What a morning! Did you watch the Royal Wedding? I couldn’t resist! I had such fun on Twitter live tweeting with my fellow bloggers and tweeters! I must admit that with all the hype surrounding the Royal Wedding, I was afraid it might not live up to our expectations. Fortunately, I was very wrong!
It turns out the British and I have something in common: we both love color! Even though the queen’s yellow hat looked like a tasty lemon cake (at least to my eyes!) I thought she pulled off her ensemble. Yellow is such a bright, happy color, and I think the queen’s cheery color choice was her way of demonstrating her approval of this marriage. And all those hats! I think I was inspired by nearly every female wedding guest. Some of those hats would make truly delicious looking wedding centerpieces, don’t you think? I think I even spotted a couple of turbans with big, bright flowers. Did you see those, too? Ladies, please bring back the turban! It’s turban time.
Now, I know that many of you will disagree with me, but I thought that the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie looked fabulous. And their fascinators were unforgettable. Those young ladies certainly aren’t afraid to be bold; they must have inherited that trait from their ballsy mother, Sarah, Duchess of York. I can’t wait to see what their wedding dresses look like when they eventually get married…
Speaking of wedding dresses, let’s cut to the chase. I thought that Kate Middleton’s wedding dress was so beautifully romantic. Everyone has been commenting how much her wedding dress reminds them of Grace Kelly’s wedding dress. I couldn’t agree more. Kate’s wedding dress with those pretty lace sleeves has the same timeless elegance of Grace Kelly’s wedding dress. We lost a brilliant artist when Alexander McQueen passed, and I thought it was such a fitting tribute that both Kate and her sister Pippa chose to wear McQueen. What a classy choice.
Did anyone else think that Kate’s wedding dress also looked a bit like Ivanka Trump’s wedding dress? Both wedding dresses evoke Grace Kelly and both feature lace sleeves. Ivanka and Kate both also chose not wear their hair in traditional bridal updos, opting instead to wear their hair down. I think they both looked so fresh and modern. I had the great pleasure of designing the decor for Ivanka Trump’s wedding, and her dress was breathtaking in person. I imagine Kate’s wedding dress was, too.
I can’t not mention the Royal Wedding decor can I? First and foremost, while I know many people liked Kate’s bouquet, I thought it looked more like a corsage! Where was the rest of it? I felt similarly about the rest of the Royal Wedding flora and fauna. The trees and greenery were a lovely idea, and you know I’ve been doing trees for years, so I always like that look. But there was so little of it! You know I don’t believe in understatement; I wanted more, more more!
What did you think? Did you like Kate Middleton’s dress? What about Pippa’s maid of honor dress? Pippa practically stole the show in that sexy number! I didn’t even mention the groom. I guess he was there, too, wasn’t he? I’m dying to know what you all thought. Please share your favorite moments and looks from the Royal Wedding in the comments.
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Brittany Cooper
April 29, 2011
Loved it! It was the epitome of elegant! I agree, I was missing the flowers and greenery. I thought there would be more. But her dress was timeless and their entire ceremony was intimate and meaningful, and that to me is what matters most. I loved that William stole a glance while Princess Catherine approached the altar (guess he couldn’t wait any longer!) Overall, it was a beautiful ceremony and I’m glad I woke up early to watch. I will always remember today and the unforgettable moments that were brought with it. Diana would be proud and I’m sure she is smiling down on the happy couple and the entire royal family.
xoxo
Brittany C.
http://emilyweddings.blogspot.com/2011/04/history-in-making-royal-wedding.html?spref=fb
Diana
April 29, 2011
Kate was sooo romantic, but I absolutely agree with Preston about her bouquet… too small!Do you think that Kate will change her dress tonight for the party? Let’s hope that Pippa is going to change it: too much white, wasn’t it like a nightshirt?
Haute Chocolate
April 29, 2011
I thought the same things preston – the dress was elegant, but it did remind me of Grace’s, Ivankas and even Nicole Ritchie’s a bit- maybe we are witnessing a nod back to gowns with sleeves for modesty…hmmmmm…wow! yes, the bouquet did seem small, like wayyyyy small- but I thought maybe she didn’t want anything to distract you from her McQueen dress,;-). Overall, they looked happy and I think that is all that matters
Aimee N
April 29, 2011
What a fabulous day! The wedding dess was gorgeous…Romantic and elegant. Very much like Grace’s but so much her own. I would have liked to see more flowers. I agree the bouquet was very small. I loved the hats and coats! As well as Beatrice and Eugenie’s looks. I only wish it was an evening wedding so we didn’t have to get up so early to enjoy. I also, agree Queen EB II wore the beautiful yellow color as an approval. She wore blue to Diana’s wedding; sort of melancholy. All in all so much fun to watch.
