If you’re like me, you’re still reeling from the royal wedding on Friday. It was history in the making, and Weddzilla’s own Amanda and Heather did a fantatic job bringing us up-to-date information and news surrounding the entire event!

I also had the wonderful opportunity to ask Lisa Gaché of Beverly Hills Manners all about her thoughts on the royal wedding. Lisa is an etiquette, manners and life skills expert, and nowhere is etiquette more important than a royal wedding! I was curious to hear her thoughts on how she felt everyone conducted themselves (from the royal family to the guests), how tradition has changed over the years, and hopefully gather some etiquette tips that I can take away for my own wedding day!

www.beverlyhillsmanners.com

You’re an expert on etiquette. How do you think Catherine did for her first public appearance as a royalty?

I think she did fabulously well.  Catherine is a natural beauty, extremely poised, elegant and relaxed.  She appeared to have an inner calm and sense of control that emanated throughout the ceremony.  Her warmth radiated with each smile and every adoring glance at her royal husband.

If you talked to Catherine the morning of her wedding, what main pieces of advice would you have given her?

The biggest piece of advice I would have given her would be to remind her to smile.  A smile connotes friendliness, approachability and warmth, and these are the sentiments a new princess wants to convey on her wedding day.  I would also remind her to stand straight and walk with perfect posture, to remember to wave to the throngs of people outside Westminster Abbey and to maintain her composure by being equally graceful and gracious.

Who do you think looked more nervous, William or Catherine?

William, as I believe he felt a great deal of responsibility to make this day absolutely perfect.  You could sense that he wanted to please and protect his bride and make her feel as comfortable as possible.  There must have also been a bit of solemnity associated with the day, having chosen the same venue where his mother, Princess Diana, was laid to rest.

Did Catherine curtsy properly to the Queen?

Yes.  It is customary for all female members of the royal family to curtsy to the Queen, and Catherine performed the small curtsy by placing her right foot behind the left with a slight bend in the knees.

Was there any break in royal tradition or etiquette that surprised you, either by the royal family or the guests?

The royal couple’s departure from Buckingham Palace in the very chic and classic blue Aston Martin with a sign that read: JU5T WED. This was a far cry from the stately cars and carriages that transported them earlier in the day.  I was also extremely surprised by the Prime Minister’s wife, Samantha Cameron, who chose not to wear a hat for the royal wedding and caused quite a controversy.

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One example of this may be the fact that Catherine’s sister, Pippa, wore a beautiful white gown that some say rivaled her sister! What are your thoughts on that particular dress choice?

Yes, bridal parties are typically encouraged to wear anything but white, as they would never want to intentionally upstage the bride.  However, I felt that Catherine’s sister Pippa was almost like a chaperon to the young bridesmaids, who were also dressed in white, and so it all worked beautifully. It was a stunning simple dress, but it in no way, shape or form eclipsed her sister’s magnificent Sarah Burton gown.

What did you think of their first (or second!) kiss?

The public was anticipating the arrival of the royal couple on the balcony and the witnessing of the first kiss, and Kate and William willingly obliged, but it was the second kiss that truly moved the masses to cheer on the happy couple.  It was a warm, sweet kiss that was not too short, not too long. It was just right.

What trends do you think we can expect to see come out of the royal wedding?

Well, certainly a revived hat craze.  With all of the incredibly imaginative colors and styles that were witnessed at the wedding, I would suppose that women everywhere would find new excuses to wear them.  I would also expect that both Duchess Catherine’s wedding dress and her sister’s maid-of-honor dress would be replicated in bridal shops all across the globe.

I couldn’t believe all the hats I saw! Would it have been considered rude to show up to the wedding without a hat? (And how do they get them to stay on?!)

Absolutely!  It is customary to wear a hat, especially to a royal wedding, and it is also a sign of respect to the Queen and to a sacred place such as Westminster Abbey.  As a guest, the last thing you want to do is become a distraction, as Samantha Cameron, the Prime Minister’s wife, quickly learned from the negative press she received for not wearing a hat.  As far as how to get a hat to stay on?  Quality product and expert millinery.

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If I was attending the wedding as a guest, what’s the one piece of etiquette advice you would have given me?

It’s difficult to pinpoint just one piece of advice.  I think the following pieces of advice are equally important.  I would say to be punctual, dress appropriately for the occasion, avoid drawing attention to yourself, maintain a positive attitude and have fun!

What was your favorite moment of the royal wedding?

The ceremony.  Hearing Prince William and Catherine recite their wedding vows and listening to the Bishop of London’s incredibly moving sermon were high points for me personally.  I just celebrated my 13th wedding anniversary, and witnessing the royal wedding and the vows provided me with a renewed sense of inspiration on the constitution of marriage.

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I agree! The ceremony was simply beautiful, and the whole day certainly a fairytale unfolding in front of our eyes. Thanks so much, Lisa, for sharing your thoughts and tips with us!