Royal Wedding

Today, Prince William & Kate Middleton were married with all the stuff of fairy tales.  British monarchy knows how to throw a wedding!  Full of pomp and circumstance!  But then, I knew that.... I remember watching the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. 

But, what I remember even more than the fact that I was watching is that I did so during my evening med pass at a nursing home in Southern New Jersey.  Many of the residents of the facility were gathered in the community / tv room.  I could barely make my rounds to get the medicines to each of them...wheelchairs, walkers, and motorized chairs cluttered the room.  The residents - men and women alike - were in awe... Their excitement was palpable.  Their silence said it all. This usual chatty bunch sat silently as the two exchanged their vows - glued to the set. 

The women oooo'ed and awed over the princess and her wedding dress but they also made quite a commmotion about the prince's dress uniform.  The men, well, they'd never be caught commenting on the dress but they had a few things to say about his uniform too. 

When all was said and done, most of "my" residents agreed that this was a fairytale come true... Of course, how were they to know then what we know now -- all of the disappointments, the tragedy that would evolve in the years after that magical day.

As the days leading  up to today's royal wedding ticked by, I began hearing rumblings of speculation:  What would she wear?  How would this wedding compare to that of William's parents'?  What would Diana think?

Today's  web-based news at stuff.co states William pays tribute to Diana at wedding .  It's interesting to read about the ways in which people felt Diana's inclusion in the day - afterall, it's undeniable, her presence was both felt and yet missed today... And, if you're like me, you stopped and reflected on where you were the day that Diana and Charles married.

So, I ask you - Where were you and how aware of that ceremony were you?  Do you have any special memories of that day?  And, how do you compare today with that day long ago?