William, Kate Said to Be "Over the Moon" Happy
A lot went into choosing the date of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, observers Majesty magazine Editor Ingrid Seward.
They'll say their vows in Westminster Abbey on Friday, April 29, it was announced Tuesday.
"I think that William is very symbolic," Seward told "The Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith. "Remember, he's his mother's (Princess Diana's) son. And I think he loves the idea of a special day. And he thought the Feast of Saint Catherine would be perfect. He's marrying a Catherine. And it's a Friday, which suits everybody. It's just after our Easter holiday, so it fits in with the church calendar. So all in all, it's very happy.
Expert: Errors Made with Diana Playing Royal Role Now
Royals to Wed April 29 in Westminster Abbey
Westminister Abbey's Royal History
Exclusive: William Kept Royal Engagement Secret from Staff
Photos: Royal Engagement Frenzy
Photos: Prince William and Kate Middleton
Photos: Kate Middleton
Photos: Kate Middleton's American Relatives
"Apparently, according to St. James's Palace (a royal residence), the couple are over the moon. They couldn't be happier.
"And they're very much organizing this wedding themselves. So, William (is) sitting up in Wales, while he's waiting to go out and rescue people from the sea (he works as a rescue helicopter pilot), and he's making notes of who he wants to have at the wedding!"
William and Kate, Seward says, are "really hands-on" in the wedding preparations. … But … the actual logistics of a royal wedding are enormous. And they're taken up by something called the Lord Chamberlain's Office and Buckingham Palace organize all the transport for guests. They organize all the seating. Everyone has a seat. Everyone has a card and a number. So, it's not just like an ordinary wedding. It's pretty serious stuff. But obviously, Kate and William are doing all the sort of major decisions, although the little minutia, they'll have lots of help with."
The funding is interesting, Seward notes. "Strangely enough," she says, "the Middletons (Kate's parents) are very anxious to be involved. And they have said that they want to contribute seriously contribute to the cost of the wedding. Now that means the abbey, the flowers, the transport, all the things that are involved in a wedding, and also the honeymoon. I really feel that Catherine, as (Buckingham Palace wants us to call her now), her parents will probably pay for the honeymoon. And obviously the dress, which is unusual. Because normally, the Queen gets stuck with doing all of that."
The government will pick up the tab for security, Seward points out.