Guillaume and Stéphanie: Wedding Suggestions and Musings

[Mirabel]

I think having children be the attendants is a wonderful tradition. Keeps them from being bored during the ceremony .

They shouldn't be at the ceremony at all. Or at the reception.
I never like it when you're at a lovely reception and restless kids are running around the dance floor, bumping into people.

Most weddings I have attended recently make it a point to exclude children.

(I heard William's antics so dismayed the Queen that she insisted on a new governess for him, because she thought he was out of control).

 

[Tilia C.]

Has something about the dress-code for the pre-wedding festivities been leaked? Their Belgium and Netherlands neighbours didn't have tiaras at their heir's pre-weddings.

 

[Meraude]

They shouldn't be at the ceremony at all. Or at the reception.
I never like it when you're at a lovely reception and restless kids are running around the dance floor, bumping into people.

As children can be anything from 0 to 18, so there is quite an age-span to choose from. I think it's nice for a wedding couple to chose their nieces/nephews and/or godchildren as attendants at the ceremony. If I recall correctly the young attendants at crown princess Victoria's wedding was seated at the side and wasn't shown that much in the footage from the wedding.

As for children running round at a reception, well, in those cases it's clear that the person/s arranging the reception haven't taken into consideration that children do have a shorter attention span and find formal events boring, it's not that difficult to have a special room where the children can go and play with a adult in charge, while their parents enjoy the wedding reception.

 

[Tyger]

Strange - why is this thread so wide. When I click on it, it takes up the whole screen, with no side-bar. If I go into TRF onto another thread, all is normal. Anyone know what's happening there? Any idea?

 

[KittyAtlanta]

Mine is like that too. Don't know why, but doesn't prohibit viewing.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

As children can be anything from 0 to 18, so there is quite an age-span to choose from. I think it's nice for a wedding couple to chose their nieces/nephews and/or godchildren as attendants at the ceremony. If I recall correctly the young attendants at crown princess Victoria's wedding was seated at the side and wasn't shown that much in the footage from the wedding.

As for children running round at a reception, well, in those cases it's clear that the person/s arranging the reception haven't taken into consideration that children do have a shorter attention span and find formal events boring, it's not that difficult to have a special room where the children can go and play with a adult in charge, while their parents enjoy the wedding reception.

I agree....I much prefer children as bridal attendants. With their enchanting little costumes they bring a sense of charm and innocence to the wedding that adult bridesmaids simply cannot match, imo.

 

[Daria_S]

They shouldn't be at the ceremony at all. Or at the reception.
I never like it when you're at a lovely reception and restless kids are running around the dance floor, bumping into people.

Most weddings I have attended recently make it a point to exclude children.

(I heard William's antics so dismayed the Queen that she insisted on a new governess for him, because she thought he was out of control).

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree . I think that children need the exposure to all sorts of events in order to learn and observe the proper conduct. Excluding them from a wedding, which is a family event is rather harsh. Yes, they may run around, but that's what kids do, and since most of the weddings I've been to had a DJ at the reception, having the chance to dance and get some of that pent up energy out served pretty well.

I think that someone like Princess Elisabeth of Belgium or Amalia of the Netherlands would be great choices. Both girls appear to have great manner and are old enough to understand the importance of behaving well during a high-profile event. Some of the younger kids would add to the 'cuteness' factor though, so I do hope to see a good age range. Also, as we saw at the Cambridge wedding, the kids were very, very well-behaved during the ceremony and they were aged between 3 and 10 years.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I kind of agree that young children do not belong at the wedding reception. The best solution is what CP Victoria did...the children were sequestered and entertained in another dining room during the bridal dinner, then they were apparently sent to bed before the dancing began.

 

[4Pam]

For me it depends on how old the children are. If they are old enough to understand why they need to behave then yes they should be at the ceremony. Not sure about the reception though

 

[Mirabel]

Yes, they may run around, but that's what kids do, and since most of the weddings I've been to had a DJ at the reception, having the chance to dance and get some of that pent up energy out served pretty well.

So then where are the adults supposed to dance? The dance floor is seldom so big that there's plenty of room for all; hence, bumping into people!

The thing is, so many brides don't want children there, yet the parents insist on bringing them anyway!
(They're the same ones who think their kids are so adorable that no one can resist them).
I know one bride who actually had to telephone parents to remind them that the reception was adults-only!

