The Royal Wedding

Five months ago, before I left Canada: "Nah, I don't think I'll go. I don't care much about the Royals, so why would I brave the crowds?"

Two months ago, once I'd started talking to locals about their plans: "Nope, I'm definitely not going. It's a thing all the tourists will do. Every English person I've met is doing all they can to avoid it, even leaving the country for the 4-day weekend."

Two weeks ago, when the hype was getting a little more exciting: "Well, maybe I should go. I mean, when will I ever get this close to a Royal Wedding again?"

Two days before the wedding: "Okay, let's go down to Central London, but watch it in a pub or something. I don't want to get crushed by the crowd."

The day before the wedding, after a teacher I'd met offered to lend me her fabulous hat for the weekend: "Heck YES I'm going! I'm going to do the whole thing: get up ridiculously early, head right into Central London, stand along the Royal Mall, see the Royals. Get the whole experience."

And now? I'm really glad we went. It really was a moment in history. A once-in-a-lifetime thing to see all of the Royal family in person, right there in front of me.

Plus, it's all anyone talked about for days afterward. That night, Joe, Rich and I, all exhausted from our own adventures that day, collapsed in our lounge comparing stories and photos. Even now, a week later, when I meet new people, one of the first questions I'm asked is "and what did you get up to for the Wedding?"

This is what I tell them:

My friend Anna crashed at my place the night before so we could get up and out efficiently, without having to find each other in a crowd. The alarm had been set for 5am (seriously, who gets up at 5am on a HOLIDAY, right?). We got up, dressed, made coffee and were out the door shortly thereafter. After a quick stop to grab some provisions for the day, we met up with some other friends of mine and headed over to the Royal Mall (the long road leading up to Buckingham Palace from Trafalgar Square). Unfortunately, it didn't really work to be in a group of 5 and we ended up separating from those girls a little later.

As soon as we got through the gate and found ourselves staring up at the massive flags waving all the way up the Mall, we were distracted by an approaching journalist. He represented the Associated Press and wanted to interview me. Me? Yes, ME! He asked where I was from, why I was joining the crowd for the wedding, and then got down to his REAL reason for stopping us: gesturing towards my head, he said, very red-carpet-esque, "and, uh, WHO are you wearing today?" Seriously? You think this hat, which I borrowed from someone I barely know and has a "Made in China" label is designer? Well all right then!

"Vera Wang."

Yeah, I went there. I figured he clearly didn't know any better, since he was the one asking the question. (And truthfully, she's the only designer's name I could come up with on the spot). So he wrote it down in his little reporter's notebook, took my photo and told me this would all be on Twitter within about 5minutes. If I had any idea at all (or even any interest in learning) about Twitter I could tell you whether or not this claim was substantiated.

In any case, Anna and I kept on moving. We scoped out a pretty good spot, right along the Mall, with only two rows of people in front of us. And then...

we waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

Given that we were there before 7am, and the first royal car to drive by was at 10:15...we were there a while. But we chatted with the English people around us (who were actually quite helpful when it came to identifying the random royalty that drove by later) and listed to the Royal marching band entertain us with tunes such as "Copacabana". Plus, we did some people watching and texted people we knew who were watching it in other locations. Somehow, we passed the time!

From 10:15 until 10:50 it got VERY exciting. Starting with William and Harry, followed by Charles and Camilla, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip and finally Kate herself, they passed right in front of us as they all made their way to Westminster Abbey. Every time a new vehicle was approaching there was a surge of excitement. Even I got caught up in it - and, as I mentioned earlier, I've never even been a particularly huge fan of the Royals!

I had assumed that from 11:00 onward it would be a bit boring as we all stood there waiting for them to come back. But oh, how wrong I was! The spot we picked turned out to be fabulous for another reason: there were speakers mounted just across the Mall from us, which broadcasted the whole wedding! That meant we could hear everything everyone said and sang. It was quite amazing, actually. As soon as the service started, the whole crowd was respectfully quiet - they wanted to hear it! And about two minutes in, when Kate said her first words, "I will," there was an absolute eruption of cheering from everyone around us. Being the cheeky smartalec my mother raised me to be, I just had to pipe in with, "wow, were you all really that surprised?"

The crowd continued to participate appropriately in the rest of the service too. We were quiet when we should have been and sang along with the hymns (they were published in programs). And then, when it was over and they were on their way back to Buckingham Palace, it all got very exciting again. This time the seating arrangements were a little different and Wills & Kate were first - and this time they were all in open-top carriages so we got a MUCH better look at them. They were waving and smiling to everyone! And we were all waving and smiling (and snapping photos) too!

When it was over, and we joined the throng towards the Palace to see the balcony bit (and the kiss!) I quickly realized that there was no way we were going to get close enough to see anything. So Anna and I ducked out of the crowd and made our way back to Trafalgar Square, where we knew giant screens had been set up. We got right into the thick of it over there, met back up with the girls we had separated from earlier, and watched the last part there. I'm really glad we did - we could see it perfectly, and the crowd there was just as excited to see it as we were (hence all of the waving flags obscuring the view!).

Once it was all over, I headed home to have a nap and then, as I mentioned, rehashed it all with my housemates. We all really felt we had participated in a "moment in history", and I don't think anyone would disagree. Years from now, when we are all watching their coronation, those of us who braved the crowds last week will be able to say, "I was there on their wedding day. I saw them moments before and after they took their vows. They were beautiful and they looked so happy."

But I also felt, beyond the grander "moment in history" feeling, a more intimate reaction to the event. The moment the service started, and everyone quieted down to hear them speak, it felt as though we all had been personally invited to the wedding. I mean, sure, we all had really crappy seats and couldn't see the bride and groom. But we were there. We were a part of it. I think that's what really struck me the most.

And finally, a note on Kate (or Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, as we're supposed to call her now). I'm actually quite impressed with her. Granted, I don't follow any news or gossip about her, so I only have my own impressions from the one day. But she seemed quite composed and happy for someone taking on so much responsibility. And she doesn't seem to expect the attention she receives, but rather seems to be surprised and appreciative about it. When she and William stepped out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony, and she looked around at the 2 million people who had come out to see them, the look on her face clearly read, "Wow...all of these people are here to see...ME?" And then she smiled naturally and waved and kissed her husband when she was told to and carried on responding to the crowd. So I have to say, well done, Kate! And good luck!