Nana Yaa Omane -Peprah
April 29, 2011
I think it was a beautiful event,lots of lovely hats and fascinators…..gentlemen in their tail coats and uniforms,but the simplicity and chickness of Catherines dress made my day..This is Royalty…Wealth Whispers
Pam
April 29, 2011
LYes,! Loved the dress, and Pippa’s. The tree looked lovely, but the arrangements were a bit weedy. The bouquet, although I’m thankful it wasn’t a wonking cascade, was a bit sad. Lily of the Valley is much prettier than that!
michael
April 29, 2011
i totally agree with you preston
!! i woke up early this morning because i don’t want to miss every second of the royal wedding ceremony.
but overall i enjoy the entire show, i’ve never seen a big euforia for a wedding for the last 5 years. this is the most awaited wedding in the world haha. okay i think that’s all my comments. best wishes for you preston !
i love kate’s wedding dress, and also pippa’s dress, they look gorgeous with those simple yet elegant dress.
the only thing which is far away from my expectation is the decoration !! i expected for a magnificent decoration with tons of flower but all i see just several maple trees as a centerpoint. i think they need to put more and more flowers to make those royal wedding perfect !
cheers,
michael-indonesia
Suzy C
April 29, 2011
I agree with you about the bouquet. It needed to be larger and have movement. I cannot believe with all the talented floral designers in the UK they would not be more inspired. As a designer I was really hoping this bouquet would set a new trend (like her dress) but alas it won’t happen. Lilly of the V grrr so hard to get and soo expensive for my budget brides.
Mary Spicer
April 29, 2011
Preston,
The dress was gorgeous and I understand that they wanted a bouquet that did not detract from the bride. However, it was so understated that here we are fussing over the flowers as much as the dress. Exactly what they didn’t want. It was distracting. The trees were nice but this isn’t a country wedding. A serious lack of ribbon and flowers. All of those guests who couldn’t see had a couple of trees to stare at. Thank goodness there were interesting hats to stare at. I absolutely love hats and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie can wear it. They held their heads high and that is royalty.
Vitra
April 29, 2011
I would have definitely liked a lot more white flowers with greenery for the church decor in addition to organza ribbon..The church was definitely underdecorated…Her dress was perfect for the future role she has to play and very Grace Kelly…Pippa was outstanding ..I especially loved the loving looks the couple gave each other..They were real and you can tell in love…May Gos bless their marriage..I also especially liked the Godly advice the clergy gave to the couple..The whole ceremony was very meaningful…Vitra ..Trinidad and Tobago
indira fodor
April 29, 2011
IN MY COUNTRY EVEREYBODY WAKE UP AT 3AM!!! BUT IN GENERAL, I THINK THE ROYAL WEDDING WAS A ROMANTIC, PERFECT, AND VERY GLAMOROUS WEDDING…. SHE ARRIVED 17″ LATE… BUT NO MATTER!! I THINK THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION OF GOOD TASTE AND DISCRETION EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A ROYAL WEDDING!!!!… BUT AFTER SEEING THIS MAGICAL EVENT, I REAFFIRM THAT I LOVE MY JOB…·WEDDING PLANNER VENEZUELA.. EXCELENT YOUR RESUME…. THANKS FOR EVERY DETAILS…
Tere
April 29, 2011
I thought Kate was a pretty bride but I was not impressed with her gown or her sisters dress. I guess I expected more sparkle or detailing for her gown than what she wore. Her bouquet was not what I would expect for a bride especially a “Royal Bride”. The wedding was very bland to me the only color of happiness was the Queen. But I do think they are a well matched couple.
Jessica
April 29, 2011
The Wedding was absolutely exquisite and chic. I loved how princess Katherine looked, she was beautiful. Its very noticeable how they adore and love each other. I was happy to be an onlooker today. Amazing!
Brian Kelly
April 29, 2011
Leave it to the Brits. Such pageantry and splendor! The cathedral was breathtaking and the choir was amazing. Loved the trees! Some of the hats were funny though and the mini busses. All and all, I thought it was a spectacular event!
MarcLM
April 29, 2011
it was a very small bouquet but loved the symbol and meaning of the used flowers! Hyacint, Lily of the Valley and especially Sweet William! And the use of Mirte out of the Royal garden wich plant was plated by Queen Victoria, this makes it traditional! We missed flowers in the Westminster Abbey, the trees were nice but the flowers on the altar were not amazing! Still we wish them lots of luck, health and happiness together, it’s a beautiful couple!
