Anyone who has ever organised a wedding knows it's a big job, but every detail in Friday's Royal Wedding was controlled to the nth degree for one big reason: this was the Royal Family's biggest branding opportunity in three decades.
Sure, there was a lovely couple who wanted to be joined in holy matrimony -- and I have no doubt that Prince William and Kate Middleton are completely in love -- but this was more than a wedding: this was an event that will turn half-hearted republicans back into monarchists (at least for a few days), and at the moment, the Royal Family needs all the support it can get.
In my opinion, the Number One rule for good branding is consistency. It's all about managing expectations and the Royal Family has been very particular about giving people what they want. So let's look at a few aspects of the Royal Wedding to see what we can learn.
Sticking with tradition
Let's start with Kate's dress. I was expecting something a bit more modern and understated, but I should have known better. Instead of the white halterneck gown with a floaty a-line skirt that I was envisiaging, lace sleeves and a long train emerged, ultra elegant, somewhat conservative, and reminiscent of Grace Kelly's 1956 wedding dress. It was fitting for the occasion, tying in with a traditional ceremony -- and it's not like they couldn't afford the extra fabric! It was flattering but didn't flaunt Kate's figure. Her slim physique has been both praised and criticised, but Kate's wedding dress quelled the body image debate. She looked stunning, and nobody could deny it. The dress was big, but not as big as Diana's. If it was any more daring, it would have been compared to Diana's and that was something the Royal Family, and no doubt Kate herself, wanted to avoid. Kate was also rumoured to have wanted flowers in her hair, but acting on the Queen's advice, wore a crown. It was more important for a non-Royal to look Royal.
Sticking it to tradition
So there's the traditional Royal brand, and then there's the new Royal brand. Princes William and Harry are adored because they appear more down-to-earth. Marrying a commoner (although there is nothing 'common' about Kate) reinforces this modern, edgy version of royalty, so it was fitting that there were a few modern touches in the Royal Wedding. Kate arrived in a Rolls Royce, instead of the traditional carriage. Their vows were fairly traditional, but there wasn't a sign of the 'honour and obey' clause. The freshly-married couple drove off in a 1969 Aston Martin, driven by Will, and decorated with streamers and L-plates by Prince Harry. Prince Harry and Kate's party planner sister, Pippa, also organised a disco-themed reception in Buckingham Palace so they could all dance the night away. Young, fun, modern. It was all about identifiable aspects of normal life making the Royal Wedding more relevant to the public, and thus increasing the popularity of the monarchy.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Choosing new titles for Will and Kate wasn't just a matter of plucking a name out of the air. Now, I don't know anything about how this works, but it looks like there were a few options available including Clarence and Sussex. The Royals had to avoid anything with a negative connotation, no matter how outdated that connotation may now be. According to Tim Ross (The Telegraph - UK), the last Duke of Clarence had been "been subject to speculation over his sexuality and mental capacity", while the 'Duke of Sussex' simply "sounded too suburban". Neither of these options (among others) would do. The decision to go with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge was the right one, in my opinion, because of all the positive attributes associated with Cambridge such as education, sophistication and tradition. It's also apt because a previous Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, married his true love (a commoner) in 1847, although the Royal Family never officially recognised the marriage. If you're really into this stuff, read Tim Ross' original article.
The hot bridesmaid
Let's face it, Kate's younger sister, Pippa, looked amazing and the Middletons couldn't have found a better opportunity to thrust her into the spotlight. Overnight she became Britain's most eligible young woman, even though she's not single. Pippa's dress -- which could have made a lovely wedding dress itself -- showed off every inch of her figure, and yet somehow she stopped short of upstaging her sister. Pippa's name quickly became one of the highest-trending topics on Twitter and it was entertaining to read the speculation about a possible romance between her and Prince Harry. As much as Pippa and Harry would make a cute couple, and the Middletons are as good as royalty now anyway, such a pairing will never happen (or at least the Royal minders will make sure we never hear about it if it does). It would just be too weird for two brothers to marry two sisters. The Royal Wedding has done wonders for Pippa's public profile and even if she does wed her current boyfriend, the publicity will be very good for her party planning business. She was her own business card.
Comic relief
Apparently sticking a ridiculous hat to your forehead is the latest in Royal fashion. With the official wedding party looking so beautiful, it was up to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson (the one dressed as a Smurf) and even Posh Spice (who looked like she was going to a funeral) to provide audiences with a well-deserved belly laugh. Nobody could have predicted that Beatrice, in particular, was going to turn up with an elaborate papier-mâché door knocker on her brow, but at the same time, everybody eagerly awaited the worst-dressed list. With guests dressed like that, even Camilla Parker Bowles escaped unscathed.
The aftermath
Footage of a verger cartwheeling down the aisle of Westminster Abbey was a nice follow up to the Royal Wedding. Let's face it, he probably got a bit of a dressing down for being 'disrespectful', despite a representative from Westminster Abbey publicly defending him. In the real world though, who doesn't love a cartwheeling verger? Religion will also benefit from this spontaneous (or ingeniously set up) act.
It's so easy to be disappointed when an actual event doesn't live up to the hype, but thanks to meticulous planning, there has been almost no criticism of the Royal Wedding at all. Perhaps the Queen has quite a marketing brain under that lemon hat.
Until next time,
Gem.
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