Upcoming Joint Engagement for The Cambridges

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be making a joint appearance!

On March 19, William and Kate will visit the offices of Child Bereavement UK. Prince William is a patron of the organization, which aims to support families and professionals when a child dies, is dying, or when the child is facing bereavement.

The pair will be on hand to meet the staff of the organization's bereavement team, as well as their fundraising and training teams. After meeting with the staff, the couple will meet with families utilizing the charity's bereavement services.

William, Kate, and Harry Attend Swiss Wedding

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince Harry, celebrated the wedding of Mark Tomlinson and Laura Bechtolsheimer earlier today in the resort town of Arosa, Switzerland.

Kate and Harry arrived at the ceremony together, as William was a member of the wedding party and had already arrived. During the ceremony, the three royals looked quite happy, with Kate sitting between her husband and brother-in-law.

At the end of the ceremony, the royals gathered outside with the rest of the guests to watch the couple drive off in their horse-drawn carriage, and The Duchess joined other guests in throwing confetti into the air in celebration.

Mark Tomlinson and Laura Bechtolsheimer after their wedding ceremony

The royals also obliged guests by posing for photos. It looks like the officiant wanted to get a keepsake! 

Queen Elizabeth's Wedding Cake Auction

Last year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. 

Sixty-five years of wedded bliss is certainly nothing to sneeze at, but managing to preserve a piece of cake for that long may just be even more remarkable. 

Earlier this week, a piece of the Queen and Duke's wedding cake was auctioned off for £560 ($840.95 at today's exchange rate). The cake had been preserved in a tin marked to commemorate the event. 

The original wedding cake weighed in at a staggaring 500 pounds, contained ingredients from 10,000 miles away (the Australian Girl Guides had donated ingredients), and served 2,000 guests. 

Her Majesty and The Duke of Edinburgh's Wedding Cake

However, when a piece of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding cake was auctioned off last year, it went for £1,917 (roughly $2878.76 at today's rate).

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Wedding Cake

Uncle Gary Sells "Bang Bang"

Gary Goldsmith, Carole Middleton's brother and the black-sheep of the family, reportedly has plans to sell his party palace, dubbed "La Maison de Bang Bang," located in Ibiza. This is the same villa where Prince William and Kate Middleton vacationed in 2006.

You may recall that Uncle Gary has been lambasted in the press for his less than proper hobbies, including allegations of dealing drugs and boasting about his royal connections - which are the most tame accusations.

According to The Telegraph, Gary is "looking to buy a bigger house in London." Another example of the industrious background of the Goldsmith family, Gary made his fortune in 2005 when he sold his company for $275million.

There's no word yet on what the four bedroom villa, which sits on 8 acres of private property and includes a luxurious pool and private tennis courts, will be on the market for, but the villa is available for rent... if you've got a ton of cash.

Controversy over Kate

Unfortunately for The Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton), it seems that even vacationing on a private island doesn't guarantee privacy.

Apparently, photos are being shopped around of Kate - in a bikini - and Prince William walking along the beach with Kate's baby bump clearly visible. The British media have agreed not to publish the photos, but a bidding war is expected to break out among foreign press units, including the US and Australian press.

Will you be taking a peek at these photos when/if they're made public, or will you be respecting the couple's privacy? Let me know in the comments!

Kate Middleton Baby Bump

Kate Middleton took the world's most famous baby bump out for a stroll in London last week. 

The thing is, she covered up with a poncho! Speculation is rife as to whether or not Kate's keeping a bump under wraps or if she was just keeping warm, but my money's on just keeping warm. 

The Duchess, who is due in July 2013, wore her signature skinny jeans along with an Orvis cape. (Some people think the cape may be a 2010 Zara product, but I think it more closely resembles the Orvis piece.)

Kate's been keeping a low profile since being released from the hospital in December, but - with news that she's been taking daily meetings with her charities - I expect that we'll begin to see her out and about soon!

What do YOU think of Kate's maternity style thus far? 

Royals, Royals, Everywhere

If you're anything like me, you're getting a bit antsy waiting for your royal news - but fear not, I have some updates for you!

Click "read more" to see what's up!




