It seems pretty clear that the Royal Wedding 2011 is shrouded in a London fog of hype and significant saturation in the mainstream media. Even women are starting to tire of the British wedding bliss and that's saying something since weddings, especially those of royalty, tend to be chick things.

Let's face it. After guys pick their groomsmen, the band/music and plan their bachelor party and honeymoon, most weddings are planned mainly by, and for, women, which is fine and as it should be. Most men just want a decent meal, a memorable toast and care more about flowing drinks than flowing gowns.

"Guys don't do fluff when it comes to weddings," said Chet Parker of the Wedding Centre in West Allis. "The brides drive the whole industry and the guys just do what they're told, which is usually food, beer, tuxes and the honeymoon." Parker and Heims Bridal in Greenfield both said that their stores had not seen any interest in the Royal Wedding and are focused on proms and local weddings right now.

Now, back to why I think there is an angle of interest for men when it comes to the royal wedding between Prince William of Wales and Catherine Middleton. OnMilwaukee.com blogger Dave Begel touched on our connection to the U.K. earlier this week when he noted that "these are our antecedents and most stalwart ally in the world. Plus, this is the stuff of history."

While it's easy to blow off the royal wedding and anything else having to do with the British monarchy as total fluff, the erstwhile power of the English crown is essentially the main reason this country was founded. So, there's a reason why guys might care.

While many women are caught up in the royal wedding romance like the dresses, gowns, rings and flowers, it is British politics and intrigue that are of more interest to men. It's why men like British movies "shaken, not stirred," whether it's "Braveheart," "The King's Speech" or "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," as opposed to "Wuthering Heights," "Georgy Girl" or "Shakespeare in Love."

A more analytical, yet slightly tabloid, historical perspective comes from Timothy McMahon, associate history professor at Marquette University. He noted that weddings in the royal family not only perpetuate the blood lines, but are also part of what is essentially a family business.

"The wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton actually brings these two themes together," McMahon said. "He is second in line to the throne, of course, so a future king, but is also the son of a famously scandalous couple, whose mother (Princess Diana) was in some ways vilified by the Establishment because she used her celebrity for charitable causes. She went rogue before the term was fashionable."

As for the couple of the day and their wedding, McMahon noted that all is well, for now.

"William has been much steadier, much more of a family man, and has the aura of the popular Queen's blessing and the late Princess's popularity," he said. "His bride is a commoner, which appeals to the public, and she carries herself gracefully. I expect this to be a spectacle that will be watched more closely than any royal event since Diana's funeral."

A reason for both men and women in Milwaukee to care about the royal wedding is that it's an excuse to party. And, it doesn't take much for Milwaukeeans to break out the wine, cheese and some strong British beer like Boddington's or Newcastle. However, the timing of the British nuptials doesn't seem very conducive to parties here.

Milwaukee certainly has its share of German, Irish and Italian European heritage, but still maintains a British influence in some areas, especially taverns. One of the city's most well-known restaurants with a British theme is John Hawk's Pub in the heart of Downtown. Brian Ward of John Hawk's (Ward also own's Wards House of Prime) said that the royal wedding is a topic of bar talk these days, but there are no plans to watch it live.

"We talked about it," Ward said, "but it starts at 3 a.m. and we can't open and serve liquor until 7 a.m., so that doesn't work. It's something people are talking about though, especially how much money they're spending on it."

As for the endless media coverage, remember that television is a business: it wouldn't be on unless people were watching. So, whether it's the romance, the history, the party or none of the above, Milwaukeeans and the rest of us can get back to things more American and local like the Brewers, Summerfest and State Fair when the royal wedding and all its hype are over after this weekend.