William & Kate: Wedding Swag, Weird to Wonderful
Millions of people from around the globe will attend the Royal Wedding, whether in person or via television. The event is so popular, in fact, that Frommer's travel guides have their own ebook on the Royal Wedding for $3.89, which promises to tell you not only what's happening and where but where you can stay and go after the festivities for some London Fun.
But even if Prince William and Kate Middleton forgot to invite you to the royal nuptials, you can participate in the event by picking up souvenirs and mementos ranging from the wonderful to the truly bizarre.
Let's say, for instance, that you want to rub elbows with the royal couple, but there's no chance you can afford that trip to England.
No problemo. For a mere $58.50, DinoRentoStudios.com will make you a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the lovely engagement scene above -- or, even better, the gorgeous shot of William and Kate walking through the park. Just cozy up next to that 6-foot walking cut-out with your map of London and you can make it look as if the Royal couple are chuckling over your inability to follow their directions to Westminster Abbey while driving on the wrong side of the road.
Don't think your friends would be fooled by your fake photo? Invite the royal couple in for a spot of tea. For $8, a company called Pylones USA will sell you Kate & William tea bags, whose little cardboard arms drape over your teacup like a lounging prince (or princess).
Or, you could buy a William & Kate key chains, coasters, refrigerator magnets or playing cards. Fancy That of London has no end to the inexpensive souvenirs that pay tribute to the royal couple.
Want a ring just like the one worn by the princess-to-be? For a mere $19.90, you can wear a 3-carat faux Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 1.26 carats of fake diamonds designed by the Royal Heirloom collection. Ironically, your fake engagement ring even comes with a "certificate of authenticity." (I'm almost tempted to buy one just to see what it says.)
You're a do-it-yourselfer? You can "Knit Your Own Royal Wedding," with an instruction book conveniently sold at Amazon.com. That, by the way, is just one of the many books and e-books available. Amazon.com also offers "William & Kate: A Royal Love Story," by Christopher Anderson ($12.99); "The Making of a Royal Romance," by Katie Nichol ($9.56); "A Royal Romance: The Courtship, Engagement and Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middelton," for $2.99; "Prince William and Kate Middleton: A Royal Wedding," for 99 cents; "The Royal Wedding for Dummies," $7.79; "Prince Harry's Field Guide To Surviving a Royal Wedding," $4.99 (apparently not really written by Prince Harry); and finally "The Royal Wedding and We Don't Care," by the spoil-sport Alex Ogg, $2.99.
But nothing says "I worship royalty" like a replica doll. And there are plenty to choose from. The Danbury Mint has a 16-inch porcelain wedding-day Kate, dressed in an ornate white gown. The gown in the photo is an artist's rendering because no one yet knows what the real gown will look like. But Danbury promises that their "gifted designers will capture every detail to perfection." Price: $159, plus $9 for shipping and handling.
Oddly enough, the Franklin Mint's vinyl doll is considerably more expensive. But Franklin has both a wedding doll ($295) and an engagement doll ($490), that they promise will be a limited edition. Paradise Galleries offers a much cheaper version for $77.97 -- that comes with a replica engagement ring for you, too. The downside of the Paradise doll is that it doesn't really look like Kate. The doll is dressed like Kate, but bears only a slight resemblance to the stunning future princess and sports Crystal Gale hair.
What of the Prince William doll? Sadly, Prince William hasn't inspired the same doll-making frenzy. The only dolls available of our handsome prince have him in the silly sailor suit he wore as a toddler. Unless, of course, you're talking about paper dolls. The myriad paper doll sets show the royal couple in their skivvies ready to be smartly outfitted in the elegant cut-out creation of your choice.
There is, however, a William mask, which will allow you to be a prince for a day for a mere $6.
The William & Kate Pez dispenser was already snapped up by an anonymous bidder for $13,000.
For the traditionalists among us, there are the William & Kate commemorative plates; coins and cups.
But the weirdness award must go to the William and Kate refrigerator, made by GE, which has a door-sized photo of the couple in warm embrace. What if royal couple's union doesn't last as long as your appliance -- or your enthusiasm for all things royal? A GE spokeswoman said the fridge was a one-of-a-kind creation made and offered by their British distributor and not available to the general public. But the model appears to be the type that can be customized. So, when your royal wonder wanes, it appears you might be able to cover up William & Kate with a nice wood panel.
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