There are few moments as important as your wedding day. This year, weddings are even more in the picture than usual with people the world over awaiting the marriage of HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton with bated breath. Royal weddings have a definite influence on trends and fashions, with the influence lasting for years to come.

Here in Cayman, as in the UK, the day of the royal wedding, 29 April, will be a holiday, affording everyone the opportunity to watch the broadcast of the wedding, whether they get up early in the morning to see the event live, or take it easy and watch a delayed transmission. Many establishments will get in on the act as well, offering special events related to the wedding, from a special royal wedding brunch at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman to a traditional British street party to celebrate the momentous event at Camana Bay.

Wedding planners and other service providers around the globe, and also in Cayman, will watch the event with an eagle eye, as the flowers, dress, jewellery, and numerous other elements of the wedding are likely to affect their livelihood for years to come. The last important royal wedding, between Prince William’s parents, Prince Charles and Lady Diana, influenced trends for years, and is even influencing trends again today, as Kate Middleton is wearing Lady Di’s engagement ring, which has brought the oval cut blue sapphire engagement ring back into fashion recently.

The impact on Cayman will also be significant, as the Island has established itself as one of the premier destination wedding locations not only in the Caribbean but in the world. It is therefore vital for local wedding planners, venues and service providers to stay up to date on the latest trends, and even set a few trends of their own along the way, if we are to stay ahead in a highly competitive market.

For local brides and grooms, this means that there is an embarrassment of riches when it comes to organising your wedding, and you can be assured of a world class event right in your own back yard.

So how will the royal wedding impact us? What can we expect to see at the wedding? Although speculation is rife, everyone will have to wait for the day of the wedding to find out which of the rumours were true.

And regardless of whether you find yourself drawn to the event like a moth to flame, or really don’t feel all that enthused about it (yet), it is likely to become a part of pop culture like few others before it.   WH