Once you had gold

On July 29 1981 Lady Diana walked down the aisle of St Pauls Cathedral with an estimated 750 million watching from the streets of London and on televisions around the world Diana was just 20 years old Charles was 32 years old. Recently, I found a picture the wedding cake that was served at a reception "breakfast". I had never seen a picture of the prize cake before now, so I was immediately interested in learning all I could about it. As I understand it, there were actually numerous cakes that were commissioned for the day of the wedding and prior. Nicholas Lodge and Jeanette McCall were just two of the many bakers for the days confections. But "THE CAKE", was a 5-tiered cake said to be in the charge of Chief Petty Officer David Avery of the Royal Navy. It was his job to keep the cake hidden away until just the right moment...the day of the wedding! The cost of this cake? $6,000 The cake was adorned with emblems from Prince Charles Naval days, and sugar doves, and topped with a garden of confectionary roses, lilies of the valley, fuchsias and orchids accenting an ornamental "C" and "D."
And it was Charles who cut the first slice with his ceremonial sword (hmm...seems to be sounding vaguely familier).

Prince Charles COA

Something old? (lace on her dress)
Something new? (silk on her dress)
Something borrowed? (diamond tiara)
Something blue? (bow sewn into the waistband of her gown)
A good luck charm? (a diamond studded horseshoe also sewn into her gown!)

The pretty maids all in a row attending Lady Diana on the day of her wedding were: Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, India Hicks, Sarah Jane Gaselee, and Clementine Hambro. Unfortunately, also attending (but not a part of the Bridal party) was Camilla Parker-Bowles (actually photographed in the third row from the front in the church). Two page boys were also part of the bridal party that day.

Fun Fact #1: Diana's ring was 18-carats of sapphire, surrounded by diamonds, costing £28,000.

Fun Fact #2: Diana spent her last unmarried night sleeping at Clarence House, the Queen Mother's home. The day of her wedding, Couturiers David and Elizabeth Emanuel, helped Diana the day of her wedding step into the ivory silk gown with 25 ft. train. Diana also wore the Spencer diamond tiara and heavily tulled veil. (The Emanuel's briefly had a line of clothing on one of the American home shopping channels)

Fun Fact #3: Diana and Charles honeymooned in Hampshire and aboard the royal yacht, Britannia, in the Mediterranean.

Fun Fact #4: Diana produced an heir to the throne less than a year after their marriage. Of course this was, William Arthur Philip Louis born on June 21, 1982.

Fun Fact #5: A victorian vision, Diana's "meringue" silk taffeta gown was created by Mayfair designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel. It took 40 yards of silk taffeta, 100 yards of crinoline, and some old Carrickmacross lace once belongging to Queen Mary to make this dream gown. The veil, made of ivory silk tulle, was embellished with 10,000 pearl and mother of pearl sequins and all held in place by the diamond tiara. Her train was 25 feet long! Diana's bouquet was made up of perfumed, cascading yellow Mountbatten roses, gardenias, stephanotis, orchids, lily of the valley and freesia. To further tie the past with the present, accents of myrtle and veronica from Queen Victoria's garden at Osborne House were interspersed among the array of blossoms.

Site Best Viewed with Internet Explorer