First - it seems the Middleton clan, with Prince William in tow (naturally) have descended on Mustique for their yearly vacation. Some reports are saying that this is a "babymoon" for the couple, however the Middleton family vacations there nearly every year, so I doubt it's anything more than their annual family trip. So far there's no photographic evidence, but Twitter and Tumblr are heating up with speculation (and, of course, debate).

STAFF MEMBER CONFIRMS SEEING PRINCE WILLIAM AND PIPPA MIDDLETON

— Royal Forum Morons (@RoyalForumMoron) February 5, 2013

Kate and Pippa (diving) playing around in Mustique a few years ago.
Photo Credit: Vogue

 Second - The Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) has announced that she will be undertaking her first engagement since her surprise appearance in December at the Sports Personality of the Year Awardsin two weeks.

The Duchess of Cambridge is to visit Hope House, Action on Addiction, in London on February 19 (not 15, as I originally put. Sorry).
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) February 5, 2013

Third - Prince Harry, who has recently returned from a four-month tour in Afghanistan with the British Army, will be headed to Africa toward the end of this month on a trip to support Sentebale, the charity he founded in the African country of Lesotho.

Photo Credit: Zimbio.com

So there you have it! Lots of royal news today. Who are you more excited to see out and about, Kate or Harry? Let me know in the comments!

The Royals Are Out In Force!

{I know I decided a while back to split the royal stuff off this blog but I want it all back in one place. I will still be super active on Tumblr, since that is quite an active community, but I enjoy posting about the royals, and so - I shall.}

Well, today has been every royal watchers delight! Not only do we have 14th in line to the throne Zara Phillips competing in the Equestrian events, but nearly her entire family showed up to cheer her on, including her cousin William (that's HRH The Duke of Cambridge to you) and his wife (and my idol) HRH Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge.

Zara's mother, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, was also in attendance, watching from a different part of the stands.

Zara Phillips competing for Team GB on her horse High Kingdom (such an appropriate name!)

Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall; Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge; Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge;   LOCOG Chairman Lord Sebastian Coe; Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice

After watching Zara compete, Prince William and Prince Harry went over to see Team GB compete in Men's Gymnastics, while Catherine went to get ready for a solo engagement later in the evening. The event was held Creative Industries reception at the Royal Academy of Arts in London’s Piccadilly to support the British Government’s GREAT Campaign. 

The GREAT Campaign is designed to showcase the economic and cultural potential of Great Britain abroad, using both the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and the Olympics as showcase pieces.

Catherine wore a dress that we first saw during the Canadian/US tour she and William took just after their wedding, a pale-grey Roksanda Ilincic stunner. This was one of my favorite dresses from that tour, and I am so happy to see it back in action!

The Duchess of Cambridge greeting British Prime Minister David Cameron

And can you check out her hair? It looks fantastic! I love when she wears her hair back - she looks so elegant!

For more photos, click "read more"

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge share a laugh

The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duchess of Cambridge watch the competition

The Duchess of Cornwall and The Duchess of Cambridge part ways with a kiss on the cheek

British Royal Family 2012 London Olympics Appearance Schedule

Alright, so as you all know I really, really love the British Royal Family. And you may also know that I LOVE the Olympics.

This year, the Olympics is in London - combining two of my most favorite things. Below, you'll find a calendar of where and when members of the British Royal Family will be making appearances. When/if I learn the specific times of their appearances I'll be posting that as well, and will be updating regularly with any additions to the schedule.

You can subscribe directly to the calendar by using THIS link if you have GMail account.

 ** Be sure to click over from July to August using the blue arrows to the left of the month to see the rest of the schedule. **

(Please note: I am not going to post the entire Olympics schedule of events, because it would take me forever and I am lazy.)

• Orange Circle - All Senior Members of British Royal Family
• Blue Star - Prince of Wales
• Yellow Exclamation Point - Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall
• Blue Circle - Duke of Cambridge
• Purple Star - Duchess of Cambridge
• Heart - Duke & Duchess of Cambridge
• Green Check Mark - Prince Harry
• Palm Tree - Prince Harry & Duchess of Cambridge

Duchess of Cambridge - Engagement #2

No, Catherine hasn't gotten engaged again (because that would be weird), but this morning she has undertaken her second solo engagement since marrying Prince William in April 2010.

