Franklin Dean
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London, England. After the ceremony, the couple travelled in a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where they appeared on the balcony. The Queen hosted a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace, and the Prince of Wales hosted a private dinner in the evening, followed by dancing. The wedding menu was kept a secret for several years, but it was eventually revealed that the newlyweds and their 300 closest family and friends enjoyed a salad of South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, and Hebridean langoustines, followed by a main course of North Highland organic lamb with spring vegetables.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 April 2011 |
| Time | 11:00 |
| Location | Westminster Abbey, London, England |
| Bride | Catherine Middleton |
| Groom | Prince William of Wales |
| Bride's Dress | Designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen |
| Groom's Attire | Red military uniform of the Irish Guards |
| Best Man | Prince Harry |
| Maid of Honour | Pippa Middleton |
| Reception Venue | Buckingham Palace |
| Reception Menu | South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, Hebridean langoustines, North Highland organic lamb, spring vegetables, English asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes, Berkshire honey ice cream, sherry trifle, chocolate parfait |
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What You'll Learn
The wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The ceremony was attended by the bride's and groom's families, foreign royalty, diplomats, and the couple's chosen personal guests. The groom's party travelled between Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey, passing Clarence House, Horse Guards Road, Horse Guards Parade, Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, the south side of Parliament Square, and Broad Sanctuary. The ceremony began at 11 am.
The Dean of Westminster, John Hall, presided over the service, while the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, married the couple, and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, gave the sermon. A reading was given by Catherine's brother, James. Prince William's best man was his brother, Prince Harry, and Catherine's sister, Pippa, was the maid of honour.
The abbey was decorated with six 20-foot-high English Field Maple trees and two Hornbeam trees, with a long red carpet running the length of the aisle. Catherine's bouquet included myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William, ivy, myrtle, and hyacinth. The music for the service was provided by two choirs, one orchestra, and a fanfare ensemble.
After the ceremony, the couple, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, travelled in a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where they made a traditional appearance on the balcony. The Queen hosted a lunchtime reception at the palace, and the Prince of Wales hosted a private dinner in the evening.
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The lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. After the ceremony, the newly married couple, now titled the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, travelled in a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where they appeared on the balcony to greet the public.
The Queen hosted a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace, starting after the arrival of the married couple's carriage. The reception was attended by around 600 guests, including close friends and family. The menu for the reception was kept secret for several years, but it was eventually revealed that the meal began with a salad of South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, and Hebridean langoustines. This was followed by a main course of North Highland organic lamb from Prince Charles's organic farm with spring vegetables, English asparagus, and Jersey Royal potatoes. A trio of desserts was served, including Berkshire honey ice cream, sherry trifle, and chocolate parfait.
The wedding cake was an eight-tier fruit cake decorated with Lambeth-piped sugar paste flowers, baked by Fiona Cairns. In addition, a chocolate biscuit groom's cake was made from a Royal Family recipe, specially requested by Prince William. The reception was an intimate gathering, with the Duchess of Cambridge opting for a second, more relaxed wedding dress designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. The groom, Prince William, also changed into a Blues and Royals captain's frock coat.
The lunchtime reception was a memorable part of the royal wedding celebrations, offering a combination of exquisite cuisine, intimate ambiance, and elegant fashion choices by the newlywed couple.
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The evening dinner at Buckingham Palace
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. After the ceremony, the couple travelled in a horse-drawn carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, where they greeted the public and appeared on the palace balcony.
The Queen hosted a lunchtime reception at Buckingham Palace, starting after the couple's arrival. The menu for the reception was kept secret for several years. It included South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, Hebridean langoustines, and a fresh herb salad. This was followed by North Highland organic lamb from Prince Charles's organic farm, served with spring vegetables, English asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes, and sauce Windsor. For dessert, there was Berkshire honey ice cream, sherry trifle, and chocolate parfait, accompanied by Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne.
In the evening, the Prince of Wales hosted a private dinner, followed by dancing, at Buckingham Palace for the couple and their close friends and family. The guest list for the evening dinner consisted of about 300 names, including the couple's 300 closest family and friends. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a strapless dress by Sarah Burton, featuring a circle skirt and diamante detailing, with her hair down for a more casual look. Prince William changed into a Blues and Royals captain's frock coat.
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The wedding menu
The starter course included marinated South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, and wild Hebridean langoustines, accompanied by a fresh herb salad and a glass of Meursault, Domaine Guyot-Javillier 2009 wine. The main course was a saddle of North Highland Mey Select organic lamb from Prince Charles's organic farm, served with Highgrove spring vegetables, English asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes, and sauce Windsor. The vegetables were freshly harvested from Prince Charles' Highgrove estate in Scotland. The main course was paired with L'Hospitalet de Gazin, Pomerol 2004 wine.
For dessert, guests were treated to a trio of Berkshire honey ice cream, sherry trifle, and chocolate parfait, with Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne. After the meal, guests were offered coffee and fresh mint tea.
In addition to the extravagant meal, the royal couple also served two cakes at their reception. The main cake was an eight-tier fruit cake decorated with Lambeth-piped sugar paste flowers. The cake was designed by Fleckney, Leicestershire-based baker Fiona Cairns and took her over five weeks to create. The second cake was a chocolate biscuit groom's cake made from a Royal Family recipe, specially requested by Prince William.
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The wedding cake
The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton took place on Friday, 29 April 2011, at Westminster Abbey in London, England. The wedding cake was designed by UK-based baker Fiona Cairns and was an eight-tier fruit cake decorated with Lambeth-piped sugar paste flowers.
Fiona Cairns, based in Fleckney, Leicestershire, was chosen in February 2011 to bake the wedding cake. The main cake was an eight-tier fruit cake decorated with Lambeth-piped sugar paste flowers. In addition to the main cake, there was also a groom's cake. Prince William specially requested a chocolate biscuit cake made from a Royal Family recipe. This cake was prepared by McVitie's and was based on a recipe by Darren McGrady, author of Eating Royally.
The chocolate biscuit cake was a nod to Prince William's grandmother, the Queen, for whom the cake is a favourite. It is said that the Queen would request the cake for Sunday tea when she knew her grandson would be joining her from Eton. The cake was also served at Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea, where it was the only cake that would reappear on the menu until it was finished.
The chocolate biscuit cake was prepared without baking and featured tea biscuits, chocolate, and a ganache. The ganache was made by placing chopped chocolate in a bowl and pouring whipping cream into a saucepan. The cream was then brought to a simmer and poured over the chocolate, creating a smooth blend. The cake was coated with the warm ganache and allowed to set before being decorated.
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Frequently asked questions
The wedding ceremony of Prince William and Catherine Middleton was held at Westminster Abbey in London, England.
The wedding reception was held at Buckingham Palace.
Catherine Middleton's wedding dress was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
The menu for the reception remained a secret for several years. However, it was later revealed that the meal included South Uist salmon, Lyme Bay crab, Hebridean langoustines, and North Highland organic lamb.
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