2,000 invited guests, one might wonder, “Who’s paying for the wedding?” Answer: “The Royal Family, with a private contribution from the Middleton Family, will pay for all those aspects of the day that constitute the wedding (e.g. the Abbey service, flowers, dresses, carriage procession, reception and dinner). The Government and other bodies will pay for costs that are consequential to the wedding.”*

Wedding Bling: In accordance with the couple’s wishes, there will only be one ring, which will come from Prince William for Catherine. The Wedding ring that Catherine Middleton will wear will be made of Welsh Gold. The gold was given to Prince William by The Queen shortly after the couple was engaged. It has been in the family's possession for some years and has been in the care of the Royal Jewellers. There are no further details on which mine the gold was mined from. The Prince of Wales wears his wedding ring under his signet ring.*

For the latest updates and all the happenings of the Royal Wedding, head over the official Royal Wedding Website: http://www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/

*Taken from the Royal Wedding Media Briefing