Found this photo lots of places, including: Tumblr, The Daily Mail

According to The Daily Mail, Catherine's coat cost £369 pounds (currently on sale for £182), while her dress cost £59 at the same shop. Ironically, they wrote that the understatedness (is that a word? probably not) of both pieces meant the focus would be on her charity work, not her wardrobe... as they wrote about her wardrobe. 

Although her husband, Prince William, is away on training in the Falklands, Jaqson (above) stepped into the role of Valentine perfectly, presenting Catherine with a card, flowers, and cupcake. Jaqson also told The Daily Mail that he had been practicing what he would say to Catherine - "Happy Valentine's Day Your Royal Highness. I'm sorry Prince William can't be here today."

Catherine revealed during her chat with Jaqson that William sent her a Valentine's Day card and flowers, which arrived earlier this morning.

I love how Catherine always leans down to speak with the children - she doesn't loom over them, she gets right down at eye level and is always good for a big hug!

2011: The Year of the Royals

2011 was definitely the year of the fairytale, and while none of the people who married into royal families last year exactly qualify as "rags to riches" stories, it's always fun to see an extravagant wedding and, of course, great clothes.

In addition to great weddings, we also saw a few royals (or royals-by-association) who had their share of time in the spotlight... both good and bad.

For a constant stream of royal photos, visit www.allroyal.tumblr.com! 

Royal Weddings

Prince William and Catherine "Kate" Middleton

On April 29, 2011, the girl known around the world as Kate Middleton became the first commoner of the year to marry into a royal family. She also became Her Royal Highness, Princess William, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus - known as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, for short (although to be honest, I'm surprised the press hasn't jumped in with "Princess Catherine" at all).

As I said, Catherine's wedding to Prince William wasn't exactly a "rags to riches" deal - her parents are multi-millionaires, and she (and her sister) had long associated with the UK's social elite. After meeting in college and dating for nearly 10 years, Prince William proposed to Catherine while on holiday in Africa with his mother's stunning sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock

On July 1 2011, Charlene Wittstock became the second commoner to marry into a royal family. Much like her "commoner" counterparts (for the purposes of this blog post anyway), Charlene isn't your ordinary girl. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, Charlene was a professional swimmer, competing at both the national and Olympic levels, and caught the Prince's eye at a swimming event in 2000. However, it wasn't until 2006 that the Prince and Charlene were spotted out publicly together and moved in together.

Upon her marriage, Charlene became Her Serene Highness, The Princess of Monaco (the last person to hold that title was Grace Kelly, Prince Albert's mother). As Monaco is a principality (a monarchial government ruled by a "prince," as opposed to a "king"), Charlene became the highest ranking female in the principality. 

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall

When HM The Queen's eldest grandchild, Zara Phillips, tied the knot this summer, it was a much more subdued affair than Prince William and Catherine's wedding, as Zara is only 13th in line to the throne. Mike Tindall became the third commoner to marry into a royal family in 2011. However, while he isn't a royal, both Zara and her husband are celebrities in their own right; both are professional athletes (Mike is a rugby player, while Zara is a professional equestrian), competing at the highest level in their respective sports.

Unlike her cousin, Prince William, Zara does not hold a royal title. At the request of her mother, the Princess Royal (Anne), Zara and her brother do not hold any royal titles, nor are they entitled to as they are descendent from the monarch on the female line.

Pippa Middleton

Hm, the name might sound familiar to you. Could it be because within seconds of making her appearance as the maid of honor at Catherine's wedding, photos of her bum were blowing up the internet? The Pippa Middleton Ass Appreciation Society has, to date, garnered over 200,000 "likes" on Facebook.

Pippa also managed to quickly become tabloid fodder, with photos of her heading to and form work on a daily basis making their way onto just about everyone's radar. (See here for my post on why I'm hesitant to post those photos, even though I love them!)

While many seem to think Pippa is riding her sister's coattails to fame and fortune, I believe she's a pretty hard working girl (in addition to working for her parent's company, she also worked for Table Talk [a UK party planning company]) and for George Percy's company. She may have scored herself a book deal with a $600,000 advance (that reportedly put the Queen in quite a tizzy) thanks to her new found notoriety, but that doesn't necessarily make her a bad person or diminish any of her own achievements. She is using her connections to her advantage. In any other situation, we'd call it networking.