But I digress; will the Luxembourg attendants be children or adults? Does anyone know?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Mirabel I agree with you 100%. I resent it when adults bring their small children to a wedding with no thought to how disruptive and loud they can be...and they seem to think it's adorable!

If they are not part of the bridal party, small children simply do not belong at weddings. It's not fair to the bride or to her family to put them in the position of playing "bad guy".

But I must make the distinction between the behavior of children at Royal weddings and non-Royal weddings. Royal and aristocratic children at receptions are probably not left to run amuck at wedding receptions. They are usually under control of a nanny throughout, and I am pretty certain that their presence there is kept to a minimum which is as it should be.

Since Stephanie has an enormous slew of young nieces and nephews and Guillaume has two small nephews as well as several Royal godchildren, I would be very surprised if they are not among the wedding attendants.

No formal announcement has been made by the GD Court one way or another.

 

[Meraude]

So then where are the adults supposed to dance? The dance floor is seldom so big that there's plenty of room for all; hence, bumping into people!

As the wedding ceremony in Luxembourg will begin at 11,00 a.m. and the reception at 13,00 p.m., I don't think that there will be any dancing at the reception and I don't think that there will be any young children at the gala dinner Friday evening, so I feel that this discussion is very much off-topic.

When it comes to children being a part of the wedding or not, that is totally up to the couple getting married if they want them there or not, and I would guess that when it comes to Guillaume and Stéphanie they will want to have young wedding attendants.

 

[Pranter]

I would imagine they will be married during a wedding Mass as many Catholics are....or does the country require a civil wedding also?

LaRae

 

[Moonmaiden23]

hi guys! would you send them letters in connection to their wedding? thanks for the reply )

Hi-I see that no one answered your question. I am certain that you can contact the bridal couple through the official website of the Grand Ducal Court.

Reportedly Guillaume and Stephanie have asked for charitable contributions to the family's Foundation in lieu of wedding gifts, also to be funneled through the official website.

 

[agami.pearl]

I would imagine they will be married during a wedding Mass as many Catholics are....or does the country require a civil wedding also?

LaRae

There will be 2 weddings, civil on Friday and religious on Saturday. In Luxembourg civil ones are required. Gui's parents had both but in the same day (Louis and Tessy too).

 

[Daria_S]

Reportedly Guillaume and Stephanie have asked for charitable contributions to the family's Foundation in lieu of wedding gifts, also to be funneled through the official website.

This is a very nice and considerate move. I applauded the Cambridges for this last year, and now do the same for this couple. It's always good to think of those that have less than you, and use your own celebration to do some good.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Yes, Daria S....I remember that the Cambridges did the same thing and I admired them for it as well.

 

[Breffney]

Yes, Daria S....I remember that the Cambridges did the same thing and I admired them for it as well.

I think that this is becoming almost standard practice when royals marry these days.

I'm not sure who first came up with the idea. Was it Mary and Frederik of Denmark or does it date to before that. ?

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Breffney, I don't know but I think it's a wonderful thing to do...these couples will spend their lives in beautifully furnished palaces with all the fine linen, fine furnishing, beautiful porcelain and china etc they will ever need.

They usually end up with wedding gifts anyway from members of their families. The Duchess of Cambridge has a magnificent parure of rubies and diamonds that she is said to have received as a wedding gift, and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall received some amazing jewelry too.

I suspect it will be the same for Stephanie.

 

[Meraude]

I think that this is becoming almost standard practice when royals marry these days.

I'm not sure who first came up with the idea. Was it Mary and Frederik of Denmark or does it date to before that. ?

I don't know if it was created instead of receiving wedding gifts or not, but there is a wedding foundation, Kungaparets bröllopsfond, founded in may 1976 before the wedding of king Carl Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath. The foundation helps children with disabilities to get access to sports equipment and to support research about children and disabilities.

 

[Breffney]

Breffney, I don't know but I think it's a wonderful thing to do...these couples will spend their lives in beautifully furnished palaces with all the fine linen, fine furnishing, beautiful porcelain and china etc they will ever need.

Yes, it is a very wonderful thing to do.

If my memory serves me right, President & Mrs Obama's gift to William and Kate was 6 laptops. William and Kate donated them to one of William's charities in Northern Ireland. It was either a youth or a community group.

