While the general public who could have cared less is probably glad the hoopla surrounding the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is finally winding down, I still can’t get enough of the spectacular display of pomp and circumstance that made the ceremony absolutely beautiful. I’ve watched it twice on television, when it happened live (yes, I got up at 5 AM Central time) and on replay the next evening. I’ve had time to savor and digest the whole experience and have come to the following conclusions.
THE ARRIVAL
The bells ringing in the background and the roar of the crowd as Kate stepped from the car just gave me goosebumps. The arrival of each member of the wedding party was planned to flow perfectly, and it did just that. It was also interesting to see who was in attendance and what they chose to wear that day. As an American, the spectacular display of hats and fascinators the women wore were amusing, as we don’t generally wear these.
THE DRESS
Admittedly, when I caught my first glimpse of Kate stepping out of the car after her arrival at Westminster Abbey, my initial thought was that her dress was quite plain. In my mind, I fully expected to see something as billowy and over-the-top as the dress that Princess Diana wore, but after further review I’ve decided that this was a most appropriate choice. Designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, the dress was modest, yet modern. This is a dress that is classic and will still look as appropriate in the years to come as it did on April 29, 2011. The bells ringing in the background and the roar of the crowd as she stepped from the car just gave me goosebumps.
THE MUSIC
The trumpets, the choir, the bells. All of the musical choices for the wedding were just beautiful. My very favorite was the piece played while Kate walked down the aisle. The piece was entitled, “I Was Glad”, composed by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry in 1902 as a coronation anthem for William’s great-great-great grandfather Edward VII. It was regal, reverent, and just the perfect choice for their ceremony. Since I am not a huge fan of cheesy contemporary songs played at most American weddings, I was so pleased to see that each selection was thoughtfully chosen and captured the essence of what a marriage ceremony is really all about. I fully admit to crying the entire time she walked down the aisle. Seeing Kate look so beautiful on the arm of her father coupled with the beautiful music turned me to mush.
THE CEREMONY
Hands down, the charge given to the couple by the Archbishop of Canterbury was the most beautiful and befitting of a wedding ceremony I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. It was genuine and honored the Lord with every sentence. The couple seemed as comfortable as they could be while 2 billion people worldwide were watching their every move.
THE PROCESSION TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE
The couple looked very happy and at ease as they made their way to Buckingham Palace for the reception after the wedding. There were big smiles and waves from both Kate and William and I’m sure they must have felt some relief to have the ceremony over with. I was amazed at the huge throngs of people that turned out to line the streets of London. The British clearly love the new royal couple.
THE KISS
The much-anticipated kiss on the balcony was short and sweet, but the couple also wowed the crowd with a second kiss as husband and wife. Some say the kiss was too brief and “business-like”, but I think it was appropriate and probably the best anyone could do with so many people watching something that is often times a private moment for many couples. The chuckles of their family behind them showed the happiness that was surely felt by all of them on this much-anticipated occasion.
CONCLUSION:
The single word I choose to sum up the royal wedding is “exquisite”. It was definitely worth getting up early to watch and did not disappoint in any way.
