Pippa's Perfect Day

6 Years After Her Sister Kate’s Royal Wedding, Pippa Iddleton Stars in Her Own Celebration— With George and Charlotte Along for the Fun
 

- Simon Perry. With Philip Boucher, Monique Jessen and Sara Nathan

All Pippa Middleton wanted was an English country wedding with the man she loves. Of course, life’s not that simple when your sister is the future Queen of England and the mother of the future King. But unlike Princess Kate, whose 2011 wedding to Prince William was a global affair designed as much for the history books as for the bride and groom themselves, Pippa could largely pull offher big day on her terms. For the bride and her groom, financier James Matthews, that meant a picture-perfect celebration that flawlessly blended high style, raucous fun and a gaggle of unpredictable kids. “This is the wedding Pippa and James dreamed of,” a close source says of the May 20 nuptials, which kicked off with a ceremony at St. Mark’s Church in Englefield, England, and wrapped up with an evening reception at the Middleton family estate in nearby Bucklebury. “They said all along they wanted it to be a private family wedding at home in the beautiful countryside with their closest friends and family.”

After 10 months of pre-wedding excitement that began with the couple’s engagement last July—and a soggy wedding eve that threatened to spring a leak in the glass party palace shipped from Belgium just for the festivities—the only hitch was the one between the bride, 33, and the groom, 41. “It was a lovely family occasion,” says one guest. Among the eight adorable bridal attendants: nearly 4-year-old Prince George and 2-year-old Princess Charlotte, who were looked after by mom Kate and uniformed nanny Maria Turrion Borrallo. Although George would later be seen getting a scolding from Kate, 35, “the children were delightfully well behaved,” says the guest.