Happy anniversary, Prince William and Kate Middleton! The couple marked nine years of wedded bliss on April 29, and we immediately were reminded of their lavish nuptials [1]. Despite how traditional their 2011 was [2], the couple actually chose to do a handful of things their way. From Kate's arrival to the pair's vows [3] and the wedding gifts, read on to see all the ways William and Kate's wedding broke royal tradition.
Kate's Arrival
It is royal tradition for the bride to arrive at her wedding in the Glass Coach carriage — Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret [5] all used it for their weddings — but Kate opted for a 1997 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI [6] because she wanted her arrival to be "low-key."
The Exchanging of the Rings
There was no big exchanging of rings [7] during the ceremony because William actually never got one [8]. Before their nuptials, Kensington Palace released a statement about William's decision to go ringless, saying that he "isn't one for jewelry" and that it was "simply down to personal preference."
The Clergymen
While weddings generally only have one officiant, Kate and William broke tradition [9] by having not two, but three clergymen conduct their nuptials. The Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev. Dr. John Hall, conducted the service, but the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, solemnized their marriage, and the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, delivered the address. Chartres also spoke at Princess Diana's memorial service [10] in 2007.
The Vows
William and Kate recited traditional wedding vows [11] from the Book of Common Prayer, but they made one small tweak: they removed the word "obey." Fun fact: Princess Diana was the first royal bride to drop the word when she tied the knot with Prince Charles in 1981.
The Wedding Gifts
Unlike most engaged couples, Kate and William did not set up a wedding registry [12]. Instead, they set up The Prince William and Kate Middleton Charitable Gift Fund, where guests could donate to 26 different charities.
"Having been touched by the goodwill shown them since the announcement of their engagement, Prince William and Miss Middleton have asked that anyone who might wish to give them a wedding gift consider giving instead to a charitable fund," Clarence House said in a statement. "Many of the charities are little known, without existing royal patronage, and undertake excellent work within specific communities. They are charities that have a particular resonance with Prince William and Miss Middleton and reflect issues in which the couple have been particularly interested in their lives to date."