From elaborate bridal fabrics and wedding bouquets brimming with symbolism to the picture-perfect first kiss, here are the key royal wedding traditions to expect at the forthcoming royal wedding!
A royal wedding usually takes place on a weekday and that day is normally a bank holiday. But Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are the first couple to tie the knot on a Saturday. Spoiler alert: the couple will keep many old customs but also add some new ones!
The wedding dress of a royal bride should feature long sleeves and possibly elaborate floral embroideries. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a gown embellished with roses, daffodils, thistles and shamrocks to represent England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. And as for the tradition of wearing British designers, we may be surprised because there are rumours that Meghan’s dress was created by Australian designers Ralph & Russo!
The groom’s suit is normally a military uniform and we expect to see Harry wearing one! All royal grooms have served in the armed forces and hence they all wore their uniforms along with medals they have been awarded.
The wedding rings of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, The Queen, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne and Diana, Princess of Wales were all made from the same nugget of Welsh gold, but the details of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s rings will be released on their big day.
www.westminster-abbey.org
A wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey is a preferred choice of royal couples as the Queen, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince William all had their weddings there. However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will have a ceremony on the grounds of Windsor Castle.
Prince Carl Philip & Princess Sofia of Sweden
A wedding tiara is a must for every royal bride and it is normally borrowed from the family collection. Will Meghan wear one of them even though she isn’t a princess? We can’t wait to see her bridal accessories.
The wedding bouquet has to contain a sprig of myrtle cut from the bush that was grown from Queen Victoria’s original sprig at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Myrtle represents love, fertility and innocence.
Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson
Wedding transport for the royal newly-weds is usually a horse-drawn carriage! Just like many of their predecessors, Prince Harry and his wife will have a ride in an Ascot Landau carriage pulled by Windsor Grey Horses after the ceremony.
The wedding cake is traditionally an alcohol-infused fruit cake, but Prince Harry and his fiancé decided to have a lemon and elderflower cake with buttercream frosting and elaborate floral decorations.
The first kiss on the balcony was a must for many royal couples including Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Prince Charles and Diana and Prince William and Kate. Will Prince Harry kiss his future wife after the ceremony? There won’t be a balcony, but they might kiss on the West Steps!
Princess Elizabeth & Prince Philip
The wedding photos have long been captured by official photographers, and they are normally being taken between the ceremony and reception. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have chosen Alexi Lubomirski to be their official wedding photographer.