Royal Wedding: Prince William and Kate Middleton Seal It With Balcony Kiss, Then Hit Palace to Party All Night
April 29, 2011 — -- The royal wedding at Westminster Abbey went off without a snag. Now it's time for selected guests to rock Buckingham Palace.
Thousands of people in the streets of London cheered Friday afternoon as the royal newlyweds, Prince William and Kate Middleton, made their way back from a brief rest to Buckingham Palace for a buffet dinner and all-night party with about 300 guests.
Middleton arrived at Buckingham Palace wearing a strapless white satin Sarah Burton evening gown with a circle skirt and diamante embroidered detail round the waist, according to The Associated Press. William wore a black tuxedo.
"I am glad the weather held off. We had a great day," Middleton told a photographer.
Nineteen rooms were set aside for the evening reception -- and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip handed over the palace for the post-wedding party that is expected to last until the morning. In fact, the queen was flown out of the palace by helicopter for a private weekend away.
The queen attended an earlier daytime lunch reception at Buckingham Palace for about 650 guests.
For the evening festivities, the throne room at Buckingham Palace was transformed into a disco with help from groom and bride's siblings, Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton. Harry, William's best man, was expected to toast his brother during the celebrations.
For those still standing Saturday morning, there will be bacon sandwiches and ice cream in the palace quad.
Watch a special 2-hour edition of "20/20" at 9 p.m. ET tonight to look at the big day, the night-time celebrations, and what's next for the happy couple, with Barbara Walters.
Earlier, William and Kate, holding each other's hands and gazing into one another's eyes, exchanged wedding vows in front of 1,900 guests. Kate became royalty, thrilling royal watchers around the world. William, 28, slipped a wedding band made of Welsh gold on the finger of the 29-year-old Middleton.
The bride, wearing a tiara loaned to her by the queen, appeared to marvel at the majesty of the nearly 1,000-year-old abbey, looking up and smiling as she and William sang along with their guests of friends, celebrities and royalty from other countries. Nearly 400 of the guests were close family and friends.
Explore Kate's Dress and Wedding Dresses of the House of Windsor
Before retreating to Clarence House for their rest, William and Kate sealed their royal wedding with two kisses on the balcony of Buckingham Palace as heart shaped balloons floated above cheering British subjects.
Stepping out onto the balcony, the couple was flanked by the wedding party, the royal family including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and the bride's family.
With hundreds of thousands gathered below them and millions watching expectantly on TV, the prince kissed his bride quickly. The crowd cheered and began chanting, "Kiss her again." The royal couple obliged with a second peck on the lips.
William and Kate looked up into the London sky as the Royal Air Force performed a flyover congratulating the couple. William is a member of the Royal Air Force.
The bells of Westminster Abbey began to ring as the couple rode triumphantly to the palace in an open carriage, waving to the cheering throngs.
Middleton told William in the carriage, "I'm so happy," according to a lip reader.
Earlier, with her face still veiled, Kate held onto her father and grinned as she walked down the aisle of the ornate cathedral to wed William, the heir to the British throne. A nervous Prince William chewed his lip as his mother, Princess Diana, used to do.
Prince William told Middleton, "You look beautiful" when she arrived at the altar of the church.
They exchanged smiles and William leaned over and winked at his father-in-law, Michael Middleton.
William reportedly cracked a joke saying, "We're supposed to have just a small family affair," according to a lip reader.
The wedding, watched by over 2 billion people worldwide, delighted the people of Britain. Crowds of at least million people lined the streets to watch the wedding, which is a national holiday. When the couple said their vows, the crowds let out a huge roar and popped champagne bottles.
Read the Royal Wedding Live Blog
Royal watchers enveloped in the Union Jack flag, waved and screamed outside of Buckingham Palace as orange balloons floated above them. The Band of Welsh Guards marched along the procession route in their red uniforms and black fur hats. Fans wore sparkly hats and masks of the married couple.
