Wedding of William & Catherine: Reflections on the Royal Wedding

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by arabian night

mothers bride and sis too confident in front of camera, we were more interested in catherine not them

To me it was great that the Middletons didn't seem nervous and/or awkward or shy at all. After all, this wasn't a show put on for us but a family wedding. We were just lucky to be invited to share in the day with them. They carried themselves with grace and dignity to rival any royal that was there IMO.

[biboquinhas]

I think everything went so fine and the whole wedding was a big YES...Bad thing to me: the bridesmaid PIPA in white...that was a big NO... and of course Eugenie and Beatrice outfits and hats...A big NO to them, they were ridiculous and sometimes I think that they need to make the show of herselfs...but we are used to that...!

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by biboquinhas

I think everything went so fine and the whole wedding was a big YES...Bad thing to me: the bridesmaid PIPA in white...that was a big NO... and of course Eugenie and Beatrice outfits and hats...A big NO to them, they were ridiculous and sometimes I think that they need to make the show of herselfs...but we are used to that...!

Having the Maid of Honor and the little bridesmaids in a color so close to the bride's is something I'm still getting used to. I grew up in middle America where the ONLY person that wears white at the wedding is the bride. I've since learned that its not the same the world around. Most times here little children aren't used in a wedding party and if they are its as a flower girl and ring bearer.

The York girls I think have amazingly beautiful faces but what they wear tends to make people not notice that fact. They're young and will find their own mark and style in time I bet.

[Duchess of Darwin]

I loved how happy the whole thing was. So much sweetness and joy. It was the bridesmaids and pageboys that stood out for me, though. So adorable and well behaved.

[ayvee]

An article written by Diana's friend, Rosa Monckton, about the wedding:

Royal wedding 2011: Diana's greatest legacy - William married for love | Mail Online

Although the Spencers were there at the wedding and Sir Elton John, I have to wonder why Diana's close friends weren't invited. I suppose it's because the guests were selected by the couple, but some of Diana's close friends were around when William was growing up.

Two articles from the Daily Mail (so take it with a grain of salt) about Lady Annabel Smith, a close friend of Diana being excluded from the wedding:

ROYAL WEDDING: 'Those are not heir-bearing hips are they?' Camilla faces feud with Lady Annabel after Jemima¿s wedding Tweets | Mail Online

ROYAL WEDDING: Will Lady Annabel Goldsmith take revenge for 'snub' by Camilla? | Mail Online

On another note, if Diana were still alive, would Charles have married Camilla? I'm glad everyone has moved on, including her boys, but I wonder if the British public would have accepted a marriage between Charles and Camilla.

[Frideswide]

Originally Posted by ayvee

I have to wonder why Diana's close friends weren't invited.

Why should they have been? It was her son's wedding. How close have these people been to Prince William over the last 10+ years, does he even know them well? We don't necessarily like all the friends of our parents.

It does tickle me that the maiden name of Kate's mother is ..... Goldsmith. I wonder if by any chance they are related

[Lenora]

Anyway Jemima Khan's comments firstly offended Kate,it was not a good word there

[Maura724]

I don't know why so many people are upset about Pippa's white dress. The reason you aren't supposed to wear white to a wedding is so you don't upstage the bride. However, the bride always either chooses or approves the bridesmaids' dresses, so Kate obviously wanted her sister in white. If Kate didn't care and didn't feel she would be upstaged, then why does it matter to other people?

[Susanna Wynne]

I loved the music, even though as a musician I found it well-rooted in the tried and true. Nothing edgy or fashion-forward about it, just like the rest of the wedding. Just fabulous, beautiful, in good taste and FANTASTICALLY performed. I loved seeing the congregation sing so heartily the hymns, especially good ole "Jerusalem." I loved the setting of the "Ubi Caritas" and even the "Crown Imperial" recessional was stirring and appropriate. it was lovely that they included a hymn sung at Diana's funeral and an anthem played at HM the Queen's wedding in 1947. Very thoughtful choices.