Princess Beatrice ... and her hat

In addition to Catherine, and Pippa, there was 1 more woman who made a huge splash at the royal wedding... or, it may be more apt to say her hat made the splash. Princess Beatrice of York, William's cousin, rolled up to Westminster Abbey wearing... whatever that is... on her head. Is it a pretzel? Is it a toilet seat? No one knows. But what I do know is that she eventually put it up on eBay where it went for about $130,000 USD. At lease some good came from it!!

Moral Dilemma?

I am completely enraptured by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and her sister Pippa Middleton. I can't help it. My interest in celebrities is not limited to Hollywood - I've been interested in HRH The Duchess of Cambridge since she was Kate Middleton, and well before the engagement. I remember being sad that Prince William and Catherine had broken up, and that was in 2007 - so obviously I've been following this chick for a while. 

And now that Pippa is in the limelight, I feel like it's double the fun. While there aren't lots of photos of Catherine floating around, there are daily photos of Pippa - most prominently the photos that are posted of her daily walks to and from work. And Pippa has an amazing sense of style, so I feel like the daily photos are some sort of fashion inspiration.

The thing is though, while Catherine is now a public figure (being married to the future King of a country will do that to ya), Pippa isn't. She is still a private citizen, with a regular 9am to 5pm job, and she doesn't have the 24/7 security detail that her sister and brother-in-law have. In fact, Catherine has had security detail since well before her wedding, and even before her engagement, because the royal family and William wanted to protect her privacy while she was still entitled to it (as a private citizen), and that was the only way they could.

It is believed now that the royal family are beginning to become concerned with Pippa's level of notoriety. Not because they see it as a negative (if anything, public interest in Catherine and, subsequently, her sister, has helped the royal family's image), but because they are becoming concerned for her safety with some "insiders" even voicing concerns of Princess Diana-esq ending. 

And here is where my dilemma comes in. I thoroughly enjoy seeing photos of Pippa every day. She has a remarkable sense of style. I am obsessed with her daily outfits and anxiously await their appearance on the internet every day. But I also feel terrible for her. It's been reported that photos surfaced of her crying in a restaurant shortly after her break-up. That is terrible. It's disgusting that someone would try to capitalize on her misery. And I am perpetuating that by posting photos of her... I'm the demographic those paparazzi are catering to. I love seeing the photos of Pippa walking to and from work every day, but sometimes I forget that it comes at a price - and that price is that a regular girl has to face a horde of cameramen every single morning, regardless of whether or not she feels like it. 

Catherine signed up for it - she knew what she was getting into. The day Prince William put that ginormous sapphire on her ring finger, she kind of signed away her right to privacy. Not that she isn't entitled to have private moments, but she officially became a public figure. She is a member of the royal family - it is her job to represent the country as a whole, and to do that the country as a whole has a right to an interest in her life.  Her engagement was announced at a press conference, her wedding day was a national holiday. The royal family has a press corp (much like the President of the United States does), comprised of reporters and photographers that are with them for every single official appearance - which is essentially every day.

Pippa didn't sign up for it though. And ok ... let's be honest. The majority of the time, Pippa probably loves the attention. She is pretty much the #1 Society girl right now - getting invited to social events, fashion shows, and I'm sure cashing in on all of the promotional freebies that celebrities tend to enjoy. But she hasn't done anything to get this attention - she just happens to be the sister of the woman who dated a prince for 10 years and eventually married him. 

So what do I do? Do I continue posting photos of Pippa, and following the details of her life - or do I stop and acknowledge the fact that, at the end of the day, she really is just a normal girl who should be afforded her privacy?

{Note: This post is intentionally photo free.}

Princess Catherine - Stunning As Usual

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge & Prince William embarked on their second official engagement since the wedding on Friday. 

And as always, Princess Catherine looked stunning in an Amanda Wakeley dress  (which retails for about $900 USD) and her signature LK Bennett "Sledge" pumps, in nude (which I absolutely need a pair of, by the way - so if anyone would like to give me $300, I'd gladly accept it).

According to The Daily Mail, Catherine was instructed to remove her infamous engagement ring as a health precaution (similar to William being asked to remove his jacket, and tuck his tie into his shirt). 

