9 Things from the Royal Wedding We Can Have Too
I don’t know what you were doing on Saturday 19th May, but I was watching the Royal Wedding. I love weddings and I have a soft spot for the Royal Family, particularly the younger generations. I went all out and ate strawberries and cream while I did too. It was great!
So, if you’re planning your own royal wedding, here are a few details from the day for you to make your own.
Music
Ok, so Prince Harry and Meghan had an orchestra and choirs. While this is probably out of the budget for most of us, we can use the music they had to recreate that grand atmosphere for ourselves. Here’s the orchestral run down for you;
Salut d’Amour by Elgar
St Paul’s Suite, movement 4 by Holst
Lady Radnor’s Suite, movements 2 & 3 by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
Capriol Suites, movements2, 3 & 5 by Peter Williams
Fantasia on Greensleeves by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Serenade for Strings, movement 1 by Elgar
Chanson de Matin by Elgar
As well as hymns the choirs sang contemporary songs during the service. A gospel choir sang Stand by Me. This song deeply resonates with Prince Harry’s continual references to Meghan as his partner. They are a team and this song underlines that message.
You can use these music choices in you own weddings or as inspiration.
Carriage
They left in a carriage! If I had my time again, I’d do this too. Well, maybe! I got married in November, and we can’t guarantee the weather and temperature that late in the year. But regardless of the time of year, every bride has the choice of having a carriage and arriving like a princess.
Rings
Not every man wears a ring. Prince Harry wears a wedding band and if it’s good enough for him then there’s no reason every other married man shouldn’t have one either. It’s the ultimate symbol of commitment.
No Wedding Gifts
Guests at the wedding had a choice; they could give a present or donate to charity, with the happy couple providing a list of charities to make things easier. We’ve looked at alternatives to wedding gifts here and I still think charities is one of the best ones. If there’s nothing you need why not share your good fortune?
Flower Girls and Page Boys
There were no adult bridesmaids. Meghan has so many good friends that choosing bridesmaids and a maid of honour was a difficult one. So, she opted to have flower girls. The daughters of her friends, Prince Harry’s goddaughters, and of course, Princess Charlotte. If you’re in a similar situation, with so many great friends and you don’t want to offend any of them, have flower girls instead.
And don’t forget the boys. Meghan had Prince George as one of her page boys which made the whole service very family orientated and inclusive.
Vows
Meghan didn’t say “To love, honour, and obey.” Neither did I. You shouldn’t tell lies in church.
It goes back to team work and mutual respect. I didn’t say it because my husband doesn’t need to order me to do something, we discuss things because we are a team. Don’t assume you have to say obey. You don’t. You have a choice.
Flowers
We’ve covered flowers before. The Royal couple chose roses and peonies and used locally sourced and seasonal flowers, trees, and foliage. This one is easy. Support the local businesses who use local growers and nurseries, and only pick what’s in season. There’s a list of Capesthorne’s suppliers and partners here.
Cake
We’ve also looked at cakes before but who doesn’t enjoying thinking about cake? In a break from traditional fruit cake, the flavour was lemon and elderflower. Find our blog on 25 unique wedding cake flavours here for some inspiration.
Dress
I’m finishing with the dress because Meghan’s dress was a powerful statement. Designed by Clare Waight Keller, Givenchy’s artistic director, it is a simple dress. No great adornments, no elaborate design. It is elegant, understated, beautifully designed. Breath-taking is the word I’m stumbling towards.
I love this dress because it isn’t about the dress. It’s about the woman in the dress. She is the focus. Don’t be upstaged by your dress. Be confident in yourself.
So there you have it, 9 things from the royal wedding every bride can have.
