A step-by-step guide to a Royal Wedding

Ok, so you've bought your dress and are ready to attend, or in my case sit glued to the BBC all day (Fearne Cotton- my current obsession- is presenting the Beeb's footage, hence my choice of channel!). But what exactly are we watching. This blog contains all of the official details that you need for the running order of the day, courtesy of the BBC website. I hope that you find this useful:


Between 0815 and 0945 - The general congregation will arrive at the Great North Door of Westminster Abbey. That's Joe and Janet Bloggs, Mr and Mrs Normal! 
From 0950 - Prime ministers and governors-general of various Commonwealth countries, the diplomatic corps and other guests arrive at the Abbey.
1010 - Prince William and Prince Harry leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey.
1015 - Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at the Abbey.
1020 - Members of foreign royal families arrive at Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace.
1020 - Kate Middleton's mother, Carole, and brother, James, leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey.
1025 - Minor members of the Royal Family leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey.
1035 - The Duke of York and his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, leave for Westminster Abbey along with the Earl and Countess of Wessex, the Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence.
1038 - The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey.
1040 - The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh leave Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey.
1048 - The bridesmaids and pages leave the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey.
1051 - The bride, accompanied by her father Michael, leaves the Goring Hotel for Westminster Abbey.
1100 - The marriage service begins and is relayed by speakers along the route.
1215 - The carriage procession of the bride and bridegroom with a captain's escort of the Household Cavalry, followed by the Queen's procession with a sovereign's escort of the Household Cavalry, leaves Westminster Abbey for Buckingham Palace.
1230 - The bride's carriage procession arrives at Buckingham Palace.
1240 - Members of the Royal Family and members of foreign royal families arrive at Buckingham Palace.
1325 - The Queen and the bride and bridegroom, together with their families, appear on the balcony.
1330 - Fly-past by the Royal Air Force and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.
The day has been planned with military precision, similar to my own wedding day! I bet their wedding planner even has a head-set! 
If you're interested, here's the seating plan:

A very special day!

It's taken a while but I've finally caught it; wedding fever that is! I am suddenly ridiculously excited for the wedding of the century, which takes place tomorrow. After doing a few lessons on it over the past few days, the excitement has built within me as though it's my own wedding that the country will be celebrating. This is extremely titillating for me, and others of my generation, because we missed the wedding of Charles and Diana and were too young to understand what was going on for most of the other significant Royal Weddings. Of course, there was Prince Charles and Camilla's wedding, but they played it down so it was hard as a nation to be excited about that, whether we wanted be or not. 

This is a genuine, British fairytale. It's not everyday that you get to watch a "normal" (more on that later) girl become a Princess. At some point in most of our lives, us females have dreamt of such a thing. Everything about Kate and William's story screams Hollywood fairytale ending. They started out as "just good friends", William noticed Kate when she modelled in a catwalk show (in a rather revealing dress), they fell in love, then came the split, the make up and to end it all, the marriage. How many films have ended like this? Let's face it, tomorrow is really just the start of their long and happy life together. It's what dreams are made of. 

Above anything I find it wonderful and exhilarating to see our country standing together as one to celebrate this historic event. Surely, in the age of celebrity endorsements, Kate and William are the faces of the British Monarchy. History is being made. Naturally you find many cynics, who feel that the Monarchy are a waste of time, or that they bring nothing to the country. I've seen or heard people drone on about how the wedding is a farce- I'm sure those people will be going in to work on the additional bank holiday then? Thought not. 

My stance on tomorrow is one of whole-hearted support. I look forward to supporting my country and my future King and Queen. The power to pull together through these amazing times, as well as during the bad times, is what makes the United Kingdom so special. Let's make Kate and William proud!