I'm not sure what type of health scare a gorgeous sapphire and diamond ring could pose to patients, but Catherine was more than happy to oblige and stored the ring in her LK Bennet clutch. 

Side Note: If I had the money and resources that she has, I'd look just as stunning every day too. So, could someone explain to me what it is I need to do to land myself a prince, so that I too can lead a life of wearing amazing clothes and doing charity work as my full time job?

Pippa My Ride

{... you see what I did there? This is going to be a post about Pippa Middleton's new car, so I did a little spin on the MTV show title "Pimp My Ride"... ok, it isn't funny if it needs to be explained.}

Apparently, Pippa Middleton's parents are about to get real serious about protecting her assets (zing!). Although Catherine was obviously given a security detail by the royal family, her family isn't entitled to the same perk. And with Pippa becoming an international sensation, her family is understandably worried about her safety.

So - what are mum & dad to do? Well - after speaking with one of Prince William's bodyguards, it looks like they've decided to go ahead and get Pippa a new car - complete with bullet & bomb proofing.

I've got a few issues with this. 

1. First of all - Pippa is 27 years old. Why are her parents buying her a car? Oh, right... that brings me to my second point.
2. What does she DO with her life? Apparently she works for her parent's company, Party Pieces, and has started a blog for the company called The Party Times, while also working part-time as an event planner at London-based Table Talk, and apparently has just accepted a new job at George Percy's company, lobbying for something or other. But if she seriously has three jobs, how can she be out and about so much? I only have 1 job & I don't have as much free time as she appears to have. 
3. And, while I do so love Pippa - I don't understand why her parents feel she needs a bomb proof car. People want to take her picture and look at her shiny hair. And maybe sometimes people get a little too close to that shiny hair for comfort, but I don't think anyone is about to try anything too dangerous with the sister of the future Queen of England. They'd get sent to the Tower and such, and according to everything I learned in my History courses (and yes, I was a History major), that isn't a fun place to be.* And if someone did go all crazy on her, a bomb proof car won't protect her - perhaps they should invest in a body guard?
4. Where is poor James in all of this? He seems to literally have dropped off the face of the Earth. Even after "the wedding," we got some photos of Michael Middleton (aka the dad) cutting the lawn. But James is no where to be seen... seems a bit peculiar, seeing as though he is apparently the most wild Middleton child. 

So, what do you think about Pippa & her potential new ride? Necessary, or over-kill?

*Yes, I know that the Tower of London is no longer a working prison.

Pippa & Harry - Oh Please

So, The Daily Mail (one of my favorite internet reads - and yes, I'll admit it, I read the UK version as well as the US version) is reporting that Prince Harry & Pippa Middleton are thisclose to becoming a couple. And to that I'd like to say - holy moly, I hope not.

I will be the first person to admit that I love Prince Harry, and I think Pippa Middleton is great. I mean - she's been participating in crazy athletic events lately, like a 50-mile duathlon, she (and her sister) have an amazing sense of style, and she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. 

But Pippa and Harry getting together would be weird. Pippa is the sister of Harry's sister-in-law, which - as far as I'm concerned - makes them practically related. A set of brothers marrying a set of sisters is strange to me, very reminiscent of the 1800's.

Pippa's best bet - I think - would be to keep hanging out with George Percy, the heir to the Duke of Northumberland, which is the highest rank within the peerage of Great Britain, and not to mention the Duke is one of the richest men in Great Britain. (Fun fact about me: while doing my family tree I found that my family is descendent of the Percys... obviously not from the same super important branch - but one of my great-great-great-etc grandfathers was once the Duke of Northumberland).

If Pippa were to marry George, she would eventually become a Duchess (which is most likely the same title she would acquire if she married Prince Harry). But the Percy's have much more in liquid assets than the royal family, they have a castle of their own - Alnwick (which, due to my distant relationship with the Percy family, I like to think of is also my castle, haha.Alnwick - more importantly/impressively is the largest inhabited castle in England, with the exception of Windsor Castle, and is the setting for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter films) - and she wouldn't necessarily be bound to the strict protocol of the royal family.