Jeri
April 29, 2011
I got up early to watch and had fun following you, Preston, on twitter! My thoughts. She was beautiful (how could she not be.) I think people will be looking for Pippa’s dress more than Kate’s. The neckline and sleeves were different than what we’ve been seeing. So disappointed in Kate’s bouquet. Even for someone, like myself, who likes understated, her bouquet was not the right scale for her dress or venue or importance of the event. It was half the size of most bridal bouquets I do. I also thought it was too stiff and needed a larger focal flower– garden roses perhaps. I liked the decor in the Abbey. Very English.
Debra Mai
April 29, 2011
Love love loved Kate’s dress, it was so timeless and elegant, traditional but still fabulous. I actually thought the whole bouquet idea came across nicely not to overpower the look though I would have liked to have seen a more fluid structure/shape. I definitely agree, for the fact there was not alot if any flowers in the Abbey I thought the trees should have been more “va va voom” and plentiful though English style is alot more reserved so we can understand that and totally liking the idea of them being replanted as a memorial from the day. Pipa was simply STUNNING what a dress, I can see that being a hit too for London weddings. And the kiss…they look so in love and we wish them all the best in this new phase of their lives!
Jean Neuhart
April 30, 2011
Her gown was so chic – simple without being boring. Beatrice & Eugenie’s facinators brought to mind Philip Treacy. Everything was so joyful.
Her bouquet could have been bigger – it’s one thing to not have it detract from the gown, but it was just too small. I forgot whe was even carrying one.
TTT Events Planning, LLC
April 30, 2011
Awesome! Simple modern stylish Elegance! A true royal fairytale wedding!!!
A historic trend setting classic fairytale wedding to be copied for years to come!
Tess
April 30, 2011
What a wedding !!! Along this week, I watched every tv program at BBC channel related to the royal wedding, and almost every interviewed experts speculated it will be similar to other royal weddings. I think Kate and William get their goal: romantic, glamorous and surprising describe this historical event ! Tess – Mexico
YOUR NAME
April 30, 2011
I agree with preston!!just love the simplicity n chicness of kate’s dress..wish there were more trees and the bouquet..way too small..may God bless this union..they look cute together!!
NazzibsamaD
April 30, 2011
Your thought about Princesses Beatrice and Euginie hats… I totally agree.
Kate’s dress is fabulous, classic, classy, Grace Kelly’s inspired with splashes tribute to Lady Di’s.
Though everybody’s talking about Will and Kate, the dress, the ceremony, the kiss at the balcony, my eyes only focused on one figure… Prince Harry!!!
Connie Mak
April 30, 2011
Hi Preston,
I enjoyed watching the entire Royal Wedding very much, just as I had watched Princess Di’s in my teens. I totally agreed with the fellow commentators here, the Royal couple was impeccably stunning! Sadly the floral arrangement at the Abby was understated, and the bouquet (or should I said posy?) was more suitable for Pippa. Overall, I would give it a 8.5/10 for the romance (their looking into each others eyes & the balcony kisses – my favourites), her gown, the sea of colourful hats and last but not least, the meaningful message delivered in the sermon.
Thanks to all for sharing.
Justyna Seckler
April 30, 2011
I completely agree Preston. I was also surprised with Kate’s bouquet. It looked a bit too wimpy for my taste. I imagined it with more colour, more youthful, with some more interest.
Maria Kirk
April 30, 2011
As a British wedding planner I can honestly say that yesterdays Royal Wedding made me very proud to be British. Kate looked amazing, her sister Pippa looked stunning and elegant and Prince William looked so handsome.
The whole event was amazing!
planningforever
April 30, 2011
The Real PB: thanks for RT one of my tweets and tweeting with us.
I think the ceremony was understated one purpose (including her tiny bouquet, although expensive for more to replicate). Tough economic times and England being in a huge deficit. I think it was calculated on purpose to downplay the usual over the top florals. Although it was definitely missed.
Pippa’s dress will be the most copied. IMHO
Gloria
April 30, 2011
I thought that the Royal Wedding, being a state and historical occasion had goals that a private wedding would not. As an event, I believe that it had the objective of refreshing and repositioning the Royal brand for the next generation?
The pageantry available in Britain is unparalleled. To pull off that kind of pageantry you need another thing that the British have- which is history. An object lesson also I think in how effective an appropriate colour scheme can be in giving an event visual cohesion. It was clearly meant to be a worldwide patriotic expression of the British culture. I think the choice to go light and neutral with personal flowers and colour accents was strategic and very effective.
As a counter point to heavy, historical and I think “old” and staid Britain and monarchy Kate and William seemed young, fresh, uncomplicated and yet respectful. Perfectly proportional and restrained. The Royals certainly have the resources to blow the door off of even Westminster Abbey but I doubt that this wedding would be so well received if it had flirted with ostentation?
