The mantra for female TV presenters charged with winning the battle of the broadcasters was: get ahead, get a scene-stealing outfit.
ITV1 Daybreak's Christine Bleakley started off the fashion parade with a sexy royal purple number. Pity Kate Garraway, who was over at the pub in her namesake's home village of Bucklebury, looked a floral fright in an inappropriate jumpsuit with girlie pink flowers in her hair.
Not to be upstaged by their commercial rivals the Beeb's front women went all out with Sophie Raworth sporting a figure-flattering tangerine number while earnest Fiona Bruce looked hot in a cheery red suit.
Equally earnest but not such a style hottie, Huw Edwards concerned himself with the weather.
Looking nervously at the skies he repeatedly asked weather girl Carole for reassurance that rain would be kept at bay and she obliged with a sunny smile.
While the TV fashionistas were smiling how typical that Victoria Beckham should let the side down - looking like a bull dog chewing a wasp as usual. Even Sky Sports News, the channel where sports fans hoped to escape the proceedings had to stomach her Sourpussness - because, of course, her hubby is football royalty.
Relief was tangible across the networks when the celebs started arriving so reporters didn't have to keep talking to the crowds in Hyde Park including kiwi Moya from Christchurch who, when asked by Daybreak's bouncy sports presenter, Dan Lobb, if she was enjoying herself, tartly replied: "Well at least it's better than an earthquake".
Groundbreaking news. All invited guests had a seat in the Abbey: "It's not Ryanair you know." Really?
ITV1's Mary Nightingale's style expert pals included Piers Morgan's wife Celia Walden who, upon seeing Earl Spencer and his latest squeeze, informed us that the Earl hadn't brought his children with him. She neglected to notice two of them standing right behind him.
Mary didn't need "style experts" with Phillip Schofield around. He is very much in touch with his feminine side after 10 years of doing This Morning and spoke for the nation when Kate turned up. "If you imagined a fairytale princess wearing the fairytale dress is that the dress you would have imagined? I think it might have been." Spot on Phil!
When it comes to filling in the hours with gravitas and tittle tattle leave it to the broadcasting big guns. But the funniest moments for viewers are the ones that guarantee themselves a future slot on a Harry Hill show.
So take a bow ITN news anchor Mark Austin who looked absolutely horrified when surrounded by group of Manchester guides who insisted on him wearing one of their scarves. Scary. That's the problem with real people, they're so, well, real!
Verdict: A princely Phillip Schofield won it for ITV
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I kept flicking back between BBC and ITV but preferred the BBC coverage in the main. One annoying problem was whoever was commentating when the guests arrived at the Abbey clearly had no idea who any of them were (Ian Thorpe Olympic legend anyone) and simply yakked on endlessly about the women's hats.
Absolute codswallop. the whole lot of them. i heard one commentator say 'and the policeman is looking at his watch!' Then he said 'the police officer on his bike has one foot on the ground and one on his bike!'
All you commentators are an insult to the intelligence. Please note that sometimes less is more. I know it may be hard for you to believe Mr Schofield et al, but people have tuned in to watch the wedding and NOT to listen to your inane drive.
Here, here to Phillip Schofield and ITV they don't know how to cover football but today they surpassed themselves BBC had two brilliant presenters in Fiona, Sophie but Huw Edwards as a presenter is terrible he has a voice that drones. I watched the ITV and they treated it like a fun time to broadcast such an event and it outclassed the beeb, obviously Mark Austin is not use to mixing with people he did look lost but never the less ITV were the tops.
As one of the group of 'Guides' who Neckered Mark Austin, I'd like to point out that for the last ten years, Scouts has allowed girls in and we were one such group.