The Royal Wedding Is Almost Here

[cherryblossom]

We have lost so many British Traditions. I think it's lovely to see so many people brought together to embrace a tradition, to proudly wave our flags, and showing genuine warmth for our Royal family. It makes me smile anyway :)

 

[ktmarie71]

Marriage is certainly not for the weak hearted. Perhaps the tradgedy of marriages that end in divorces is the extrodinary expectations society seems to have about how marriages should work. The love story romanticism that suggest that you should be happy at all times during your marriage and if you are not happy at every moment, it "wasnt meant to be" is just so destructive.
I think the benefits of marriage are extensive; assuming there is no abuse in the relationship. There have been a lot of studies out in the last 10 years that suggest that marriage leads to higher incomes, healthier lifestyles and better grades for their children.
I think it also requires a certain amount of selflessness and forgiveness. That is not to say that when you are married there are not times it feels like you want to run. Marriage is between two people who grow up in diffrent families, with diffrent ideas and habbits and someone is bound to be irritated and frustrated from time to time.
I have a husband with PTSD and believe me, I have thought about leaving every other day or so when things get bad; but, our marriage has survived 22 years and two wars, and when it boils down to it, I dont want to leave him alone. I dont want to be another source of pain for the man I have dedicated my life to. I just would like to give him a brain duster every now and then. :giggle:

 

[ktmarie71]

As an American I dont think it is fair to judge the british people harshly for extravagant royal weddings. When you see how much love and support most brits have for the royal family, it is something foreign to us in the States but certainly something to respect. Why should a Yankee like me complain about it. England is their nation and these are their traditions. Rock on Redcoats!

 

[anni]

Thank you CB. That was nicely said.

It was a lovely thing in the middle of the dreck of the world at the moment, history happening again and people being allowed to be happy for a plain old wedding. Nobody stage manages this sort of thing like the Brits, either-the traditions involved are delightful in this world where things just move so quickly.

It made me homesick, too, all the flags waving. :)

 

[KP the nut]

When you see how much love and support most brits have for the royal family

I celebrated in 1981 when Charles and Diana married, they were different times then. Although I wish William and Catherine well, I haven't watched any of the programmes with which we have been bombarded or the wedding today.

I look around today and see very little celebrating going on in fact none. Some have the day off work as it is a public holiday but shops and some businesses are carrying on as usual. They cannot afford to take time off in what we are told are days of austerity, when many are losing jobs and services are being cut.

I would rather celebrate the length of time people are married for, look at the Queen, she and Phillip have achieved something 3 of her 4 children could not.

 

[freakofnurture]

Woke up just now (it's 15:20 here), and my husband greeted me:
"You slept through the wedding. You missed it!"
I: "What wedding?"
He: "The Wedding!"
I: "What wedding?"
He: "William and <forgot her name again>."
I: *blank stare*
He: *amused to no end*

 

[cherryblossom]

KP - if you had watched the wedding today, you would see how much celebrating is going on around the country. I'm not 'celebrating' per se, I just enjoyed watching it on the telly. According to The Beeb, there are 5,000 'official' street parties going on around the UK today. If you saw the huge crowds in London today, and in Hyde park watching on 'big screens', you would see that in fact there is a lot of celebration going on. I didn't watch or read about all the hype before, and I'm not interested in watching re-runs of it this afternoon. I've seen what I needed to see and enjoyed it. We have a lot not to be proud about, but it's lovely to see this long standing tradition, and the support from well-wishers being played out.

The British Public are not stupid. We know that there is all sort of shit going on world wide and closer to home. We know there are troubles all over the place, but why not put them aside for one day, to have a celebration, and a time to be proud to be British?

The Queen will be celebrating her diamond jubilee next year, I can't wait for that!!

Maybe, I'm a bit biased. I met William and Harry, and Princess Di. They were young boys then, and the photo's of us ended up in a British newspaper. But I've just watched our future King get married. I'm proud to be British, and enjoyed watching their wedding.

 

[Philippa]

I had no intention of watching, and given that I do not watch tv much at all, I only heard about the wedding the other day at work...for the first time. I'm grateful I haven't be bombarded with it everywhere I go like others have. I seem to be oblivious to these sorts of things.