I
don’t think that there’s a better tourism ad for Britain. (I wanted to fly to London myself while I watched.) When I saw the new couple on the Balcony of Buckingham Palace, I noticed that all the older members of the wedding party had withdrawn. That photo said to me, the monarchy is young, it’s full off potential, it’s approachable and tasteful. I want to know what happens to them next.
As a strategic PR Event? A+ I’m certain that someone has already calculated the potential ROI for Britain.
Yana
April 30, 2011
I loved the wedding as well all the hats…but i think you should had done the flowers for this wedding….you would make it look stunning…..Yana
H BAILEY
April 30, 2011
2 WORDS…SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!
Ashley
May 1, 2011
I could not agree more about the flowers…it needed more. Pippa looked beautiful. I thought Kate’s dress was very pretty, but I was hoping she would have went with her own fresh new statement. As soon as I seen it I thought of Grace Kelly’s dress who is a icon so I thought Kate should have done something different because she is and will be a fashion icon! We already had the Grace Kelly dress I wanted to see a Kate dress that would have been a timeless new look.
Celia
May 1, 2011
I think for the whole magnitude of the occasion, that everything was in the right proportions and stunning. Remember that a wedding represents the style of the couple, and more so the bride. And obviously subtlety and grace is Katherine’s style. If the bouquet and dress seemed a little simple to the outside eye, I’m sure that to the bride and groom they held many a sentiment hence their choice of each.
From a planning stand point I think the route was well laid out and the entire surroundings were immaculate, good crowd control and participation at the same time. Everyone knew their part and did it well.
Angela
May 2, 2011
Lovely wedding ceremony. The hats were breathtaking and very inspiring. Her bouquet- did not like it at all. Too small….. Besides that a beautiful fairy tale wedding that I keep watching over and over again ( had it recorded)
Savannah (Pearls and Pages)
May 3, 2011
Oh Preston, this Blog post is such a delight! I indeed watched the Royal Wedding, though at noon thanks to England being just one hour before Berlin time
And was the wedding a real lunch time treat!
Kate’s gown was GORGEOUS! Grace Kelly definitely came to mind. I was never a fan of wedding sleeves but if you have a McQueen and you’ve got Kate’s beautiful body and air, it’s perfect! Love love loved it! And Pippa– perfect! Such a gorgeous woman and gown.
I was open-mouthed when I saw the bridal bouquet. I know the couple was trying to keep things easy-going and under-stated, but the bridal bouquet definitely reminded me of an over-sized corsage. It was a disappointment, as you can do understated really nice, and I think her bouquet choice was a little on the weak side. But, her choice to personalize it with flowers from Wales and flowers in the name of William, for her beaux, was top notch. Brilliant!
The hats and fascinators were…fascinating! I loved them all and can’t wait to see what the Duchess of York’s daughters wear and have designed for their own weddings, too. Fabulousness!
Here Here to the new Royal Bride and Groom. Congrats!
-Savannah
The French Bouquet: http://www.thefrenchbouquettulsa.com/blog
Covesa
May 3, 2011
You chose the perfect word to describe her dress…Romantic. I thought the Bride was beautiful. I agree that her sister almost took the spotlight in that dress. The dress fit her perfectly and the the dress was cut low, I was like “Wow Pippa.”
I think the camera crew did a fantastic job catching the “feel” of the church and the crowd. I loved the different shots around the room, the shots catching William telling Kate “I love you” and the brother telling him how beautiful she looked coming down the aisle.
I didn’t catch one wet eye. The mom looked like she wanted to cry, but I didn’t see any tears from anyone. I LOVED the overhead view of the green trees against the red aisle but I agree everything was understated. I loved the music selected for the Bride’s entrance and the choir singing as she walked past them.
I was so ready for this wedding to be over, but now I am the one who can’t stop talking about it. LOL!
Asian Fusion Weddings by Wedding by Wendy
May 4, 2011
I too felt that the bridal bouquet was a tad on the petite side – I don’t think that a full wired and taped bouquet like Diana’s would have suited her. Something bigger would have been nicer.
Linda
May 5, 2011
While I thought it was a beautiful wedding, I couldn’t help but feel that I wanted more…..The tiarra, taller….the train of the gown, longer…..the bouquet, larger.
GoIzzy
May 5, 2011
We had two weddings that weekend so I didn’t get to watch entire documentary on it but based on what I saw I totally agree with you. Kate’s bridal bouquet, I felt like it didn’t match the dress and wasn’t elegant enough. For me it would be perfect if she had a huge bundle of white tulips. The lace on her dress was just too bulky for lily of the valley look. The rest of the wedding was also missing flower presence, I was pretty bummed out about it.
Emily
May 8, 2011
Great article! I was so impressed by the floral arrangements too — and then all the guests’ bright hats and dresses just made the Abbey bloom!