I loved the fact that there was a reverent and spiritual feel to the entire occasion.

What a day it was for the U.K. and for all who love and respect her around the world!

[Emmily]

Originally Posted by ayvee

An article written by Diana's friend, Rosa Monckton, about the wedding:

Royal wedding 2011: Diana's greatest legacy - William married for love | Mail Online

Although the Spencers were there at the wedding and Sir Elton John, I have to wonder why Diana's close friends weren't invited. I suppose it's because the guests were selected by the couple, but some of Diana's close friends were around when William was growing up.

Two articles from the Daily Mail (so take it with a grain of salt) about Lady Annabel Smith, a close friend of Diana being excluded from the wedding:

ROYAL WEDDING: 'Those are not heir-bearing hips are they?' Camilla faces feud with Lady Annabel after Jemima¿s wedding Tweets | Mail Online

ROYAL WEDDING: Will Lady Annabel Goldsmith take revenge for 'snub' by Camilla? | Mail Online

On another note, if Diana were still alive, would Charles have married Camilla? I'm glad everyone has moved on, including her boys, but I wonder if the British public would have accepted a marriage between Charles and Camilla.

Maybe these "friends" of Diana's weren't invited because they can't stop talking about her to the press.

I believe C & C would have remarried if Diana were alive.

[Carminha Stalker]

I felt a very deep emotion when I saw the two, William and Harry coming out of Clarence House. It reminded me somehow of the two of them walking behind their mmother´s coffin., so many years ago.
I am sure they both remembered her on the wedding day.
I wish she could have been alive to see her son marry.

[magnik]

Wedding - ceremony, speech, music great.
TV coverage ok. when we talk only about the braodcast from the Abbey and ride to the and from the Abbey. Terrible when we talk about the viewpoint
which someone decide to show the World. Compare BRF and others - British is too puffed up, to isolate.
Compare with other royal weddings...

[nascarlucy]

I don't think that Pippa upstaged Catherine. I didn't get that impression. Her dress was beautiful. If she had upstaged her sister, her dress would have been unusual or something that would catch everyone's eye.

As I was watching the wedding and the cameras were going around the room, my eyes were drawn to the headpiece that Beatrice wore whenever they were filming in the general area where she was. Of all the dresses and hats that women wore, hers will probably be the most remembered years from now. At first I really didn't really like the headpiece, but after I saw other pictures of it, I started to like it.

[grammas26]

I am not really sure there was anything to NOT like!! I watched everything on BBC and loved the coverage. I heard every word said in the Abbey, unlike some American broadcasts. The music was wonderful, HM was beautiful as was the bride, the hats were hysterical. Harry made my day when he checked to see if the Duchess was coming! It was great. I just hope the rest of William and Catherine's lives together is just as happy and magical and they continue to love and support each other.

[Shelo]

Originally Posted by Susanna Wynne

I loved the music, even though as a musician I found it well-rooted in the tried and true. Nothing edgy or fashion-forward about it, just like the rest of the wedding. Just fabulous, beautiful, in good taste and FANTASTICALLY performed. I loved seeing the congregation sing so heartily the hymns, especially good ole "Jerusalem." I loved the setting of the "Ubi Caritas" and even the "Crown Imperial" recessional was stirring and appropriate. it was lovely that they included a hymn sung at Diana's funeral and an anthem played at HM the Queen's wedding in 1947. Very thoughtful choices.

I loved the fact that there was a reverent and spiritual feel to the entire occasion.

What a day it was for the U.K. and for all who love and respect her around the world!

Well said. I completely agree and add that John Rutter's setting of "This is the day that the Lord has made" (written for this occasion) was also very beautiful.

