Royal Wedding 'Is a Reason to Have a Party'

An ocean and more away from the big event, buzz is building in Berkley and Huntington Woods ahead of the royal wedding Friday morning at Westminster Abbey in London, England.

Prince William, the older son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, will marry Kate Middleton at 6 a.m. (Detroit time), with televised coverage of the event beginning hours earlier. Accordingly, many Berkley and Huntington Woods residents plan to rise before the sun, don fancy hats and sip tea as the wedding unfolds.

"I think (the royal wedding's) just something different than the plain, old dull news," said Kris Sanders, who owns in Berkley. "It's something to celebrate. It's a reason to have a party."

Customers have been snapping up tea, hats, teapots and decorated sugar cubes during the past week to serve during royal wedding celebrations, Sanders said. She suggested the shop's Wedding Tea, a white tea with little rosebuds, or a traditional English breakfast tea for those who get up to watch the ceremony.

The story was much the same at on Coolidge Highway, where owner Elwin Greenwald is offering a royal wedding special: Patrons can pick up a dozen demi-scones through the weekend for $10.

"I can't believe it," said Greenwald, whose shop not only makes scones for individuals, but also for  and  in Berkley, among others. "All day long, every five minutes, I've got so many new customers because so many people are getting up at 3 a.m. to watch (the wedding)."

Ironically, scones are of Scottish not English origin, according to Elwin's website.

For those who are not inspired to get up before the sun to watch the big event, but would still like to get in on the fun, the in Berkley will be holding a traditional tea at 11 a.m., co-owner Sing Li said.

Reservations are required for the meal, which will include three types of tea sandwiches, soup, a pastry plate, a fruit cup, and scones and Devonshire cream for $16.95 per person (plus tax and gratuity), said Li, who added that the wedding day event was organized based on customer demand. A television will be brought in to the parlor to show coverage of the festivities and the wedding when it is rebroadcast, he said.

"Apparently, there are a lot of people who are interested," Li said.

He added that his wife, Lillian, who co-owns the shop, is one of them and he is not.

"It's just not a guy thing," he said with a laugh.