We’re talking carriages, thousands of flowers, high fashion, andallthe royal fanfare.
“We had a very beautiful wedding,” she stated at a2013 literary festival.
“He’s still my handsome prince [and] he’ll always be my handsome prince.”
In the United States,viewing partieshave become common practice, to the point of inspiringhow-to guides.
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s wedding was no exception to the hype, despite taking place decades earlier.
The same article reported that Westminster Abbey was packed with nearly 2,000 wedding guests.
The moment appeared to belong to the people as much as it did to the royal couple themselves!
“We’d chosen duchess satin because it is the creamiest material in the world.
It is smooth as glass and hangs beautifully without a single bulge.”
As for her 20-foot veil and 17-foot train, she joked, were not as easy to manage.
It’s clear from her special customizations that she did everything she could to tie herself to the prince.
People became fascinated with Sarah to the point of obsession and absurdity.
According toThe New York Times, Sarah Ferguson merch and news flooded the market.
Reportedly, the newlywed’s carriage was also decorated with 24,000 rose petals.
That’s alotof florals.
A number of traditionalhymns, prayers, and readingswere performed over the course of the ceremony.
TheLos Angeles Timesalso reported actor Michael Caine and famous pianist Elton John were in attendance.
Ahead of the ceremony, the bride-to-be said she dashed away nerves by channeling her love for Andrew.
She later toldDaily Mail, “July 23, 1986, was the happiest day of my life.”
Inarchival footageof the event, Andrew is seen keeping his eyes fixed on the aisle waiting for her.
According to hermemoir, nerves got the best of her.
“In that moment, the immensity of it all pierced my cloud of cool.
My nerves kicked in.”
Sarah’s royal blunder was very similar toPrincess Diana’s mishapduring her wedding ceremony five years earlier.
Sarah, once acommoner, was now closer to the crown than the queen’s own sister and daughter.
We’re definitely impressed with how well she handled the pressure.
Apart from being gorgeous, each ring has a meaningful history.
By contrast, Andrew and Sarah’s wedding bands were only made with one material gold.
The Duchess of York also brought a unique bouquet with her to Westminster Abbey.
Her flowers included thetraditional myrtle adornmentsbut in an S shape rather than the usual rounded or cascading design.
Leave it to Fergie to come up with some clever redesigns of old family favorites.
It took four people to catalogue and organize the gifts."
“I hate not returning someone’s thoughtfulness in kind.”
magazine, the queen had the Sunnyhill Park estate in Berkshire built for Prince Andrew and his new bride.
That’s one heck of a wedding gift!
The two had beenfriendsas teenagers and were also related asfourth cousins.
She also helped Prince Edward load up the royal carriage with rose petals before the couple departed.
As it happens, Sarah Ferguson lived through this herself.
“I slept for two hours; it is not easy to sleep with people calling your name.”
From then on out, she didn’t have a moment alone or a moment to rest.
For the rest of the day, it was all crowds and guests.
The reception breakfast was more intimate but still included 120 guests, according to theLos Angeles Times.
What a marathon day!
The first one came from Queen Elizabeth II herself, surprisingly.
She could be seen grabbing his hand and pulling him back away from the wheels.
Whew, close call!
the Extra-Terrestrial" released four years earlier (viaLos Angeles Times).
What’s a little brother (or brother-in-law) for if not to prank everyone?
