The Wedding Watched Around the World

I am not the tiniest bit ashamed to say that I cried for almost the entire wedding of Prince William and his bride, Kate Middleton- heretofore, Her Royal Highness, Princess Catherine Elizabeth, The Duchess of Cambridge. I know everyone looks in love when they get married, but don't they really look in love?

Fun Fact: When Harry looked back to get a sneak peak at Kate walking down the aisle, he told William "Wait until you see her." When he finally saw his bride, William told her "You look absolutely beautiful." (It is English tradition to look straight ahead and not look at the bride walking down the aisle because the groom is supposed to be the very last person to see the bride.)

The Dress: Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. There is a blue ribbon sewn into on the inside for her "something blue." It is made with Chantilly lace and satin. The "something old" was the traditional Carrickmacross craftsmanship used in sewing the lace.

I think this is the cutest face William is making! He looks genuinely happy and in love.

Fun Fact: Just like Diana, Kate refused to say the traditional "Obey"in her vows

Pippa Middleton, age 27, also had her dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen

Kate's Nail Polish for the wedding: Bourjois no 28 Rose Lounge and Essie 423 Allure

Makeup: Kate used Bobbi Brown products and she did her own makeup for the wedding after a few lessons from makeup artist Arrabella Preston

Perfume: White Gardenia Petals by Illuminum. This perfume is now back ordered everywhere until July, so if you want it, you need to place your orders asap, as the waiting time gets longer every day!

Bouquet Flowers: Sweet William blooms, lily-of-the-valley, hyacinth and myrtle- which came from the myrtle that Queen Victoria planted in 1845.

William Wore: The uniform of Irish Guards, a scarlet jacket and blue sash

Most Outrageous Hat(s)/Fascinator(s): Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie (The daughters of Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson and Prince Andrew)

Beatrice and Eugenie at the Royal Wedding

Princess Beatrice's and Eugenie's hats, or as the Brits call them- fascinators, are from hat designer, aka a milliner, Philip Treacy. (The cheapest fascinator and hat that he makes is over $1000.)

Craziest Hats/Fascinators Runners-Up: Tara Palmer-Tomkinson and Jacqui Ainsley

Fun Fact: William and Kate wrote the prayer said by the Archbishop: God our Father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage. “In the business of each day keep our eyes fixed on what is real and important in life and help us to be generous with our time and love and energy. Strengthened by our union, help us to serve and comfort those who suffer. We ask this in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Music walking down the aisle: "I Was Glad" by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry

The sermon by the Archbishop of London: Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves.‘Many are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope.

In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future. ‘A spiritual life grows as love finds its centre beyond ourselves. Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life.
‘It is of course very hard to wean ourselves away from self-centredness. And people can dream of doing such a thing but the hope should be fulfilled it is necessary a solemn decision that, whatever the difficulties, we are committed to the way of generous love.

‘You have both made your decision today – “I will” – and by making this new relationship, you have aligned yourselves with what we believe is the way in which life is spiritually evolving, and which will lead to a creative future for the human race.

‘We stand looking forward to a century which is full of promise and full of peril. Human beings are confronting the question of how to use wisely a power that has been given to us through the discoveries of the last century. We shall not be converted to the promise of the future by more knowledge, but rather by an increase of loving wisdom and reverence, for life, for the earth and for one another.

‘Marriage should transform, as husband and wife make one another their work of art. It is possible to transform as long as we do not harbour ambitions to reform our partner. There must be no coercion if the Spirit is to flow; each must give the other space and freedom. Chaucer, the London poet, sums it up in a pithy phrase: ‘“Whan maistrie comth, the God of Love anon, Beteth his wynges, and farewell, he is gon.”*

‘As the reality of God has faded from so many lives in the West, there has been a corresponding inflation of expectations that personal relations alone will supply meaning and happiness in life. This is to load our partner with too great a burden. We are all incomplete: we all need the love which is secure, rather than oppressive, we need mutual forgiveness, to thrive.

‘As we move towards our partner in love, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is quickened within us and can increasingly fill our lives with light. This leads to a family life which offers the best conditions in which the next generation can practise and exchange those gifts which can overcome fear and division and incubate the coming world of the Spirit, whose fruits are love and joy and peace.

‘I pray that all of us present and the many millions watching this ceremony and sharing in your joy today, will do everything in our power to support and uphold you in your new life. And I pray that God will bless you in the way of life that you have chosen, that way which is expressed in the prayer that you have composed together in preparation for this day.'

* The Geoffrey Chaucer quote is from the Canterbury Tales, specifically The Franklin Tale.

Fun Fact: William's new title is His Royal Highness Prince William Arthur Philip Louis, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Master of Arts. Now that is a mouthful and a half, especially when you consider that his last name is Mountbatten-Windsor!

The Kiss- Before going in for their second kiss, he said to Kate "Let’s give them another one. l love you. One more kiss, one more kiss, okay."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge rode in a vintage 1969 Aston Martin back to the Clarence House, where they got ready for the evening festivities.

Princess Catherine changed her dress for the private and more intimate dinner and dancing evening reception given by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen also designed this gown. You can't tell in these photos, but it's strapless!

The First Dance: The Duke and Duchess danced their first dance to Ellie Goulding singing a cover of Elton John's Your Song.