It was when Prince William whispered, “you look beautiful,” to his almost-wife-to-be, that I felt the tears coming (I admit, I’m a total romance cry baby). He’s an incredibly kind and gentle man – you can just tell, and he’s clearly met his match. A friend of mine commented that she doesn’t find William at all attractive anymore because he’s losing his hair. Well, I actually think there’s a lot more to sexiness that a full, bushy head of hair, but we won’t go there right now! I think he’s attractive by virtue of the dignity with which he carries himself, and that unmistakable Princess Diana spark.
It was absolutely stunning to see the turn-out in London today – everyone wishing them well.With all the horrors and atrocities that we’re bombarded with (media-wise,) this wedding was a much-needed boost for the world. At last we were able to share in the joy of an inspirational couple, who will hopefully prove to be fantastic role models for the young. Unlike past Royal marriages, William and Kate have known each other for almost 10 years and have lived together for a while. They are clearly entering into marriage with their eyes wide-open and the reason William took a while to propose, was because he wanted to protect Kate for as long as possible from tsunami of media attention.
It was a Fairytale Wedding, however, unlike a Disney Princess type of affair, this was obviously the real thing. When they get back from their honeymoon, the William will go back into the military and Kate will be by his side. They love to do what normal people do – like go shop in the local Tesco grocery store and cook together. Hmmm – I wonder if they’ll be able to do that anymore?
This is a family who care about the planet. Raised by Prince Charles, a hard-core environmentalist, William and Harry have taken on the same values as their dad. I just loved that the couple had wanted to bring nature into Westminster Abbey by way of adorning the aisles with Spring-blooming trees. The vivid green leaves juxtaposed against the austerity of the Abbey was so fitting for everything that this couple represent.
Kate’s dress was exquisite and a perfect expression of her elegant style. The Alexander McQueen gown, designed by Sarah Burton, was reminiscent of Grace
Kelly’s wedding gown – a perfect blend of traditional and modern. The English lace was hand embroidered by women at the Royal School of Embroidery. I particularly loved her sister, Pippa’s dress, which echoed the design of Kate’s dress, and yet stood out in its’ absolute simplicity.
Kate’s simple gold wedding band was created from a lump of gold from a Welsh mine. Why did William not get a ring? In England, most aristocratic men choose not to wear wedding rings – it’s considered a little tacky, or at least has been for many years.
Kate picked the flowers carefully for her bouquet: Sweet William means gallantry, lily-of-the-valley means return of happiness, hyacinth symbolizes constancy of love, while myrtle is the emblem of marriage and love.
There is also ivy for fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship and affection. OMG I LOVE lily-of-the-valley. It’s a delicate blossom that grew abundantly in my childhood yard and in the Spring I would just bury my head in it and breathe.
I don’t know how either of them managed not to cry. On my wedding day, as soon as I looked amy husband in the eyes at the alter, I almost fell apart and it took every inch of energy to hold myself together and get through the vows. I hadn’t really wanted a traditional white wedding at the time, but my husband was insistent about the classic thing. I’m so glad we did it. I remember that I had a tiny budget to work with and thankfully didn’t have to buy any flowers because they would have been dwarfed by our botanical surroundings. I had to beg and borrow almost everything, and even made all my wedding favors – little jars of lemon marmalade from the tree outside our bedroom. I’m just thrilled that our families got to share in our joy and that Lola will treasure the photographs forever.
As Nature has always been my church, we got married in the most magnificent grounds of a friend’s home in a very old part of Hollywood. Our friend was passionate about gardening and had a master gardener taking care of the gardens surrounding a 1920’s Greek outdoor theater, with a cascade streaming down the hill, at the base of Griffith Park, into a rose-covered shrine. It was utter perfection!
Well that’s my little reminiscence of the day – and as my husband and I sat watching the wedding, munching on my freshly-baked scones (hope you try the recipe from today’s newsletter), I know we were both taken back to that magical moment when surrounded by bursting blooms and greenery, we committed to spend the rest of our lives together.
On a final note, one of the things that I thought was so cool about the wedding and totally historical, was the fact that a gay married couple (Elton John and David Furnish,) were sitting in the area of the Abbey reserved for close friends. The Royal family has clearly evolved and I think this wedding has put them back on top…at least for a minute.
