Most women dream of their wedding day from the time they are little girls. Some plan even the minutest details years in advance. Others favor a more impetuous, spur of the moment approach. Either way they want their wedding day – the one day that is truly all about them – to be absolutely perfect.
The same can be said for royal brides. Of course there are a few differences. More than just a few friends and family members await the arrival of the big day. When royal weddings are being planned the whole world tends to watch. With so much scrutiny royal weddings are required to be a lavish affair complete with festivities on a national scale. Pomp and circumstance abound and various traditions must be strictly observed. When price is no object, however, the bride can pretty nearly have anything her heart desires. Royal weddings are nothing less than dreams come true.
Royal weddings require months, and sometimes even a year or more, of preparation. After all, a great deal of coordination and planning is required. There is no need for the bride to feel pressure, however, as she generally has the assistance of various coordinators, advisors, and even friends and family to help her settle even the smallest details. Often the bride and her family will engage the services of professional wedding coordinators who specialize in planning lavish, high profile events. Other times the royal family already has trusted staff members upon whom they call to make the arrangements. The royal bride has nothing to fret over as her big day nears – there is enough professional help on hand to make her special day one that she will remember forever.
As the day of the wedding approaches a number of preparatory events take place. If the bride is marrying into a royal family she will need to be introduced to the populace and may make a number of personal appearances so that the people have an opportunity to get to know the new royal before her wedding day. Even the bride who is royal herself is likely to make several public appearances in advance of her wedding, often in the company of her fiancée. This gives the people a chance to become better acquainted with the soon to be married couple and usually fans quite a bit of interest in the upcoming event.
If either the bride or groom is not of royal family then they must also attend extensive etiquette training. This intensive process can be grueling, but is a necessary component of royal weddings. An impolitic faux pas can generate thousands of uncomplimentary headlines and unintentionally insult domestic and foreign dignitaries. This is one part of the preparation for the royal wedding where the bride or groom is likely to feel a good deal of stress as they learn to navigate the often complex waters of diplomacy.
No royal wedding would be complete without several events leading up to the big day. Engagement parties and engagement photography sittings are only the beginning. The bride and groom must attend a number of gatherings and parties in advance of their wedding. Many of these events are fun, where the bride and groom come together with friends and family to celebrate their nuptials. Others are strictly intended to uphold tradition or satisfy diplomatic requirements. Either way, these pre-wedding events are an excellent way to start the celebration long before the day itself arrives.
In between etiquette lessons and public and private events, the bride and groom must settle a number of other details. The groom has the easier job, as most grooms do. They choose their groomsmen and appropriate attire. Of course, this is not as easy as it may appear on the surface, as the groom must adhere to various traditions and protocol as he makes his selections.
The bride has the more difficult task when it comes to choosing her attire. Her dress is typically a one of a kind original, created by a well known modiste. Whether the bride chooses something cutting edge and modern or goes with a dress that is completely traditional, her gown is likely to be copied hundreds of times over and worn by countless brides at later weddings. With that kind of pressure every royal wedding gown is guaranteed to be breathtakingly beautiful.
As the day approaches the guest list is finalized. For any royal wedding it is not uncommon to see a guest list numbering in the several hundred to the thousands. Extended family members are always included and it is not unusual for celebrities to also make the cut. Hollywood actors, famous rock musicians, and popular clothing designers are all likely to be in attendance. Royal weddings are typically considered the social event of the year – perhaps even the decade – so it’s no surprise that everyone wants to be there. It’s the place to see and be seen and those who are lucky enough to receive invitations rarely turn them down.
A royal wedding is an event that will be remembered for a lifetime by those who attend and by those who watch the festivities at home. With lavish attention to detail and the work of the best artisans on display a royal wedding is an affair for the ages. This is the kind of event that brings out the romantic dreamer in every woman!