Guest Post – Be Who God Meant You To Be, And You Will Set The World On Fire

Well, this is probably the second most exciting day of my life, next to my own wedding day! Although surprisingly, I was much calmer on my big day… Maybe it’s the combination of coffee and sleep deprivation, but I’ve basically been freaking out for the last few hours. Will & Kate are so obviously in love, and the ceremony was absolutely breathtaking. But I’ll get to that in a moment – I’m going to discuss the wedding step by step, starting with everyone’s favorite subject: the dress!

THE Dress
Let me first say that I GOT IT RIGHT! I predicted Kate’s dress almost to a tee, and I’m so glad she wore what I hoped, because she looked stunning. Classic, elegant, understated, timeless – words that can and will be used to describe Kate’s dress, which was designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen – one of the main designers rumored to be making the famed dress.

The dress, according to the experts at Martha Stewart Weddings, is made of ivory and white satin gazar with lace detailing. It is an A-line ball-gown with an illusion-lace V-neck overlay and long lace sleeves, under which is a sweetheart neckline (my favorite!) to start the bodice. There is also beautiful lace detailing around the bottom of the skirt, which I have always loved on gowns. It is very reminiscent of Grace Kelly, and it is without a doubt my favorite royal wedding gown (sorry, Diana). Even though it is more modest than most modern wedding dresses, I think it has a timeless and feminine quality to it that will undoubtedly be copied over and over for years to come. In fact, I’m curious when the first copy will appear! Supposedly, Diana’s dress replicas appeared within 5 hours of the wedding (though I find that hard to believe), so I’m sure Kate’s dress will be on the racks in record time, and sold out within days.

What did surprise me a bit, though, was the length of the train. While Diana’s record of a train (25 feet!) is hard to beat, I was still expecting a fairly long train on Kate. Turns out it was just under 9 feet – not much more than the average bridal gown. Although I love the drama of a long train, I’m glad Kate went for a more subdued look. This was one of the few royal wedding dresses that didn’t wear the royal bride! Plus, the simplicity of the dress fit Kate’s style perfectly, as well as her “humble” background.

As for the rest of Kate’s attire, everything was lovely and complementary. She did wear a tiara borrowed from the Queen – the Cartier Halo tiara, in fact – and it was simply beautiful. Again, not as large as Diana’s, but again, all the better for it. Understated elegance for the win. No necklace, which was appropriate for her gown’s neckline, and simple diamond earrings completed the jewels. Her hair was worn down as I had hoped, and it looked gorgeous. The veil, however, was another surprise for me – like the rest of her look, it was simple and elegant, but like the train, I was surprised by how anti-climactic it was. It was a sheer fingertip-length veil, which looked lovely covering her face, but I’m not a huge fan of how it looked sitting flat on her hair (a little too nun-like, though after further inspection it has grown on me), and I’ll admit I’m a little disappointed that it wasn’t a chapel-length veil. Still, though, I can appreciate the subtle beauty of it. It reminded me a bit of my veil.

The bouquet was also much smaller and simpler than anticipated, and for me, the jury’s still out. My first thought was, Seriously? That’s it?? But like the veil, it started growing on me. I like it because it’s a stark contrast to the usual ostentation of the royals, plus I like the symbolism of the flower choice (which included “sweet William”), and I like how it all complements the dress without taking away from it. But as for personal preference, I would have liked larger, more dramatic flowers and a fuller bouquet. Either way, I’m just glad it’s not a cascading bouquet like Diana’s – I consider those outdated, plus they must weigh a ton! I know my arm got very sore from holding my bouquet, and it was probably 1/3 the size of Diana’s. Kate’s is very manageable at least – the advantage of a small bouquet is the ability to use your arms later!

Guest Fashion
The word of the day is: fascinators. I hadn’t even heard of them until this week, but now the whole world is basking in the glory that is English millinery. If this is all Greek to you, let me fill you in: Fascinators are none other than large, fabulous HATS! No one does hats better than the Brits, and they certainly proved that today.

My favorite fashionista today (other than Kate, of course) was actually Kate’s sister and maid of honor, Pippa. She wore a stunning, white form-fitting gown also by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. I love the silky fabric, the simplicity of the cut, and the way it fit her body; it could easily be a bridal gown in its own right. Normally, I hate bridesmaids in white since I feel it takes away from the bride, but for this wedding, it works. The color scheme here should be simple and one-dimensional, since that is actually what keeps the attention on the bride and groom. However, some are arguing that Pippa looked so good, she came dangerously close to upstaging the bride!

