In this week's edition: What will Pippa wear, who will style Kate's hair, will William don a ring, what does the couple with everything really need, and finally, a celebratory cocktail.

Maid of honour's dress revealed

A three hour visit to British designer Alice Temperley's London showroom by Pippa Middleton and her mother Carole last week has British media wondering if Pippa will be sporting a local design when she stands up for her sister on April 29th. Both sisters are Temperley fans and further speculation is that Kate has commissioned a dress from the designer, designated to be her Buckingham Palace wedding reception outfit. It's also rumoured that Bruce Oldfield will design Carole Middleton's dress.

Styling Kate's locks

It's a wedding day treat for brides to have their hair done for the special occasion and the princess-to-be has no less than six of them working on her tresses for her big day. The Daily Mail confirms that the Middleton family hairdressers, Richard Ward and James Pryce, will be joined by four senior stylists at the Goring Hotel in Belgravia, a hotel salon near Buckingham Palace. Kate has already had a practice run at her wedding hairdo and is reportedly very happy with the results.

Wedding rings

BBC reports that after the engagement announcement, Queen Elizabeth presented Prince William with some gold from Clogau St David's mine, used to make the wedding bands of the Queen, Queen Mother and Princess Diana. William is meant to create Kate's wedding ring from this gold. As for William's ring, a spokesman for St. James Palace revealed that the Prince has chosen not to wear a wedding ring. This break with tradition is ruffling some feathers among commentators and the general public in Britain. However, it's not the first time this has happened; Prince Charles wears a band, but his father, the Duke of Edinburgh does not.

Wedding gifts

William and Kate have set up a charitable gift fund that includes wildlife and environment protection agencies; children's arts and sports funds, military services and home and family care. That doesn't mean, however, that they don't have a wedding gift list that they've given to friends and family. The Daily Mail reports that, though there are few details, the couple is asking for help setting up their cottage in Anglesey, South Wales, where they will live to be close to Prince William's RAF base.

Royal cocktails

London-brand Beefeater has created a Royal Punch to commemorate William and Kate. The popular liquor company is not the first to come up with the idea but Beefeater's recipe gives a nod to North American royal watchers by adding lemonade, not commonly taken by the British) to the mix. Other ingredients are Dubonnet, to mark the Queen's enjoyment of the drink as an aperitif, and pomegranate juice which represents marriage. See recipe below.

Beefeater Royal Punch ingredients:

  • 2 parts Beefeater London Dry Gin
  • 1 part Dubonnet
  • 1 part pomegranate juice
  • 2 parts fresh lemonade
  • Angostura bitters to taste