On July 29th, 1981, Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles were married in what was globally hailed as the "wedding of the century". Breaking the tradition of using Westminster Abbey, the couple chose to have the wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral to accommodate their 3500 guests and to allow for a longer, more spectacular carriage procession through the streets of London. An estimated 750 milion people in 74 countries tuned in to watch the broadcast, while 600,000 spectators lined the route to catch a glimpse of the 20-year-old bride. The ceremony was also notable for a modern touch, as at the couple's request, Diana was the first royal bride to omit the word "obey" from her wedding vows. The wedding cost a whopping $48 million (around $137 million today), with a majority of the budget dedicated to the massive security operation required for the public event.