My second favorite was Victoria Beckham, who wore a simple, dark blue dress of her own design coupled with my favorite fascinator of the day designed by Philip Treacy. It was a pillbox hat perched at the front of her head and had unique, stylish details that made it the perfect accessory. Posh Spice lived up to her namesake yet again.

Though favorites of many in fashion circles, the “other princesses” Eugenie and Beatrice were actually two of my least favorites today. Beatrice was channeling Gaga with her bizarre fascinator (also by Philip Treacy, but not his best work I’d say), which would have been appropriate for a party, but not for a wedding. Eugenie’s fascinator, while also enormous, was actually quite pretty, but her dress was odd in color and shape, and it didn’t seem to fit her right. I feel sorry for whoever was sitting behind these two at the wedding, because there is no way they saw anything. Nevertheless, they get some kudos for taking fashion risks, even if this wasn’t the right occasion for it.

Last but not least, HRH the Queen looked fabulous in her sunny, yellow dress with matching yellow fascinator. So colorful, and so adorable! Well done, Your Majesty!

The Church
Westminster Abbey, of course, looked breathtaking. The trees – which I hear were Kate’s idea – added the perfect touch and elevated it from regal to magical. It evoked images of a picturesque English countryside, which represents where Kate grew up as well as what the U.K. is famous for.

The Ceremony
This was, without a doubt, the most beautiful ceremony I have ever witnessed. I’ll admit, I even teared up a couple times… But that’s it! The speakers and readings were perfect. I especially loved the passage from Romans read by Kate’s brother – it’s a moving passage with fitting advice for a royal couple and a wonderful message to send out to the world watching. My favorite line was: “Do not claim to be wiser than you are.” I’ll definitely have to mark that verse in my Bible. The Bishop of London also gave an inspiring message, recognizing that personal relationships, while great, are not enough on their own. I LOVED the quote he borrowed from St. Catherine that serves as my title for this entry: “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.” I collect good quotes, so this is one I’ll be writing down in my quote book.

Their vows were traditional, but without the “obey” line that Diana also famously left out. They were actually the exact same vows that my husband and I spoke at our own wedding.  The only difference is that William and Kate said them perfectly… I messed up the last line, which I still don’t think I’ve got down. I am articulate and I have a degree in English, yet I screwed up my own vows. Oh well; maybe one day I’ll get it right – perhaps at our vow renewals a few decades from now? Haha.

As a music lover, the choral performances were naturally one of my favorite parts of the ceremony. Let me tell you, nothing beats a boys’ choir – their voices are so pure and beautiful, and they are so cute it makes me want to cry. Closing with the British national anthem was equally moving. Oh, to be a Brit on this historic day! As Piers said after the anthem, “well, if that doesn’t make you proud to be British, nothing will.” God Save the Queen, indeed!

New Titles
This morning, it was confirmed by the Queen herself that William and Kate’s official titles are now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Additionally, they inherited Scottish titles – the Baron and Baroness of Carickfergus, and the Earl and Countess of Strathearn. Strathearn is actually located close to St. Andrews, where the two first met. Cute! So although she is not “officially” a Princess, Kate is still well on her way to being the new “people’s princess,” and eventually, she will be Queen of England. That’s still a lot of pressure! Kudos to Kate for maintaining her composure during the ceremony, and best of luck in doing so from here on – she has quite the journey ahead of her.

It’s not very often you get to watch history in the making, so it was an honor and a joy to be able to witness this incredible occasion live. It was the most beautiful and inspiring ceremony I’ve ever seen and probably ever will – I’m so glad I got up in the middle of the night to watch it after all. The sun was rising outside here as the ceremony drew to a close thousands of miles away, and I could still feel the significance of this day. It truly feels like a new and blessed day that marks the beginning of a promising future hopefully filled with love, faith, wisdom, and service. It was a perfect wedding, and every bit the fairytale it should have been. To paraphrase the Bishop of London – may God bless William and Kate on the path they have chosen.

Who else got up early to watch the wedding? And what channel did you watch the coverage on? Are you throwing a royal after-party?

Happy Royal Wedding Day to all, and CONGRATS to William and Kate!

Amanda Gebhard - Visit Amanda’s Blog here