Sure, there would probably be a lot of scrutiny around her actions, and there already is, but it would allow her to form a life outside the shadow of her sister, whereas if she were to marry Prince Harry, she'd be not only in the "shadow" of Prince William - the heir to the throne - and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, but also of Prince Harry.

So what are your thoughts - should Prince Harry & Her Royal Hotness, Pippa Middleton, go for it - or keep the relationship platonic?

Prince William & Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
Ark Gala - June 9, 2011
Kensington Palace

Their Royal Highnesses Prince William & Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge stepped out last night for their first official royal engagement since their wedding, and Catherine (per usual) looked stunning.  The couple were attending the 10th annual ARK (Absolute Return for Kids) Gala (held at Kensington Palace), which is partnering this year with the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry  - an organization formed by Princes William & Harry to support a variety of charitable causes.

Catherine wore a dress by designer Jenny Packham, & accessorized with shoes & a clutch from "high street" brand L.K. Bennett.

A full length photo of Catherine after the jump, and a picture of her amaaazing shoes.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge
Ark Gala

Catherine's amazing L.K. Bennett shoes

#FLOTUS & Duchess Meet

Wondering what FLOTUS means? It's an abbreviation for First Lady Of The United States, aka Michelle Obama. (So naturally, the President is POTUS and the Supreme Court is SCOTUS - just so you're aware.)

Wondering who "Duchess" is? Obviously it's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (formerly known as Kate Middleton - aka my idol). 

So yeah, Catherine's dress cost about $280 - wow! I'm incredibly impressed. Apparently, both Michelle Obama & Samantha Cameron's (Prime Minister's wife, not pictured) dresses cost six times the amount of Catherine's. So not only is she gorgeous, but she's a smart shopper. (Note: SamCam's dress was lent to her - but still... that's expensive!)

And ... not to be rude or anything, since she is the wife of the leader of our fabulous nation, but what the hell is Michelle Obama wearing? Designer or not - that is something that is only appropriate for a 12-year old at Easter.

More photos (all courtesy of The Daily Mail) after the jump!

via The Daily Mail

via The Daily Mail

via The Daily Mail

Here Comes Trouble

Y'all - I did something bad. 

I memorized my debit card number. Why is this bad? Well - for starters, it means I can online shop without even needing to move. I rarely online shop, generally because in the 30 seconds it takes me to get my wallet/debit card ready, I've rethought my purchase (& also because I'm afraid of sizing issues). But after memorizing my debit card number, at least 1 of those safe-guards is out the window.

It's alright though - because the 2 purchases I made are incredibly necessary. AND I got them both on sale. AND - it's almost my birthday, so happy birthday to me! :)

Drum roll pleeease....

On sale for $17 from Nordstrom.com
Note: I don't think I've ever owned a handbag less than $100.

"Smooch" by Nine West
On sale for $59.50 at Piperlime.com

I'd like to just put it out there that while I bought the purse basically because it was cute & cheap, & I've been saying a I need a new bag (although, due to it's low price point I doubt I'll carry it ... I can be so judgmental, even of myself ::embarrassed::). 

However - I have been lusting over these shoes since I saw Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wear a similar pair in black the day after her wedding. Since I've got 2 pairs of black wedges already, I decided that the nude color was a necessary addition to my shoe collection. It's perfect to wear to work, or to summer parties. I've got 2 baby showers & a wedding to attend this summer, & I'm sure these shoes will make the perfect addition to at least 1 of my outfits.

So, what do y'all think of my purchases? And where else should I be looking to find great deals on summer handbags & shoes?

Royal Wedding - LIVE BLOG!

Good morning everyone! It's 4:23AM EST (all times below are EST). I woke up a few minutes ago, brushed my teeth, and now I am ready!

6:12AM - The vows have started. I am done for now!


6:06AM - Catherine looks gorgeous. So does Pippa. The bridesmaids & page boys are adorable. Kate is making her way down the aisle - her walk is expected to take about 3 minutes. The music is quite... somber.

5:52AM - Catherine Middleton is getting in the car! She is preparing to leave The Goring Hotel. A quick shot of her in the car shows that she, as expected, looks GORGEOUS! The dress is long sleeved with a lace bodice, and there is a long veil!


5:47AM - The bridesmaids have left!


