Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter, Zara Phillips, married England rugby star Mike Tindall

Britain's swells broke out their funny hats for another royal wedding Saturday as Queen Elizabeth II's eldest granddaughter, Zara Phillips, married England rugby star Mike Tindall in Edinburgh, Scotland. The royal wedding is the second Britain has seen this year, but this affair was not accompanied by the pomp and circumstance that Prince William and Kate Middleton enjoyed in April.

The nuptials of Phillips, 30, and Tindall, 32, are expected to be far more low-key than William's wedding in late April, which was watched live on television throughout much of the world. Phillips, who does not carry a royal title — and Tindall prefer to stay out of the limelight when they are not competing, and the wedding has been organized to reflect their desires.

A regal supporting cast is expected as the queen leads her extended brood to Edinburgh, Scotland for the private festivities. Prince William and Kate Middleton, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are expected, along with Prince Harry (still single) and bright lights from Britain's sports and show business worlds.

"It's the complete opposite end of the royal wedding spectrum," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine. "William and Zara are both the queen's grandchildren: He's got the title, he's going to be the monarch, but Zara thinks of herself more as a sportswoman than as a royal."

The couple seem very different from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Phillips is a casual, understated and sporty woman who doesn't mind drinking beer from a bottle in public from time to time; Tindall is a powerful standout in rugby, the quintessential (and sometimes brutal) English sport. Phillips has a lovely, unlined face, while Tindall's visage reflects the rigors of his sport.

While the couple is seeking privacy in the days before the wedding — which will include a cocktail party Friday night aboard the former royal yacht Britannia, which has been hired for the occasion — London's tabloids have been tailing the couple whenever possible, seeking out crucial details, such as who is doing Phillips' nails.

For a woman once dubbed a 'wild child', Zara Phillips looked wonderfully grownup at her wedding, in an ivory gown designed by her grandmother's favourite couturier, Stewart Parvin.

The bridal dress was as modest and appropriate as you would expect from such a safe pair of hands: full-skirted in silk faille and duchess satin, with a chevron pleated corseted bodice, and a fine tulle veil.

All in all, an apparently jolly gathering of family and friends in the Scottish sunshine, that will do much to enhance this year's freshened appearance of the steady Royal firm.