Boston Planner On Royal Wedding: Expect A Personal Touch
BOSTON (CBS) - The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, April 29 will be called the Wedding of the Century – so far, and is expected to be watched by two billion people around the globe.
"I really hope at the end of the day, that there are those elements to this wedding," says Boston event planner Bryan Rafanelli, "that are really about them, that make you smile, that make you laugh."
WBZ-TV's Paula Ebben reports
Creating that magic falls to someone like Rafanelli who engineered Former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton's wedding extravaganza last summer. He says he's been looking forward to Prince William and Kate Middleton's nuptials with anticipation for months.
The first question for someone of Raffanelli's experience, of course, is: when you are planning a wedding, on this kind of scale, where would you start?
Rafanelli recalls that for Chelsea's wedding, "I had an office that had sheets of paper floor to ceiling with lists and my staff would come in and we would go thru lists every single day, so i have to imagine that's what's going on there, there's a war room and everyone is looking at all the information and how one decision effects another."
He also adds there must be a plan for every possibility. "What happens if the Prince pops a button? You know, someone will have to and sew on that button or immediately replace the jacket, so there are little nuances like that
From those little details to big traditions, a Royal Wedding is steeped in history and protocol, which might make it a bit impersonal for the Bride and Groom. So how much flexibility does the Royal couple really have? Rafanelli thinks their desires should be front and center. "Interestingly enough, I think they have a lot of flexibility, I don't think people realize how much in control they are."
He also says there are many opinions that will have to be accommodated. "There are lots of people that should be listened to, and then pull all that information together, -in this case you listen to the queen! And -don't forget about the Prince of Wales, he's hosting a dinner afterwards, so I think there are lots of people you know who want this to be something that they are doing for their son and daughter
But there will also be poignant moments. There is a Mother who won't be there to watch her son take his bride, and the late Princess Diana will be on the mind of many that day. As a Royal watcher, Bryan Rafanelli says he was touched that Prince William has gone out of his way to include her memory.
"I think the stroke of genius is for William to decide to give that ring to Ms. Middleton, I thought that was brilliant because she is in the room, and she will be right there on her hand for the rest of her life. It's an incredible story."
From his experience, Rafanelli knows that the styles and trends of William and Kate's nuptials will impact weddings in America for years to come. What will his expert eye be looking for on Royal Wedding day?"
"I will be watching to see those little elements that I think my clients are going to be walking in the door the next day and saying, with a photograph or an image, or say I really thought that was extraordinary, can I do that?
