Kate looked so very beautiful on her special day, marrying Prince William and becoming a Princess (or a Duchess as her title now reads) Her long sleeved lace dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, was exquisite and the corset set off her figure stunningly. She very much reminded me of the way Grace Kelly looked in her iconic wedding images. I thought her makeup highlighted how pretty she is and her hair left largely down, meant she seemed very natural in her beauty.
There must have been a great deal of pressure upon her in the run up to the day and how admirably she has handled that and created a day along with William that felt at once small, intimate and personal yet also grand, celebratory and unifying of the whole country. Not an easy task to allow the ceremonial aspects to be upheld while placing in special touches that mean something to them alone.
I heard Kate took care over choosing the flowers to be placed in her bouquet.Liking as she does, to know the flowers meanings and choosing them for what they symbolise. Including one by the name of Sweet William.
These are a few snaps i took with my iphone while watching the ceremony at home on the Sky news channel...i thought you might like to see them, though i am sure you will have seen coverage on the news channels yourself.
The bridesmaids waiting for the bride, and looking so cute. Kate's sister and maid of honour Pippa, who wore a stunning dress trimmed in the same lace as Kate's.
Westminster Abbey looked as stunning as the bride, with foliage and trees brought from William's father's estate. Adding a touch of the countryside to a city based celebration.
William's first glance at his bride, Kate, as she reaches the altar with her father.
the exchanging of vows and the ring for Catherine
Prayers and a blessing for the couple
After a few moments away to sign the registry the couple emerged with Pippa and Harry behind, and began their walk to leave the Abbey.
They left holding hands
They then set off in an open top carriage to Buckingham Palace, flowing past crowds and crowds lining the route, cheering and waving union jacks
After official photos were taken inside, they emerged on the balcony to wave to the 1 million strong crowd and watch a fly past (hence the little bridesmaid covering her ears!)
And to share a kiss, sealing the end to our participation in their day, and beginning their life together as newly weds.
See all my photos that i took on my iphone while watching Sky news in this set at my flickr.
Any wedding day is special and very much a day of Love, but perhaps because so many people all focus on one couple in a moment in time, the royal weddings always seem to take on a special magicalness and not just because they involve so much extra tradition and are so grand in scale.
They create a joy and upliftment that only the hardest of hearts can ignore and one which has been most welcome to our country. I feel very blessed to live here, a place where we are free to take to the street and celebrate good times with one another peacefully and happily. How stark the contrast is to those fighting for that very same type of freedom in other countries around the world at this very moment,
I have happily shared in seeing this special day unfold upon my tv screen. Living in a modern, fast paced society, it can be easy to forget the place that ceremony and tradition hold in our lives. Yet on occasions such as the wedding today, we draw so deeply on this rich heritage and it only serves to help us create a meaningful occasion. As we share in this celebration together, it enables us all to feel a greater sense of unity as a country.
Histories whether personal or collective, are always what shape and form how we are today. So to deny them, is to deny so much of who we are.
With an awareness or respect for what went before, we only deepen our appreciation of what we have now. How far we have travelled to create a country that enables us to live as we do and how proud we can feel of that.
Ok, so like any person, it is not completely perfect, it has its faults, but we shouldnt dwell on those to the exclusion of our achievements. If we do we forget what there is to be thankful for. And celebrations always bring thankfulness to the forefront of our minds.
I think a wedding, just like that of William and Kate's today, helps us to realise that it might just be ok, to celebrate our country and within that oursleves, and to show a little pride in them both.
I for one, felt so proud of Kate and William today and wish them every happiness for the future.
Love and blessings