Also, I remember reading years ago that a lot of the wedding gifts received by a royal couple were still unopened a couple of years after the actual wedding. For some reason I think that the couple was Charles and Diana. ??

Were they later sold off to raise money for The Prince's Trust. ?

I wish that I could remember the details more clearly.

 

[Zonk]

Yes, it is a very wonderful thing to do.

If my memory serves me right, President & Mrs Obama's gift to William and Kate was 6 laptops. William and Kate donated them to one of William's charities in Northern Ireland. It was either a youth or a community group.

Also, I remember reading years ago that a lot of the wedding gifts received by a royal couple were still unopened a couple of years after the actual wedding. For some reason I think that the couple was Charles and Diana. ??

Were they later sold off to raise money for The Prince's Trust. ?

I wish that I could remember the details more clearly.

I believe there was a brief scandal where some gifts given to Charles (not sure if they were for his wedding) were given by Charles to members of his staff, who than sold the items (maybe on ebay if I recall correctly). I don't think Charles thought they would sell them he just didn't need them or care for them if I recall.

Either way, it doesn't IMO matter who started the tradition of creating a foundation for weddings gifts...its a nice tradition and its great to see that it has continued for various royal bridal couples.

I think its a way for the public to celebrate or contribute in the name of the couple for the wedding. I am sure that the couples immediate friends and family will give the couple a wedding gift anyway.

 

[Breffney]

Either way, it doesn't IMO matter who started the tradition of creating a foundation for weddings gifts...its a nice tradition and its great to see that it has continued for various royal bridal couples.

Well, actually, it does matter to me. I asked the question to try and find out how far back the tradition goes.

 

[Breffney]

I don't know if it was created instead of receiving wedding gifts or not, but there is a wedding foundation, Kungaparets bröllopsfond, founded in may 1976 before the wedding of king Carl Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath. The foundation helps children with disabilities to get access to sports equipment and to support research about children and disabilities.

Many thanks, Meraude.

 

[SLV]

Well, actually, it does matter to me. I asked the question to try and find out how far back the tradition goes.

I believe the Dutch Royal couple, when they married in 2002 didn't want presents either. Instead the city of Amsterdam gave them the 'Oranje-foundation' which gives yearly money-prizes to cultural organisations. I don't know if the other Royals contributed too or if they did give gifts.

 

[Breffney]

I believe the Dutch Royal couple, when they married in 2002 didn't want presents either. Instead the city of Amsterdam gave them the 'Oranje-foundation' which gives yearly money-prizes to cultural organisations. I don't know if the other Royals contributed too or if they did give gifts.

Brilliant, SLV. ! Many thanks.

All the royals who received actual gifts (the majority of them unused by the couple) over the years are probably thinking " I wish the idea of a wedding charitable foundation had been in vogue when we got married".

 

[LadyFinn]

Victoria and Daniel have also a wedding foundation
The Crown Princess Couple's Wedding Foundation - Sveriges Kungahus

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Brilliant, SLV. ! Many thanks.

All the royals who received actual gifts (the majority of them unused by the couple) over the years are probably thinking " I wish the idea of a wedding charitable foundation had been in vogue when we got married".

There is a very sad story in the deluge of books that were written in the wake of the breakdown of the marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales about Prince Charles setting up a huge bonfire at Highgrove and burning many of the unwanted wedding gifts he and Diana had received.

Even a custom made rocking horse that Ronald and Nancy Reagan had sent to Prince William was consigned to the flames.

My point is that the charitable foundations set up by engaged Royal couples actually accomplish two valuable things...they save the couple from the awkwardness of having to deal with gifts they do not want or like-let alone the waste of them-and they also pour $$$ into projects that assist people in dire straits in their own countries.

It's a wonderful thing to do, and I love it. And it seems especially perfect for Guillaume and Stephanie, who I suspect are going to be very much a hardworking and socially responsible young Royal couple.

 

[Breffney]

It's a wonderful thing to do, and I love it. And it seems especially perfect for Guillaume and Stephanie, who I suspect are going to be very much a hardworking and socially responsible young Royal couple.

Yes, indeed, Moonmaiden23 - I'm getting great vibes when I think of Guillaume and Stephanie. I can almost see them rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into all sorts of projects.

LadyFinn - As ever, great information. Loads of thanks.

 

[angieuk]

Are his 2 nephews going to be pageboys?

Or maybe his sister a bridesmaid?