Local wedding party complete with a Kate and a royal program

Many Pittsburghers this morning joined in on the royal celebrations by hosting their own viewing parties.

Today is Kate Weiland’s 52nd birthday, and to mark the occasion she invited about 10 friends to her duplex on Mount Washington for a viewing slumber party.

She printed up a program and each guest had a title — Maid of No Honor: “Lady Cynthia Medfisch of Brighton Heights;”  Disgruntled Ex of Kate: “Countess Theresa Kist of Carnegie” — with special instructions on how to behave when meeting the Queen.

Guests wore hats and one friend wore Ms. Weiland’s old wedding dress, now cut down to be a mini party dress. There was plenty of champagne on hand.

In Pleasant Hills, Altman’s Tavern on Old Clairton Road opened its doors at 6 a.m., offering complimentary wedding cake and tea. On the intinerary was a Best Hat contest and everyone attending could enter to win a replica of the Royal Engagement Ring.

“I’m a bit into this whole thing,” party host June Brandt said earlier this week about the tavern party. “You mean everybody doesn’t have a life-size cutout of the royal couple in their living room?”

There was a party under way, too, at Nicole Ionadi’s home in Oakland, although guests by early morning were a bit groggy. The 22-year-old University of Pittsburgh senior majoring in finance, and her roommates — buddies since middle school — invited friends from Pitt.

“We are interested in the royal wedding because it’s every girl’s dream to marry a prince and become a princess, especially in the British royal family,” she said.

“We also find Kate Middleton to be relatable since she isn’t royalty and has the chance to maybe be queen one day.”