In just a few hours, Pippa Middleton will walk down the aisle to marry hedge fund manager James Matthews. The private ceremony, which follows Pippa’s taste for keeping things under wraps from the media, is guarded by various privacy measures that includes ex-Special Air Service guards, scanners, and cameras.
The wedding shall be held in the private estate of Englefield, Berkshire which houses St. Mark’s Church. There is a CCTV network setup as the guards have been manning and clearing the area for the past few days. Residents of Englefield have been required to wear gold wristbands to identify themselves and stick permits on their cars. The BBC tried to talk to a few of the residents about what it feels like now that their small and sleepy area is the center of the world’s attention but reported that none of them wanted to talk. On the other hand, the road leading to the church has been blocked off from the intrusive camera of the media. There is also a Range Rover and a truck blocking the entrance to avoid any prying eyes.
So the social media posts and the other insider info on the wedding might be a little delayed. For the reception, spotlights have been set up around the glass marquee (imported from Belgium) to avoid the long lenses of cameras. If you want to go for the ultimate in hush hush, I think Pippa has created a new standard.
What we do know is that attendees will include Pippa’s sister, the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton along with Prince William. Princess Charlotte and Prince George will serve as flower girl and page boy, respectively. (Cannot wait for the cute photos of these two!) Both sets of parents of the bride and groom will be present. But, of course, the guests that are making much buzz are Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle. The two have avoided the press since their relationship became official but this will be one of their most significant events together. And you know what they say when you bring a date to a wedding, right?
Apparently, Meghan was only first invited to the reception but became a last-minute guest list addition to the cermony. She flew to London last Thursday. Expect that a bit of the show will go to her and Prince Harry. Sorry, Pippa.
The Queen of England, however is not expected to attend according to The New York Times.
Pippa’s dress is reportedly designed by Giles Deacon while the rest of the entourage will be sporting tartan in light of the groom’s Scottish heritage. The reception will feature a fly-past by two World War II planes for entertainment, and lots of lamb and beluga caviar for food. The total cost for the wedding is a little over $500,000. It’s quite a conservative number considering that Pippa’s engagement ring is a little over $300,000. Woah!
Congratulations to James and best wishes to Pippa!
[The Daily Telegraph and The Telegraph]
Photo courtesy of Hello! Magazine
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