Hour One

I am FINALLY watching the Royal Wedding today. I just finished hour one of the ABC coverage. I really, really wanted to stay up and watch it Thursday night/ Friday morning, but it would've been 1:00 am to 7:00 am my time and that just wouldn't have made a very happy worker in me the next day. I'm sure my bosses appreciated the sacrifice I made to TiVo this historic event instead of watching it Live and being too tired to work on Friday. (Doubtful they even noticed, actually. Oddly enough, none of them even seemed all that excited about the wedding.)

I grew up hearing my mom talk about how she stayed up to watch Princess Diana's wedding back in 1981. I was just 2 years old then, so obviously I don't remember it. Still, I feel a sense of tradition when watching this current event, like I'm participating in something handed down from the ages. How cool is it to witness something that will one day be written in history books? (The last time I felt that way was watching the Twin Towers crumble. Thankfully this historic event is much happier than that one.)

My original plan was to watch the coverage "Live" last night at 1:00 am and pretend that I was watching it as it happened the night before. I stayed up to about 10:30 pm and then was way too tired to care anymore. (I know, I'm getting old). So, instead, I'm watching it in pieces today, on Saturday, curled up with my coffee and my cute, sleeping kitty cat, swooning and oohing and ahhing over the romantic excitement of it all. I think I made the better choice. ;)  I would've been too tired to enjoy it if I'd stayed up to watch it last night.

So, I'll have more "coverage" to come of this grand event as I watch it "Live" today, but here are the highlights of the first hour as we await the royal arrivals. I was originally planning to make a 6-hour event of this, all in one sitting, but I actually have a few errands to run in town today, so... I'll see you all later!

The Brits are very proud and happy this day!Boys & girls alike were very excited to see glimpses of the Royal Wedding. 

Westminster Abbey. This is where the ceremony took place.

Kneeling benches inside the Abbey. I believe this is where they sign the wedding documents.The crowd is excited and ready for the big event.Here comes the procession of dignitaries.I wonder if the guy on the left is thinking, "Hey, where are my medals?"Royal guards marching through the crowd on the way to the Abbey. 

Then of course, there are the hats. Apparently this is British custom for such events.I'm very curious to know how this hat stayed on her head.Charles Spencer, Diana's brother. Check out the lady to his right - pretty hat! :)Of course, we can't help but think of the late Princess Diana on this day. One of her bridesmaids remembers that beautiful day, 30 years ago.