Local Party Planner Says Royal Wedding Will Set Trends Stateside

Like millions of other American girls who grew up feeding off stories with fairy tale endings, local resident Lynn White will be perched on the edge of her couch early Friday morning to tune in live to the nuptials of commoner (soon-to-be-princess) Kate Middleton and Prince Charming, er, William.

"I’ll be right in front of the TV," White said, "just like I was for his mom’s wedding."

But White has special reason to watch. As the local business owner of Arlington-based Heels Above Wedding and Events, LLC, White is anticipating all the trends that this royal wedding will set. She says everything from the bride's dress to the varieties of flowers used in the bouquets and on the cake will be replicated relentlessly in the U.S. for years to come.

"It's been a long time since there's been a royal wedding," she said.

White remembers a formal dress she wore in the 1980s that was patterned after the style of Princess Diana's wedding dress.

"We saw the after-effects of that for years and years," White said.

She said the most important thing brides-to-be should glean from Middleton's choices her is ability to embrace old traditions and break rules.

"There’s protocol and there’s no way around that, but they’re still making the wedding their own," White said. "(Middleton) is conservative, but there is a little flare there, as well. She’ll add her twist to it, that’s for sure."

White is the owner and principal event planner at Heels Above Weddings and Events, LLC. More information about her business, and all her royal wedding-related blog posts, are online.

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