I ended up watching it with a friend though, mainly because she was visiting and really loves weddings and wanted to watch it...more for the joyousness of it all. I did enjoy hearing the ceremony spoken in old english..."thou Wilt" etc.

It was rather emotionless though. Sad to not see any public displays of affection, and everything so proper, but that's england for you. She did look elegant...and I couldn't help wondering if she was bored, after having been through the rehearsals so many times. Also, I wonder how much control she actually had over her own wedding. Was it all done for her, or did she have any say in it at all? I'm quite sure most of the guests were not personal aquaintances or friends of either of them, but more likely 'friends' of the queens.

Most women like to have full control over every last detail of their wedding, but I'm not sure she would have had much at all?

 

[Teddy]

I just think it is nice to have some happy 'fluff' on the tv and news that doesn't remind us of all the sadness that is out there every where. Sooner or later we need to look for some good and if this is where it is on the TV at the moment then so be it. I at least feel happy for them because they are happy and doing something they want to do. Hurts no one but does make every one look for just a little while at something happy.
I thought it was lovely and loved watching the interplay between the brothers.
Bring on some happy no brainers just so I can rest my head...

 

[cherryblossom]

I ended up watching it with a friend though, mainly because she was visiting and really loves weddings and wanted to watch it...more for the joyousness of it all. I did enjoy hearing the ceremony spoken in old english..."thou Wilt" etc.

haha. Yes I thought the ceremony was lovely.

It was rather emotionless though.

really? I thought they all seemed to have a bit of banter when Kate reached Will. I thought it was quite relaxed when it needed to be, but also quite formal at the right times.

Sad to not see any public displays of affection, and everything so proper, but that's england for you.

I know 'we' can be seen as quite reserved, but again, it's tradition that dictates that the first Public kiss takes place on the balcony of Buckingham palace. It's just the rules LOL!!

She did look elegant...and I couldn't help wondering if she was bored, after having been through the rehearsals so many times.

. They actually didn't have much rehearsal together. Maybe Kate knew it well, having rehearsed without William, but I seriously doubt she was bored!!

Also, I wonder how much control she actually had over her own wedding. Was it all done for her, or did she have any say in it at all? I'm quite sure most of the guests were not personal aquaintances or friends of either of them, but more likely 'friends' of the queens.

I'm 100% sure that Kate will have had much more say in her wedding than Diana ever did for her wedding. Diana was only 19 when she married Charles, and really didn't know him well. Kate is 29 (I think), and has had 10 years to get used to the idea of marrying a 'prince'. Whilst I'm sure a lot of the guests were guests of the Queen, her family and friends were all there, as were Williams (friends and colleagues)

Most women like to have full control over every last detail of their wedding, but I'm not sure she would have had much at all?

Whilst I have no doubt that she was influenced, and had to 'abide' by certain traditions, I'm sure she chose her dress, her hair, her makeup, etc. She would not be so easy to 'walk all over' as Diana would have been.

I do have to say that there was some shocking attire in the congregation - particularly in the womens hat department. What the hell was Beatrice wearing on her head? And Eugenie? Camilla looked dreadful, and I don't even know who was wearing the stupidest hat - because I couldn't see her face - nor could she see were she was going!! (It was possibly Princess Michael, but I couldn't see!!)

All good fun!

 

[anni]

Yes, was that the hat directly behind the Queen? I get a kick out of the hats, but that one was astonishing and I couldn't see who on earth was wearing it either. I always wonder how on earth people manage not to stare and nudge each other. If I were sitting in front of That Hat I'd have to sit on my hands not to slew around and have a good old look at it.

Meeting Diana and the boys, oh my. I will always, always remember her as the person who showed the world you could cuddle an AIDS baby and not fall over dead, thereby almost single-handedly starting the ending of that stupid blind predjudice that was prevalent until then. I very much wish her son well today.

 

[freakofnurture]

Most women like to have full control over every last detail of their wedding...

Hehe, we should make a Marriage Understatement Contest. Who married the least spectacular?