WASHINGTON, D.C. - Kelly Jenkins of Washington DC's Capital Décor & Events gestures towards two large cork boards draped in pale green silk and oversized golden tassels. "Definitely I would suggest long Edwardian-style banquet tables that seat 30 or 40 guests per table," he explains and points to a pastel sketch of Buckingham Palace. "Our theory and mantra for this event is ‘More is more.'"
Jenkins swears that his team of designers can even construct Westminster Abbey's gothic arches in the Ritz-Carlton's ballroom. This package, called the "Royal Wedding Experience," is exactly what it sounds like: A group of wedding planners who can replicate the details of Will and Kate's nuptials for couples who want their own real-life regal celebration in Washington. And while this may sound over-the-top, Jenkins says the royal fever that has suddenly gripped the nation is part of a cycle we've seen before.
"They're the new royal couple that we all really love just like the Kennedys here in the U.S. and then the Obamas of course. That was a new outlook for the U.S., when the Obamas went into office, and now we have this young couple."
Over the next few weeks, American TV crews and journalists will descend on London to cover the big day. But royal wedding buzz has already spawned hundreds of hours of TV programming: from TLC's "Extreme Royal Collections" about royal memorabilia hoarders, to a Lifetime made-for-TV movie called "William and Kate," a chronicle of their courtship. As for the ceremony itself, an estimated worldwide audience of 2.5 billion is expected to follow the event live.
Despite wall-to-wall media coverage, Robert J. Thompson, a professor of television and pop culture at Syracuse University, suspects that North Americans might not tune in en masse because the festivities start so early: 6 a.m. eastern standard time. Still, Thompson says, there is a certain fascination -- in some cases an obsession -- with Will and Kate's every move.
"Let's face it – people who barely have jobs will still spend $40,000 on their weddings. When it comes to weddings, we still go irrationally medieval. We love the idea of this Disney movie celebration thing."
The insatiable American appetite for reality programming is clear, just by flipping through the channels on any given night. But why the sudden obsession with this young couple from across the Atlantic?
Carine Krawiec, owner of Carine's Bridal Atelier and member of the Royal Wedding Experience team, thinks people are fascinated by Kate Middleton and details such as the type of fairy-tale gown she might wear. "We won't figure out who the designer is until the day of, until she walks out of that car," Krawiec explains as she gingerly steps around several mannequins wearing dresses of ivory silk and delicate lace.
The details of the royal wedding, especially Middleton's dress of choice, will be trend-setting, just as Diana's was 30 years ago, Krawiec says.
"We hope that our designers will take the look of Kate Middleton and recreate something that we could have in our stores. When Diana got married, her gown went on for a decade, the poufy sleeves. But with Kate I think it's a fresh look."
But Jenkins thinks the eager speculation and non-stop commentary isn't only about the dress and the guest list. For him, the marriage of this young, influential couple is symbolic of a broader hope for a new beginning.
"It has been a tough time for everybody. The economy has been bad, really bad. I think it [the royal wedding] is a way to brush off what has happened and look forward to the future and to better things ahead."
Jenkins' personal cure for the economic blues? A Royal Wedding Experience, of course. "We all deserve it, especially these days," he adds with a smile. "What better way to do it than having your fantasy wedding?"
