I was one of the crazies that woke up to watch the Royal Wedding this past Friday. After working all week and being tired I still figured my tiredness was no competition for witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime wedding (pending a divorce, which I oh so hope does not happen). So why do I care about the Royal Wedding? This is a question I was frequently asked when I told people about my plans. In fact, Tosh.O turned the same question into a website http://whyamericansshouldcareabouttheroyalwedding.com/ After laughing for a bit at the website I decided to write down why I cared about the wedding and here are my reasons.

Reason 1: It is a culture far from our own that I find interesting. I visited London in January and took a tour of Westminster Abbey, saw Buckingham Palace, etc. The concept of a monarchy is lost on many because it is far removed from a democracy. Even being in London, it was difficult for me to grasp the importance of the Royal Family and even while watching the wedding Friday, it was still difficult for me to grasp. I tried to find parallels of what would matter equally as much to Americans and I’m still trying. Any thoughts? And although I found the coverage leading up to the wedding a bit much, I watched because I thought it would provide a glimpse into understanding why it is such a big occasion.

Reason 2: I’m not going to lie. I was interested in the fashion—yes, particularly the hats. Obviously the fashion in Europe is different from our own and again, it interests me to learn about other cultures, even their clothing. Some hats during the wedding were ridiculous. Princess Beatrice channeling Lady Gaga anyone? However, the hats worn at the Kentucky Derby, etc. and even during southern collegiate football games can be just as ludicrous.

Reason 3: It was an excuse to throw a slumber party and hang out with friends. I think when it came down to it, my friends and I used the wedding as an excuse to have a slumber party, eat doughnuts, Oreos and drink mimosas at 4 a.m., and wear tiaras (yes, that really happened). With our busy lives, it gave us an excuse to spend time together and we had a great time, despite the unpleasantness of the wacky sleep schedule.

In the end, I was glad I stayed up and watched the wedding (despite the anti-climactic balcony kiss). It did give me more of a glimpse into their culture because I had never witnessed a royal wedding before. If for nothing else, it gave me an excuse to have a fun time with friends. So when someone asks me why I wasted my time watching the Royal Wedding, I will just point them to this blog.

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