Wedding of William and Catherine: Suggestions and Musings

[muriel]

I believe the large sapphire and diamond was Diana's. A wedding gift from the Saudi monarchs, she had strung with 7 strands of pearls. It was originally presented on a georgeous diamond necklace. (Diana later used this for her diamond prince of wales pendant).

Another personal sapphire diamond suite, similar in style, were a gift to Diana from Oman. The blingy, most expensive sort of discoish crescent earrings and collar were also from a middle easter nation, uncertain as to which.

The sapphire choker with the multiple pearl strrings originiated as a brooch, which was a present to Diana from QEQM. It was not a present from the Saudi's.

 

[Marengo]

I think William and Kate's wedding will be alot like that of Andrew and Fergie. He wasn't the heir either, but they had a relatively big wedding in Westminster Abbey with most of the European royalty in attendance. I can't see why the next summer one should be anything less.

The daily mail has a picture of her visiting Westminster Abbey, which makes them come to the conclusion that she will get married there:

Kate Middleton has chosen Westminster Abbey for Royal wedding to Prince William | Mail Online
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Still, I do not think that we will see a royal turn up like in Sweden.
1) very little royals know William, he never visited any royal event, and neither does his grand mother.
2) he isn't the heir, but the number 2
3) it is a crisis, as a signal Buckingham Palace might not want to invite too many foreign royals

TBH, considering the disinterest that the prince and his grand mother have towards European royalty I would find it rather odd if all the other monarchs would turn up. Esp. the Swedish royals, whose highest English royal guests at any event were the duke and duchess of Gloucester (who are lovely people of course). I believe that off the record it was commented that it actually was considered a snub by the RF in Stockholm. So in the Swedish case sending an ambassador would be good enough, or a Bernadotte count at the very best.

Still, for many continental royals it is a good PR moment to show up, so probably every country will send at least the heir. Past royal events show that as soon the English celebrate the rest of royal europe turns up only too gladly. In any case, i don't think the delegations will be too large. In Sweden the Dutch RF for example came with 7 members, the Norwegians with 6, the Belgians with 8 etc. I think in this case only 2 members per royal family will show up, for the reasons I stated above (they do not know each other and Buckingham Palace doesn't want too many foreign royals around).

 

[Madame Royale]

St. Paul's might offer a better view to the guests, but considering how private William is, I think he might prefer Westminster Abbey where the view of the bridal couple will blocked for most of the audience!

Good luck!..lol. That's what TV camera's are for so while a few hundred may have an awkward view, a few hundred million around the world will I'm sure have a spectacular view of the ceremony.

 

[Zonk]

Well for Charles wedding, MM and Haakon and Laurentien and Constanjin showed up....but than again the heirs and their wives came for Charles' 60th birthday party...so I think the heirs and their wives will show up.

 

[Iluvbertie]

The daily mail has a picture of her visiting Westminster Abbey, which makes them come to the conclusion that she will get married there:

Kate Middleton has chosen Westminster Abbey for Royal wedding to Prince William | Mail Online
-
Still, I do not think that we will see a royal turn up like in Sweden.
1) very little royals know William, he never visited any royal event, and neither does his grand mother.
2) he isn't the heir, but the number 2
3) it is a crisis, as a signal Buckingham Palace might not want to invite too many foreign royals

TBH, considering the disinterest that the prince and his grand mother have towards European royalty I would find it rather odd if all the other monarchs would turn up. Esp. the Swedish royals, whose highest English royal guests at any event were the duke and duchess of Gloucester (who are lovely people of course). I believe that off the record it was commented that it actually was considered a snub by the RF in Stockholm. So in the Swedish case sending an ambassador would be good enough, or a Bernadotte count at the very best.

Still, for many continental royals it is a good PR moment to show up, so probably every country will send at least the heir. Past royal events show that as soon the English celebrate the rest of royal europe turns up only too gladly. In any case, i don't think the delegations will be too large. In Sweden the Dutch RF for example came with 7 members, the Norwegians with 6, the Belgians with 8 etc. I think in this case only 2 members per royal family will show up, for the reasons I stated above (they do not know each other and Buckingham Palace doesn't want too many foreign royals around).

The Queen sent her son to Victoria's wedding - Edward and Sophie who are closest in age to the couple from amongst the Queen's own children. They were also the ones who went to the Danish wedding in 2005 but Charles went to the Spanish wedding.

 

[Marengo]

Thanks for correcting me, I am mixing up events as it was the 60th birthday anniversairy of king Carl-gustav in 2006 that the Britsh didn't bother to send anybody at all. From 'The Royalist":

The Swedish media are far from impressed by what they deem a 'snub' from Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, one newspaper claiming the Windsors think "they are too fine for the King's party" whilst another says the Queen and her immediate family are "snobbish and rude."

Still, sending the number 8 instead of the number 1 or 2 as most countries did, isn't exactly nice either. Anyway, before going too OT about Britsh royals snubbing (or not snubbing) those of the continent I think it is safe to expect a high representation from every foreign royal family (if they are invited). As I said, it is a good PR moment for them.

