Meet the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Married yesterday at around 11:20 London time, 6:20 our time.
My alarm sounded around 4:45 yesterday morning to signal the start of the royal wedding for me. Turning on the tv, Prince William was starting to make his way to Westminster Abbey with Harry riding along with him. Their entrance into the church, chatting with guests along the way.
Cozied in my bed, I watched the procession of cars and then it was finally time for Kate Middleton to make her appearance. Glimpsing her in her veil in the car, it looked like a delicate lace top of her wedding dress. That ride seemed even longer than the others as the anticipation of whether she had a train or no train and other details of the dress ate away.
Emerging from the car amongst cheers and hollers from the crowd, Kate Middleton dazzled in a low cut white dress with lace sleeves followed by an 8 foot train. There it was. The dress we had all been waiting for. Gorgeous.
The moment I was waiting the most for was almost there. I wanted to see William when he saw Kate for the first time. Turns out tradition in England is that he is allowed to see her once she makes her way down the aisle and is to the alter. There he turned toward her and said (or so I gather from my lip reading skills.)"You look beautiful." Aww so precious.
For the next 10 minutes they exchanged vows where they promised to love each other until death do them part. And William placed a ring on Kte's finger but his was visibly missing. turns out William will not be wearing a wedding ring which is quite interesting. They were pronounced husband and wife, without a kiss. Because as we all knew the kiss was coming at 8:25. Wonder how that was waiting two hours to kiss your new wife/husband.
I then took a brief nap around 6:20 until 6:50 as the rest of the ceremony finished. I awoke just in time to see them emerge from the chambers and make their way back down the aisle as husband and wife. Kate was as poised as ever and beaming. William had a brief smile here and there.
They were then taken by carriage to Buckingham Palace through the streets of England. All the well wishers were lining the streets cheering on the newly married couple.
There was a brief hiatus as the couple took their official photographs inside the palace where I chose this time to hurridly get through my pre-work routine so that I would not miss that kiss.
At exactly 8:25 Kate and William emerged onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace to millions of onlookers prompting Kate to be visibly seen saying, "Oh wow." The Queen, Prince Charles, Camilla, Prince Harry, Pippa, the Middleton's and the rest of the wedding party sauntered out behind the couple. I was anticipating the kiss and then in a flash, it happened. I say flash because it was a simple quick peck on the lips. It was a weak kiss but the news casters set the stage for that all too brief kiss.
London coorespondants were just explaining a few minutes before how much William detested PDA. That is why you rarely see them kissing in public or even holding hands. He prefers that kind of affection behind closed doors without cameras. So bets were placed just how short the kiss would seeing as there were not just a few people watching but literally millions. The largest bets were on the one second kiss, which seems was the big winner.
The crowd pleaded for more though and the couple willing complied. A second kiss! This time at least 2 or 3 seconds and afterwards both look giddy and love struck. One of the best shots of the day.
This is what made the Royal Wedding so fascinating. They are both clearly so in love with each other and so ready to be married. It was apparent in their faces all day and the way they looked at each other. (Clearly, I love love :))
It was also shown with the two kisses that they are actually quite normal. William knows he has some royal duties but also knows what he wants and is his own person. Kate is the same way. It was a very relaxed wedding where she chose the flowers on display and they both chose their own vows and music. And to even further the point of how young, in love and just like the everyday newlyweds they truly are, William and Kate left Buckingham Palace in a convertible covered with just married paraphanalia. The kind you or I would have as we drove off from our wedding.
They then had their receptions later in the night with close friends and family. They slipped out of their formal royal wedding attire and into more comfortable outifts. I'm sure it allowed them to get their "funk" on. (Reference to a London newscaster that said "How does the US say it? Get your funk on?")
I haven't stopped reading/watching/thinking about the Royal Wedding and Kate and William. They are just so cute and everyone loves a good fairytale. Especially me. PEOPLE, US WEEKLY, RADARONLINE, 20/20, E!, TLC. You name it, I've watched it or read it. JUST. CANT. GET. ENOUGH.
Now to see where they go on their honeymoon...