The whole event seemed to feature the very best of Great Britain (fashion, hats, flowers, choral music, street parties, overall pomp and ceremony etc., etc.). I particularly loved the personal touches that came through. Many here have mentioned these sorts of things- Kate's dress, the personal connection with the bridesmaids and pages, Kate's bouquet (with Sweet William roses), her earrings with the acorn motif of her family's new crest, James' beautiful reading- I could go on and on. There were many reminders that while this was a royal wedding, the royalty factor did not eclipse the two people whose wedding it was. The prayer of dedication that William and Kate wrote (read by The Bishop of London at the end of his address) asked that they remain grounded and focussed in what is real and truly important in life while being committed to a life of service. While the dress, decorations and everything else was wonderful, I was most impressed by this goal for their marriage.

In both Europe and North America, I have observed many young couples to put all of their attention and energy into planning their wedding; few seem to think very much about the marriage that comes after the wedding. From what we saw on Friday, William and Kate have some clear goals for their marriage and I was really impressed by this. The Bishop of London challenged us all to become supporters of William and Kate's marriage, instead of just spectators. This challenge has made me think about what responsibilities I have in my role as a royal fan. It is interesting to think about.

[Jacknch]

Originally Posted by Maura724

I don't know why so many people are upset about Pippa's white dress. The reason you aren't supposed to wear white to a wedding is so you don't upstage the bride. However, the bride always either chooses or approves the bridesmaids' dresses, so Kate obviously wanted her sister in white. If Kate didn't care and didn't feel she would be upstaged, then why does it matter to other people?

Well said. People are not explaining their objections properly and fully to the white bridesmaid's dresses. Most British royal brides have chosen white or ivory for their bridesmaids dresses as have a number of overseas royal brides, so I just don't understand why suddenly it's an issue in this case. Try as I might, when I look at the bridal party walking up the aisle, there is absolutely nothing I can see fashionwise, protocol wise, colourwise, tradition-wise or otherwise that could REASONABLY be objectionable. If anyone knows the best colour scheme for their own wedding it would be a British royal bride!

[chelly]

Originally Posted by nascarlucy

I don't think that Pippa upstaged Catherine. I didn't get that impression. Her dress was beautiful. If she had upstaged her sister, her dress would have been unusual or something that would catch everyone's eye.

As I was watching the wedding and the cameras were going around the room, my eyes were drawn to the headpiece that Beatrice wore whenever they were filming in the general area where she was. Of all the dresses and hats that women wore, hers will probably be the most remembered years from now. At first I really didn't really like the headpiece, but after I saw other pictures of it, I started to like it.

Or the blue unicorn hat. Everytime I was watching something on the wedding they would either diss Beatrice and Eugenie (I don't think too many people like the hat or the oufit or both) and the socialite who wore that blue dress with the blue pointy hat.

I don't think Pippa outshined her sister, it was a nice bridesmaid dress. I wish I had a body like hers.

I did see a few people (on tv) comment that they thought Pippa's sleeves were too short, but I haven't seen anyone in here comment on it. So are they wrong on the sleeve length? (tv people)

[Australian]

Stunning super-zoom and 360 images of the Royal Wedding | News.com.au

The above link shows the festivities in 360 degree angles and zoom. Well worth a look.

[Regal2608513]

Originally Posted by Lenora

What did you like in generally?

[Scotslass]

I think the only reason people are disliking Pippa being in white/ivory is because of her age. Normally with BRF weddings the attendants are all young so them being in the same colour as the bride is seen as acceptable, or cute even. If Margarita and Louise had been the eldest female attendants no-one would be batting an eyelid.

However it was seen as slightly unusual that Catherine had an adult attendance. No-one has any bad comment on Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones being in ivory at the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, but that is because she isn't seen as being a full on adult in that wedding. Look back at the wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh - the attendants are older and in white/ivory. It's only a fuss because it's seen as unusual now for a royal wedding to have an adult attendant in white/ivory.

If people read on the traditions of bridesmaids they'll see that the decision to have Pippa in a dress of the same colour as the bride is actually a very traditional one. Traditionally she'd have had a style similar to the bride too. Now that would have set the cat truly amongst the pigeons!!