 

[muriel]

I think the real choice of venues is betweem the Abbey and the Guards Chapel. The latter will certainly signify a very low key and relatively small wedding. I think given the historical significance, the wedding will probably be at the Abbey, and the ceremonial route will be restricted to a trip down Whitehall and up the Mall in view of security costs.

 

[Stefan]

Good luck!..lol. That's what TV camera's are for so while a few hundred may have an awkward view, a few hundred million around the world will I'm sure have a spectacular view of the ceremony.

I have seen the coverage from Charles and Diana's Wedding and the cameras almost never showed the guests. And the royals guests who where seated in the chor where never shown only for a short moment when their procession entered the Church before the Service.

 

[Madame Royale]

Though that was almost 30 years ago...

I recall seeing a good many guests at Charles and Camilla's blessing in 2005, and I'm most certain we'll get good coverage of the guests at the wedding of William and Catherine as well.

Dare I suggest that the coverage from inside the place of marriage will be very good. Especially if it is to be Westminster Abbey which boasts some wonderful vantage points for cameramen.

 

[Princess Luna]

There are some beautiful dresses there! I think #18 is too form fitting for a royal bride.

Personally, I could see her in something like Aglaya (#1) or Saga (#6).

I looooove dress number 19

 

[berengere]

Why would the BRF not want too many continental royals invited? Is it to keep the event more British or to not share the world stage at this time?

The sapphire choker with the multiple pearl strrings originiated as a brooch, which was a present to Diana from QEQM. It was not a present from the Saudi's.

Thank you, I was misinformed.

 

[Zonk]

Why would the BRF not want too many continental royals invited? Is it to keep the event more British or to not share the world stage at this time?

I think the concern is that too many royals (and guests) in general means that the wedding is going to be super expensive. In these economic times, and trying to remain under the radar....its not smart to spend a lot of money on a lavish wedding. Nor to ask your subjects to help pay for it when a lot of social services are being cut.

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

Kate Middleton and Prince William Royal wedding mania memorabilia rush | Mail Online

Whew, that Barbara Walters wasn't kidding about the boom in the fake sapphire market! Some of that stuff, uh OK all of it is really tacky but I might actually buy something, just to have something. I am not sure what though. I don't need anymore coffee mugs, that's for sure,and I am not buying a fake sapphire; that's just too geeky for words!

 

[Zonk]

Oh I have tons of mugs but I am buying one. I still have my Diana/Charles and Sarah/Andrew mug from my 1991 visit to London. Can't wait.

 

[Empress Merel]

I hope we'll see her in something like this: http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/2402/weddingdressi.jpg

But I doubt it.. Thinking it will be as bland as most Royals. (to be)

 

[Shelo]

Oh I have tons of mugs but I am buying one. I still have my Diana/Charles and Sarah/Andrew mug from my 1991 visit to London. Can't wait.

Love it, Zonk!! I still have my Charles and Diana vase from 1981, brought back for me from an extended family member who was playing soccer in England. When I went to the UK in May 2005, the touristy knick-knack shops in Windsor were clearing out Charles and Camilla's wedding teacups (with both dates!) and I couldn't resist. I'll have to join you and buy a mug from this wedding as well!!

 

[Skippy]

I would like the Westminster Abbey for the wedding, but we'll see.

 

[KittyAtlanta]

There's different lengths to veils. Usually with the cathedral-length veil, the dress will have a long train, because the veil and the train together looks well not only in motion, but in photographs. Also, it's very dramatic. It's a royal bride's prerogative to be very dramatic.

Many wedding gowns are created to show well inside the church. It would be silly to have a 25 foot train in a local parish church, but a long train in a big church is beautiful. There are brush trains, chapel trains, cathedral trains, etc. I hope Catherine chooses a long train.

 

[Shelo]

Sorry to be a spoil sport, but I think there is absolutely no way Catherine will wear a strapless dress. The only strapless dress in the British Royal family was worn by Claire Booth when she married the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's son. While it was a Vera Wang dress, this wedding was decidedly "un-royal" with almost none of the pomp and formality that we see at British Royal weddings. While strapless dresses might be in style, if we look back at Royal brides we will see that many of them have chosen dresses (with their designers) that led trends, rather than followed them. Both Diana and Sarah's dresses, while linked to the fashion of the times (those horrible 1980s!), influenced wedding dresses for years after.

I think we will see Catherine choose something just like Princess Victoria did this summer- something much less "mass produced" or "trendy", but something wonderful that has been custom-designed to compliment not only her figure and personal style, but also the location and the occasion itself. If it is a full royal occasion at Westminster Abbey, for example, we're likely to see a full train, a tiara and a dress with sleeves. Princess Victoria's dress would not be found on any of the mainstream wedding dress websites prior to her wedding- and that's what made it work so well. I really think Catherine will do the same.

