It’s the Royal Wedding Anniversary! Our favorite holiday is finally here! At WWKD HQ, April 29 is the best day of the year. It is an official “Day Off” for our team so we can celebrate the best. day. ever. We wait all year for the Royal Wedding Anniversary, just to use an excuse to make our favorite cake.
On April 29, 2011, Prince William of Wales married Catherine Elizabeth Middleton at Westminster Abbey. Catherine wore a stunning a-line dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, while William wore the dress uniform of the Irish Guard. The world awoke at an early hour to see Kate walk down the aisle with her father to the tune of Parry’s “I Was Glad”. We cheered, we cried, we drank tea.
Whether you have watched it a thousand times, or are celebrating with us for the first time, the Royal Wedding was an event to remember. As royal historians, we are constantly learning more and more about the wedding of the century. Here are some little known facts about Will and Kate’s big day:
- Kate’s final night as a Middleton was spent at The Goring hotel. The Middleton family rented the entire property to ensure maximum security. You can stay in the room Kate slept in, dubbed “The Royal Suite,” for around £2,000 per night.
- An almost-exact copy of Kate’s Alexander McQueen lace shoes were released on Net-a-Porter following the wedding. This received a highly negative response, and the shoes were never restocked or sold again.
- Westminster Abbey was scented with Jo Malone scents, while the bathrooms at Buckingham Palace were stocked with Jo Malone products. The scents used were Orange Blossom, Lime Basil and Mandarin, and Grapefruit.
- After the formal brunch reception at Buckingham Palace, Kate switched from her couture wedding gown into a white fluffy bathrobe before getting ready for the evening reception.
- The evening reception featured a gourmet feast, spotlighting local and organic products. Aperetifs of crab, crayfish and prawns were followed by lamb fillet from Highgrove. A trio of classic English desserts were served before petit fours and coffee.
Just like cookies at Christmas or eggs on Easter, there are a few traditions for this very sacred holiday that we like to observe. These are the best ways to celebrate the wonderful Royal Wedding Anniversary. This can also serve as a guide to hosting your own Royal Wedding Anniversary party (please invite us!)
What to eat: Chocolate biscuit cake and champers
William famously requested a groom’s cake for the reception, straying from the traditional wedding cake of fruit cake, marzipan and fondant. Most of us had never heard of this strange cake before, but the discovery opened our eyes. It is now my personal favorite cake, often consumed in large quantities. You can find our recipe here. The best accompaniment to this cake is champagne, naturally. At the Royal Wedding, guests were served Pol Roger champagne throughout the receptions.
What to listen to: The Royal Wedding Soundtrack
The Royal Wedding boasted some of the most gorgeous music from some of England’s most talented musicians. The organs filled the Abbey with classic hymns and songs throughout the ceremony. You can purchase the official soundtrack off Amazon, which even has recordings of the vows, lesson, and sermon. It is also available on Spotify, just in case you want to listen on the go (which we totally do).
What to watch: Lifetime’s “William and Kate”
Our favorite terrible Lifetime movie! If you haven’t seen it yet, a passable-Kate meets a passable-William and they fall in love and well – you know the story. The film stays relatively true to real events and it is our favorite so-bad-its-good film. Its on sale on Amazon, and definitely worth purchasing! Naturally, you’ll want to watch the Royal Wedding itself. It can be found on YouTube or on Amazon.
What to wear: RepliKates – duh!
If there was ever a day to wear repliKates, today is that day! Whether you accessorize with a sapphire ring, break out your favorite LK Bennetts, or wear a full-on wedding dress, add a splash of royalty to your outfit today. We definitely encourage tiara usage. Make sure you tweet us a picture!
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