Harry's Mountain Wedding Time

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday 19 May 2018 at 12 pm BST in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The ceremony began at noon, with the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury marrying the couple in front of 600 guests. The newlyweds then embarked on a carriage procession through Windsor town before returning to the castle for a lunchtime reception hosted by the Queen. The wedding broke with several traditions, including the choice of a weekend date and an untraditional cake.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, May 19, 2018, in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The date was unusual for a British royal wedding, as they are traditionally held on weekdays. The ceremony began at 12 p.m. BST, with the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating.

The choice of date was notable for another reason, too: it clashed with the FA Cup Final, which Prince Harry's brother, William, normally attends in his role as President of the Football Association.

The wedding was a fairytale affair, with a traditional ceremony and a luncheon reception hosted by the Queen, followed by a private evening celebration. The bride and groom exchanged vows in front of 600 guests, before embarking on a carriage procession through Windsor.

The wedding was a break with tradition in several ways. It was held on a Saturday, rather than a weekday. It was not declared a bank holiday, unlike some previous royal weddings. And it took place at Windsor Castle, rather than the more grand Westminster Abbey.

The wedding also incorporated elements of African-American culture, with a gospel choir singing "Stand By Me" and the couple walking out to Etta James's "This Little Light of Mine", a song symbolic of American civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s.

The couple's wedding invitations were traditional, featuring the three-feathered badge of Prince Charles in gold ink. And the dress code for guests was "Dress Uniform, Morning Coat or Lounge Suit" for men, and "Day Dress and Hat" for women.

The bride's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. It featured a boat neckline, long sleeves, and a sweeping train. Her veil was 16 feet long and embroidered with flowers representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as Wintersweet and the California Poppy.

The groom, meanwhile, wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, with permission from the Queen. He also wore the rank of Major, with various medals and ribbons.

The wedding was a star-studded affair, with A-list guests including George and Amal Clooney, David and Victoria Beckham, Serena Williams, and Oprah Winfrey.

The wedding's location

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, located within the grounds of Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom.

St George's Chapel has been the site of numerous royal weddings, including those of Queen Victoria's children, and is the final resting place of several monarchs, including King George VI, the Queen Mother Elizabeth, and King Edward VII.

The royal family announced that they would pay for the wedding, with the costs for the cake, the florist, and the catering estimated at £50,000, £110,000, and £286,000, respectively. The overall cost was expected to be around £32 million, with security costs estimated to be between £2 million and £4 million.

The wedding invitations specified a dress code for men of "Dress Uniform, Morning Coat, or Lounge Suit", and for women, "Day Dress and Hat". The ceremony began at 12:00 pm BST, with around 600 guests in attendance.

The ceremony

The couple exchanged vows from Common Worship, promising to "have and to hold" each other from their wedding day forward, "for better, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health". Meghan did not promise to "obey" Harry, which was also true of Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. The wedding rings were created by Cleave and Company, with Meghan's ring made from Welsh gold and Harry's from platinum. After the signing of the registers, the couple sang the national anthem with their guests. They then shared a kiss on the steps outside the chapel before embarking on a 1 p.m. carriage procession through Windsor town.

The reception

Elton John performed at the lunch reception, playing several songs for the newlyweds, including "Tiny Dancer," which he dedicated to Meghan. Harry also gave an impromptu speech at the event.

A second, more intimate reception was held later in the day at Frogmore House, hosted by Prince Charles for the couple and their 200 closest friends. The menu included baked potatoes, pork belly, and meringue for dessert. George Clooney served cocktails, and Idris Elba served as the DJ. The couple's first dance was to the tune of "Land of 1000 Dances." Both Harry and Meghan gave speeches, breaking tradition in the latter case.

The guest list

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was a star-studded affair, with 600 guests in attendance at St. George's Chapel, and over 2,000 others on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Relatives of the groom

Relatives of the bride

The bride's mother, Doria Ragland, was in attendance, as well as the groom's maternal aunt, Baroness Fellowes, who read a scripture lesson during the service.

Members of reigning and non-reigning royal families

Friends of the couple

The couple's famous friends and notable guests included:

• Patrick J. Adams, the bride's Suits co-star, and his wife, Troian Bellisario
• David Beckham, English former professional footballer, and his wife, Victoria Beckham, an English singer and fashion designer
• James Blunt, British singer-songwriter, and his wife, Sofia Wellesley, granddaughter of the 8th Duke of Wellington
• Priyanka Chopra, Indian actress and model, and a friend of the bride
• George Clooney, American actor, and his wife, Amal Clooney, friends of the couple
• James Corden, British talk show host, and his wife, Julia Carey, a TV producer
• Idris Elba, British actor, and his fiancée, Sabrina Dhowre
• Nacho Figueras, professional polo player, and his wife, Delfina Blaquier
• Tom Hardy, British actor, and his wife, Charlotte Riley
• Elton John, family friend of the groom, and his husband, David Furnish
• Serena Williams, professional tennis player and long-time friend of the bride, and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, founder of Reddit
• Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host

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