 

[Saragli]

Just saw some pictures of the Abbey and it looks much more lovely than I remembered it. I really hope the wedding is there now. And I really want a mug as well! IMO, I don't think we will see any reigning monarchs at the wedding, but I'm certain all the heirs will attend and probably Queen Sonja.

 

[Zonk]

I think Sofia will come. Charles, Diana and the boys used to visit the SRF for summer vacations.

 

[Skippy]

Sorry to be a spoil sport, but I think there is absolutely no way Catherine will wear a strapless dress. The only strapless dress in the British Royal family was worn by Claire Booth when she married the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's son. While it was a Vera Wang dress, this wedding was decidedly "un-royal" with almost none of the pomp and formality that we see at British Royal weddings. While strapless dresses might be in style, if we look back at Royal brides we will see that many of them have chosen dresses (with their designers) that led trends, rather than followed them. Both Diana and Sarah's dresses, while linked to the fashion of the times (those horrible 1980s!), influenced wedding dresses for years after.

I think we will see Catherine choose something just like Princess Victoria did this summer- something much less "mass produced" or "trendy", but something wonderful that has been custom-designed to compliment not only her figure and personal style, but also the location and the occasion itself. If it is a full royal occasion at Westminster Abbey, for example, we're likely to see a full train, a tiara and a dress with sleeves. Princess Victoria's dress would not be found on any of the mainstream wedding dress websites prior to her wedding- and that's what made it work so well. I really think Catherine will do the same.

I agree about the strapless dress thing and I hope that she won't wear one. I hate those things, imo they are way too bare and not how a bride is supposed to look on the big day. I think the same of what Claire Booth wore on her wedding day - not pretty at all and why, just why a bouquet of red roses? Doesn't fit at all.
And I don't care that it's a design of this or that designer - Vera Wang herself is tiring of strapless dresses (she said so herself).

I hope Catherine will choose something classic, covering and elegant.

Adding: Claire Booth wasn't the only one wearing strapless. Autumn Philips did as well (although she wore a bolero) and Sophie Winkleman (Freddie Windsor's wife) too and she too wore a bolero (although in my opinion an unfitting one compared to the material of her dress).

 

[KittyAtlanta]

To Shelo:

Your observations are in line with mine. IMO, there are very few wedding gowns designed these days for church weddings. Everything I see are designed for hotel, beach or home weddings where a bride can feel free to wear anything she wants (dislike those beach weddings where the bride is in a bridal dress and the groom in a Hawaiian shirt and bare feet). They are more like ball gowns than wedding gowns.

I think Catherine will keep to her own style with a bit less chest exposure and a lot of subtile, elegant beading and/or embroidery.

I do hope she chooses, rather than white, a candlelight color as it would be very complimentary to her skin tone.

 

[Skippy]

Your observations are in line with mine. IMO, there are very few wedding gowns designed these days for church weddings. Everything I see are designed for hotel, beach or home weddings where a bride can feel free to wear anything she wants (dislike those beach weddings where the bride is in a bridal dress and the groom in a Hawaiian shirt and bare feet). They are more like ball gowns than wedding gowns.

I think Catherine will keep to her own style with a bit less chest exposure and a lot of subtile, elegant beading and/or embroidery.

I do hope she chooses, rather than white, a candlelight color as it would be very complimentary to her skin tone.

I suppose I agree with you on this one. Although today beach brides rarely wear shoes either. Or they wear slippers.
Why is getting married on a beach so popular anyway? I guess I am an old-fashioned romantic who loves to see a church wedding.

 

[agami.pearl]

I think Sofia will come. Charles, Diana and the boys used to visit the SRF for summer vacations.

I just found out this photo
hellomagazine
little, shy Will

 

[Zonk]

I just found out this photo
hellomagazine
little, shy Will

Yes, how adorable. Love the matching clothes Harry and Wills!

So I think like most people who marry, and their parents friends come. We should expect to see Sofia, some of Diana's old friends. Rosa Monckton perhaps. Not a lot just the important ones.

 

[4Pam]

Isn't that King Juan Carlos in the picture with William? Maybe we will see the Spanish royals at the wedding.

 

[Zonk]

Yes it is 4Pam. When the boys were little (and Diana and Charles were still obviously married) they would spend a couple of days with the Spanish on holiday. At least 2 to 3 times, I believe.

And as already mentioned, Charles did attend Felipe's wedding. Did he attend the Infantas...or did they send the Wessex's.

 

[Lady Johanna]

Hello all.. Newbie here

For Kate, I love the designs of Caroline Castigliano
'Electra' is one of my fave designs(first dress in the 'indulgent' collection)
I think maybe a little less revealing around the chest and a longer train and it would be perfect for her modern romantic style

I think the Fife tiara or the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara would be very regal but they are probably unlikely choices

 

[Zonk]

Isn't the Fife tiara with the present Duchess of Fife? Though if we had a tiara event, she might wear it. The Fife's and the Harewoods were present at Charles and Diana's wedding. Of course that was 30 years ago in a much bigger venue.