Cheers, tears aplenty at royal wedding pajama party in Las Vegas
It wasn’t the wedding of the century. And it probably wasn’t even the wedding of the decade, but with a chapel full of family, friends and celebrities, the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on Saturday was like a fairy-tale dream-come-true for millions around the world.
And more than handful of people in Las Vegas were up before the crack of dawn and partied like they were royalty to celebrate the marriage of a prince to an American in what was a nontraditional ceremony by royal standards.
Dozens who gathered at Topgolf Las Vegas to watch the couple exchange vows weren’t disappointed.
Among those in attendance was Joanne Nino, a native of Leeds, England, and a 13-year Las Vegas resident.
Nino “loved” that the ceremony kept much of the tradition but veered from being a typical royal wedding. She had a viewing party when Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in 2011, but this time decided to take in the PJ party with others. And she said she was overcome with emotion when she saw the emotion on the face of Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland.
“They clearly are very much in love and I’m happy he married for love rather than for her appearance or royal expectation to marry a British debutante,” Nino said.
Tamia Dow felt the same emotion. “As a black American with biracial family members, seeing her mother touched my heart,” Dow said. “The looks on their faces say that love can conquer all.”
Dow said Americans’ fascination with the royals stems from wanting to see a prince and princess get married, and now the Duchess of Sussex is America’s princess.
Laura Covington, vice president of the Spectacular Bridal Show, was excited to see people “dressed to the 9s.” She said she sees it all the time that people in love want to have that perfect fairy-tale wedding, and she thinks Harry and Meghan pulled it off.
Nino explained that the wedding is important “because Brits love tradition and a royal wedding is the epitome of British tradition.”