5:41AM - Her Majesty The Queen (wearing yellow Angela Kelley!) & HRH The Duke of Edinburgh have left Buckingham Palace and are making their way to Westminster Abbey.

5:38AM - Prince Charles & Camilla are leaving Buckingham Palace.

5:38AM - Zara Phillips is walking into Westminster. She looks phenomenal.

5:35AM - Senior members of the royal family have left Buckingham Palace, including Princess Eugenie & Princess Beatrice. The crowd is going crazy!


5:31AM - Carol & James have arrived. Both look great. This must be such a surreal day for them.

5:29AM - Members of the British Royal Family (less senior) are leaving Buckingham Palace and making their way to Westminster Abbey.


5:25AM - Carol & James Middleton are headed to Westminster Abbey.

5:21AM - Prince Harry's uniform has a loooot of ropes on it - yikes.

5:13AM - Prince William is wearing his Irish Guard uniform (red). Very nice. Prince Harry is wearing his Blues & Royals uniform. The Princes left Clarence House about 2.5 minutes late!

5:08AM - The YouTube channel  has an excellent shot of the inside of Westminster Abbey. The church is definitely starting to fill up. Some of the hats are breathtaking, and some are "meh".

5:04AM - Not really LOVING David Cameron's wife's dress, but its alright.


5:03AM - Live streaming has begun at www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel.

4:53AM - I do love parades. A lot. The marching bands are a bit small & somber for my general liking, but I'll let it slide.

4:49AM - NBC discussing the fact that there are a lot of "ex"es on the invite list. I've heard that it's British Royal tradition to invite past loves to weddings, but I don't think it would fly for me. 

4:46AM - Sir Elton John & David Furnish are arriving. John notably preformed "Candle In The Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral.

4:44AM - Ben Fogle & his wife are arriving. I've switched from NBC to TLC since NBC went on commercial. His wife is super pregnant, but looks beautiful! And Ben's custom made suit is nice.

4:41AM - The Today Show is interviewing Clementine, one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids (the one in the photo below that appears to be crying).

4:36AM

Photo of Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (in the blue) arriving at Westminster Abbey.

Photo of David & Victoria Beckham arriving at Westminster Abbey.

4:35AM - Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera, and some British commentators are speculating on the dress designer. It's rumored that Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, was spotted stepping into The Goring Hotel yesterday (where Catherine is staying). This leads a lot of people to believe that Burton designed the dress.

4:31AM EST - Charles Spencer, Prince William's uncle (Princess Diana's brother) is arriving. The Spencer family will be in attendance today, rumored to be seated with Catherine's family.

4:30AM EST - NBC just reiterated the title that the Queen conferred on Prince William and Catherine

• TRH The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge, Earl & Countess of Strathearn and Baron & Baroness of Carrickfergus
• Catherine will officially become HRH Princess William of Wales but, due to the heavy association with Princess Diana (William's mother), that title will not be used. (Similarly, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall - William's stepmother - does not use the title Princess of Wales).
• Tidbit - There hasn't been a Duke of Cambridge since 1981 and was created in 1801.

4:23AM EST - David & Victoria Beckham (aka Posh & Becks) arriving at Westminster Abbey! Her hat is phenomenal!

Here Comes The Bride

.... ok, so it isn't me. Unfortunately. 

The event I've been waiting for since November is finally just days away - the royal wedding. And in my anticipation of the event I've found myself constantly searching for my dream wedding dress, even though I'm not so much as engaged. And - this isn't a new hobby of mine. I've pretty much known the exact dress I hope to wear one day for the last like - 10 years. 

Being the completely ridiculous person that I am, I've decided that I need to post a photo of the dress/style that I one day hope to wear, so that if Kate Middleton ends up wearing a similar one on Friday morning, no one will ever accuse me of wearing a dress similar to her just because it was hers. 

I am telling you all right here, right now - I've been lusting over a dress like this since middle school.

http://www.priscillaofboston.com/Designer-Bridal-Gowns-Melissa-Sweet-Style-228

And - for those of you who are interested, I will probably have some removable cap sleeve things added to the dress so that I can have my shoulders covered during the church service.  And - I think I want a longer train. 

But who knows. By the time it's appropriate for me to start looking at wedding gowns, I may have completely changed my mind. 

PS: I started my new job today. It was AMAZING.