Dream wedding
The nuptials of the year starred one knockout dress, two royal scene-stealers, three celebrations—and a 160km dash by a loved-up prince
Arriving in style at St Mark’s Church in Englefield, Berkshire, on May 20 with his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, and sister, Princess Charlotte, Prince George looked upbeat and ready to pull off his pageboy job of sprinkling rose petals at his aunt Pippa Middleton’s high-profile, almost-royal wedding. Wearing knickerbockers, a silk shirt and a confident smile, the prince, 3, barrelled towards the church with the other small bridal party members—who were shushed by Kate, holding a finger to her lips. Days earlier, the duchess told guest Andrew Bates at a royal garden party she was “a little bit worried about how the children might behave,” he told WHO. “She said she was hopeful they would be good, but you never know at that age.”
At least she was prepared for what was to
come. Flower girl Charlotte, 2—in a Pepa & Co silk dress with a frilled collar and pink sash, ballet flats and a floral headband, protectively clasping a wicker basket—needed only quick last-minute encouragement from her mother. But there are usually a few tears at a wedding, and Middleton’s nuptials to financier James Matthews were no exception, with the drama coming from a certain prince, living up to his reputation as a “little monkey,” as his father, William, 34, has called him.
Despite a guest telling WHO the youthful brodal part “were delightfully well behaved,” George dissolved into tears after the ceremony, with reports that he sobbed after Kate, 35—determined nothing would ruin the mood of her sister’s big day—was snapped giving her son a scolding. The reason? George reportedly “stomped” on Pippa’s floorsweeping Giles Deacon gown as she exited the church, but later recovered his composure to smile and wave as he was driven away.
At 11 AM, groom James Matthews, 41, arrived at the church followed by guests including princes William and Harry, Princess Eugenie and tennis ace Roger Federer. “This is the wedding Pippa and James dreamed of,” a close source tells
WHO. “They said all along they wanted it to be a private family wedding at home in the beautiful countryside with their closest friends and family.”
Personal touches? The front cover of the wedding program featured a sketch of the church drawn by Kate, and mother-of-the-bride Carole Middleton had “a firm hand” in planning details, says the source. They included a sea of flowers including sweet peas, peonies, roses, freesias and jasmine to decorate the church. Says Sue Barnes of Lavender Green Flowers, which created the look, “They were naturally romantic but did not hide the gorgeous stonework.”
Pippa, 33, didn’t cry during the ceremony, said a guest, and indeed she was beaming when she arrived late in a vintage open-top Rolls Royce with her father, Michael Middleton. Holding hands, the pair were met at the church door by Kate— who, once she had the posse of children sorted—smoothed her sister’s tulle-filled train as she stood poised to walk down the aisle. “She looked sensational,” says a second guest. “She really pulled it off.”
Custom-made by Brit couturier Giles Deacon, the silk-cotton lace dress featured a high neckline hand-embroidered with pearls, cap sleeves and corseted bodice with a cut-out detail at the back. “I wanted that ‘How-was-that-done?’ factor,” the designer told Business of Fashion, adding
he was “thrilled to work with Pippa” on the project. “It’s all hand-pieced, which is why you don’t actually see a seam.”
Middleton’s ‘something old’ was the pair of pear-cut diamond drop earrings she wore to Kate’s 2011 wedding, and her other accessories included a Stephen Jones fine tulle veil, Robinson Pelham handmade tiara and Manolo Blahnik Seneca satin pumps. “She has a great eye,” said Deacon. “She knew what she wanted.”
The one-hour service was just the start of the fun for the newlyweds, who were engaged last July when financier Matthews—heir to the Scottish title Laird of Glen Affric—proposed with a three-carat rock. Waving, they drove from the church in a vintage E-type Jaguar to the first of their wedding parties, a lavish champagne reception at nearby Englefield House.
Guests were treated to a cheese wheel, foie gras and fruit cake, washed down with magnums of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs champagne, reported the UK’S Telegraph, with finger sandwiches for George, Charlotte and their fellow pageboys and bridesmaids. Speeches were made, with Michael Middleton reportedly saying he “had lost both my daughters to great men.”
One absentee? Prince Harry, 32, who dashed back to London to personally pick up girlfriend Meghan Markle, 35—a round trip of 160km—so she could be at his side for the adults-only evening reception at the £6 million Middleton family home in Bucklebury (see box).
After a security check, 300 guests were chauffeured in Range Rovers to the Middleton home for the black-tie party, where a $130,000 temporary glass marquee was set up in the garden. It glowed with purple fibre-optic lights and pink cherry blossom trees to fit with an “enchanted forest theme,” the Express reported.
The five-course sit-down dinner menu was reported by Hello! magazine to have included trout, Scottish lamb and cheesecake. Federer took on William and Harry in a game of table tennis inside the glass tent (“everyone was really loving it,” says an insider) and there were reports a video montage of the couple’s adventures—last year they did a 76km swim–run in Sweden—was screened.
With dinner done, the newylweds hit the dance floor to a Dj—eric Prydz’s “Call on Me” was one song heard pumping from the estate—until about 4 AM. “It was a wonderful, memorable evening,” says guest Gemma Billington. Adds another guest, “It was just a beautiful wedding in the countryside with some very famous guests!”
Less than 24 hours later, the newlyweds touched down in Los Angeles, reportedly en route to a $4,000-a-night honeymoon on secluded island hideaway Tetiaroa, near Tahiti. James and a Kate Spade– clad Pippa “were happy but tired,” a witness told E! News, “and people around them were staring.” As a source told WHO, they are looking forward to settling down, “having children and leading a quiet life.”