Can’t make it to the royal wedding where Prince William will marry Kate Middleton? There’s an app for that. Westminster Abbey has released a new app ahead of the Royal Wedding, giving users the chance to virtually tour the Abbey. On April 29, Prince William of Wales will marry Middleton, who he met at the University of St. Andrews. Their relationship, widely covered in the media, spans eleven years and includes a Lifetime movie portraying their relationship, William & Kate, which premiered on Monday evening.
A total of 650 people were chosen to celebrate at the Palace: 50 guests received their invite directly from the Queen, 250 were invited by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and 100 by the Middleton Family. William and Kate have invited 250 of their friends and family. Only 300 of the guests will stay for the evening reception hosted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. Westminster Abbey, the venue of the Queen and Queen Mothers wedding, will host the Marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, on Friday 29 April at 6 a.m.
The wedding will take place at 5 a.m. EST, which may be too early for you to hold your own viewing party, so we suggest a few places to go and celebrate.
But if you weren’t one of the handful of invitees, here are a few things to do around town to catch the big day:
Aylesbury Antique Center and Tea Rooms in Loudoun is featuring Royal Wedding Celebration Teas throughout April. The teas ($19.95/person) include a variety of traditional English sandwiches, home-baked scones, sweet treats and Yorkshire tea. For reservations, call 703-868-6935 or go to Aylesburytearoom.com.
The Ritz-Carlton will offer guests the opportunity to watch the “Wedding of the Century” in style at a breakfast and viewing party. Guests who don’t want to make the trek down in the early morning can also stay overnight for $429 (the breakfast is $40), including the price of the breakfast buffet that will include scones with clotted cream and jam, English rasher & bangers and black pudding. The breakfast also includes 18 Carat Sapphire Cupcakes from the hotel’s executive pastry chef Daniel Mangione and a specially commissioned Twinings Royal Wedding Commemorative Blend, sourced from Catherine Middleton’s home county of Berkshire. To book a reservation for The Royal Wedding Breakfast & Viewing Party, please contact Restaurant Reservations at 202 974-5566.?
Over at AGAINN, a Chinatown gastropub, donated teapots to the restaurant during April will get you a free appetizer or dessert. The restaurant plans on displaying and serving tea in all of the donated teapots. Aside from British fare of scones and finger sandwiches, AGAINN will be serving Prince William’s favorite cake (chocolate biscuit cake) and the traditional royal wedding cake (fruit cake). Proceeds from the cakes will go to PeacePlayers International – Northern Ireland, a DC-based charity the royal couple is donating to as well. You can enter to win a tea party for you and your friends if you’re getting married like Ms. Middleton.
Across the river in Old Town Alexandria, Mystique Jewelers is throwing a Princess party on April 28 from 5 to 8 p.m., complete with tiaras, champagne, cupcakes and jewelry fit for a princess. The event is free, but register at MystiquePrincess.EventBrite.com.
Union Jack’s in Bethesda is opening extra early, at 5 a.m., to ladies in hats and men in trousers. Enjoy a complimentary champagne toast as the couple says “I Do,” in addition to $10 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. All 25 TVs will be set on the event and Baltimore’s WBAL-TV will be here broadcasting with live interviews. They’ll continue the celebration during happy hour starting at 4 p.m. with wedding-themed door prizes and raffles of such items as wedding bouquet and centerpiece from The Flower Basket, lingerie from Bra-La-La, Silpada jewelry, gift card and hair products from Victoria & Albert and Ghost Tour for 13 in Ellicott City.
The British Pantry in Alexandria will be holding special wedding teas the week of Tuesday, April 26 through Saturday, April 30. A raffle will be held daily and each tearoom patron will be entered to win a commemorative royal wedding gift. At $25 per person, you’ll get mini tea sandwiches, scones and cakes at either two times during the day: from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1:30 to 3 p.m.
If you can’t make any of these events, you can always celebrate the royal wedding in style at various tearooms across the city. For $25 at the National Cathedral, you tour it and then follow it with a traditional English tea with sandwiches, scones and a scenic view of Washington. Tour and Tea is offered every Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Reservations with payment are required in advance.
At the Henley Park Hotel near Mt. Vernon square, you can order a traditional tea in the Wilkes drawing room that comes complete with a fireplace. Trios of finger sandwiches including Scottish smoked salmon, watercress/cucumber and egg salad are among the treats on the tea menu. Call 202 638-5200 for reservations.
The Hillwood Estate and Gardens in Van Ness offers an afternoon tea every Sunday at Hillwood Café, which for $20 includes a glass of sparkling wine, a selection of teas, sun-dried cranberry-walnut chicken salad & roasted pear and Roquefort blue cheese blini finger sandwiches, cheesecake lollipops and éclairs. Call 202 686-5807 for reservations.
