What Pippa Middleton And James Matthews' Wedding Was Really Like

When it comes to royal events, few rival the pomp, circumstance, and attention of the firm's monumental weddings. It certainly seemed as though the world stood still when Prince William and Princess Catherine got married in 2011, taking over Westminster Abbey for the day and waving to the thousands lining the streets to get a glimpse of the newlyweds. Many quickly likened their wedding to that of King Charles III and Diana Spencer's nuptials, which one could argue was the most iconic royal wedding to date. And, as no one can forget, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in 2018 in an epic ceremony. It seems that even the most royally opposed among us can't help but indulge in the fairytale realities of a royal wedding, and watchers were treated to (almost) a royal event in May 2017, when Pippa Middleton and James Matthews tied the knot.

Pippa, of course, is Catherine's younger sister and a treasured figure among England's high society. She first made the headlines thanks to her incredible ensemble worn on Catherine's wedding day, and she quickly took the best dressed lists by storm. Finding her own prince — though without the official title — Pippa and James got married in a gorgeous ceremony attended by royals and members of the aristocracy alike. While it wasn't exactly a royal wedding, it was certainly close, and the bride and groom spared no expense to ensure that their big day was one worth remembering.

Many royal watchers know that when it comes to the bridesmaids and page boys at royal weddings, children fulfill the roles. But much like Pippa Middleton walked behind Princess Catherine at her 2011 wedding, fixing her train and stepping in like any maid of honor would, some wedding watchers wondered if Catherine would serve as her sister's maid of honor on her own big day. As it turns out, the decision was a difficult one, but Pippa ultimately decided to not ask her sister to take the gig. Instead, children served as bridesmaids and page boys (more on that later),  and Catherine oversaw the little ones and their behavior while they entered the church. While she helped fix her sister's dress and train upon her arrival, Catherine largely existed in the background on Pippa's wedding day. According to Judy Wade, who wrote "Diana: The Intimate Portrait," it was all intentional.

"Kate would upstage her sister. It's a tricky situation for Pippa. She would want her sister by her side, as who else would she trust to make things go well? But if your sister is a future queen, she is going to upstage the bride and draw attention," Wade told People ahead of Pippa's wedding, explaining why Catherine would not be taking on a more prominent role on the day. "Kate would want to be in the background as much as possible," she concluded.

Though Pippa Middleton and James Matthews' wedding wasn't technically a royal event, it might as well have been. Like Princess Catherine and Prince William's big day, people lined the streets to get a glimpse of the bride as she made her way to the church, and they were treated to quite the sight as Pippa arrived in style. Joined by her father, Michael Middleton, Pippa rolled up to St. Mark's Church — just a stone's throw away from the Middleton family's Bucklebury estate — in a 1951 Jaguar. The open-top car was a risky move thanks to the day's weather. The heavens opened with rain just moments before the bride made her way to the church, but as if the universe knew what a big moment it was for Pippa and James, the weather cleared and she made the grand entrance worthy of a royal.

Meanwhile, some locals were able to get a little bit closer to the all the action. As royal watcher Elizabeth Mary Reeves shared with the BBC, she was one of the residents who received a wristband that gave them access to the church property the day of the nuptials. Commenting on Pippa's wedding look, Reeves told the BBC of the bride's arrival, "She stood and waved and looked just lovely. As all brides do, they glow, no matter how expensive their dress is. She looked absolutely beautiful."

It wouldn't have been a royal-adjacent wedding without young bridesmaids and page boys, and Pippa Middleton had two very special little ones involved in her wedding day — her nephew and niece, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Ahead of the ceremony, Princess Catherine was said to be a bit concerned with their roles on Pippa's wedding day.

"[Kate] said that they were all really looking forward to her sister's wedding at the weekend, but she was a bit worried about how her children might behave," attendee Andrew Bates later told journalists at a Buckingham Palace garden party, per People. And while Catherine was a bit anxious, it seemed as though George and Charlotte's involvement went off without a hitch. Catherine paid close attention to the little ones as they waited outside the church, at one point signaling to them to lower their voices as the ceremony got underway. The two little royals looked absolutely adorable, and they were joined by Lily French, Avia Horner, Countess Philippa Hoyos, William Ward, Casmir Tatos, and Edward Sebire. If there is one tradition that we should all take from royal weddings, it's the incorporation of little kids in the ceremony — these kiddos are just adorable.

Once the outfit changes were done and the reception got under way, it was time to kick up the party a notch. Pippa Middleton and James Matthews arrived at the newly constructed greenhouse on the Middleton family property, with the bride having changed into another striking look. Guests, meanwhile, had enjoyed the champagne toast and taken in some impressive hors d'oeuvre, with the served food including foie gras, haggis, prawns, and steak. 

As the wedding carried on into the evening, some royal watchers were quick to comment on Pippa's second look. Her Pronovias v-neck white gown was a far cry from her traditional wedding dress from the ceremony, and she took her hair down and wore it in a much more casual look while mingling with guests. The move was very similar to Princess Catherine's own decision from her 2011 nuptials, where she changed into a simple, A-line gown and wore her hair in a cascading down style for the reception.

And while locals and photographers alike were present earlier in the day, Pippa and James were adamant that no details about the reception would become public knowledge ahead of time. In fact, they were incredibly strict about reception procedures and wanted to make sure that not one photograph of the night's festivities was released.

When it comes to any wedding, the food and drink needs to be spot on to ensure a great evening. As far as Pippa Middleton and James Matthews were concerned, no expense was too much to make sure the food and beverages were exceptional. Starting with the drinks on hand, guests could enjoy a top of the line whisky bar throughout the evening, and bottles of 2020 Blanc de Noir Millington from Nyetimber winery were flowing. The drinks were mostly served to guests via silver service, and Pippa herself chose the waitstaff (many of whom were actors and models, if you can believe it).

Moving on to the food, as aforementioned guests got to enjoy some delicious appetizers while awaiting the highly anticipated main event. Sitting down for the meal, the lucky reception goers were treated to a five-course dinner, packed to the brim with Scottish ingredients as a tribute to James' heritage. The courses included Scottish lamb, haggis, whisky, and what we can only assume were a lot of bagpipes. Topping off an already impressive display were 17 pounds of beluga caviar. Now this is a bit of an odd detail, as the caviar in question was given to the bride and groom by an unknown donor from Russia. According to the Mirror, the heaping pile of quality tier caviar was said to cost about $50,000, which is more than the budget that most people set for their entire wedding day.