Harry And Meghan's Wedding: A Regal 8S Affair

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding took place on Saturday 19 May 2018 in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom. The groom is a member of the British royal family; the bride is American and was previously an actress. The wedding was a more intimate affair than that of Prince William and Kate Middleton, with a capacity of 800 people compared to Westminster Abbey's 2000. The ceremony was noted for its inclusion of African-American culture.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed on 19 May 2018

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor. The ceremony was an intimate affair, with a guest list of around 600 people, most of whom had a "direct relationship" with the couple. The wedding was not declared a bank holiday, as is tradition, and it took place on the same day as the FA Cup Final, which Prince Harry's brother, William, usually attends.

The bride wore a dress designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy, with a boat neckline, long sleeves, sweeping train, and a 16-foot silk veil. Her hair was styled by Serge Normant, and her makeup was done by Dior makeup artist Daniel Martin. Prince Harry wore the frock coat uniform of the Blues and Royals, with the permission of the Queen to keep his beard.

The wedding ceremony was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, David Conner, and the marriage vows were officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The wedding rings were made by Cleave and Company, with Markle's ring fashioned from Welsh gold.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds rode through the streets of Windsor in an Ascot Landau carriage, before joining 600 guests at St George's Hall for a luncheon reception hosted by the Queen. The menu included canapes and a performance by Elton John, who sang "Circle of Life". A second, more exclusive reception was hosted by Prince Charles at Frogmore House, with only 200 guests in attendance. The menu for this reception included a midnight serving of candy floss and "dirty burgers", and there was a signature cocktail with rum and ginger.

The couple delayed their honeymoon to attend various private engagements and Prince Charles' 70th birthday celebration at Buckingham Palace on 22 May, their first public appearance as a married couple.

The ceremony was held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle

St George's Chapel was founded in the 14th century by King Edward III and extensively enlarged in the late 15th century. It is a Royal Peculiar, meaning it is a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch, and it is also the Chapel of the Order of the Garter. The chapel has a capacity of 800 people, making it a more intimate space for a royal wedding than Westminster Abbey, which can hold 2,000.

The chapel is known for its Gothic architecture, particularly its magnificent stone fan vaulting. It has been the site of many royal weddings, including those of Prince Harry's uncle, the Earl of Wessex, and his cousin, Peter Phillips. The first wedding to take place in the chapel was in 1863, between the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

On the morning of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding, around 250 members of the British Armed Forces were involved, with members of the Household Cavalry forming a staircase party at the chapel. The public started to arrive at the grounds of Windsor Castle from 8 am, and the main congregation and guests began arriving at the chapel at 9:30 am. The ceremony commenced at midday and was conducted by the Dean of Windsor, with the Archbishop of Canterbury officiating as the couple exchanged their marriage vows.

The reception was hosted by the Queen at St George's Hall

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday 19 May 2018. The reception was hosted by the Queen at St George's Hall, located in Windsor Castle. The newlyweds and approximately 600 guests from the wedding congregation attended the lunchtime gathering. The reception was held in one of the most beautiful rooms in the castle, which is often used by the Queen to host formal state dinners for visiting world leaders.

St George's Hall is a historic neo-Gothic room designed in the 1820s by Sir Jeffry Wyatville. The room features intricate carvings, colourful shields on the ceiling, and artwork that celebrates the Order of the Garter, the most prestigious recognition of chivalry in Britain. The hall was badly damaged by a fire in 1992, which caused the roof to collapse and destroyed more than half of its decorative features. It took five years to restore, with architects opting for a design close to the room's original 14th-century appearance, along with modern updates such as a new hammer-beam roof made from sustainable materials.

At the reception, guests were served Pol Roger Champagne, canapés, and bowl food. There were speeches from Prince Charles and Prince Harry, and the best man, Prince William, served as compère. The wedding cake, a lemon and elderflower sponge created by Claire Ptak, was also cut at the lunchtime reception.

The reception at St George's Hall was the first of two post-ceremony celebrations. The second reception was a private evening event hosted by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall at Frogmore House, a royal residence located half a mile from Windsor Castle.

The couple's first dance was to Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on 19 May 2018 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The couple's first dance as newlyweds was to the Whitney Houston classic, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". The 1987 hit, from Houston's second studio album, "Whitney", was described by Markle as her "happy song" in a 2016 interview. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first dance was one of the many incredible highlights of the British royal wedding.

The royal couple's wedding ceremony began at 12 pm BST, followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1 pm BST. The ceremony was televised and live-streamed around the world. The couple exchanged rings made by Cleave and Company. Meghan's ring was crafted from Welsh gold, while Harry's was a platinum band.

The wedding reception was held at St. George's Hall, a state room within Windsor Castle, with approximately 600 guests in attendance. The reception was hosted by the Queen, who had also given her formal blessing to the marriage in March 2018. The menu included a lemon elderflower cake created by pastry chef Claire Ptak.

The second, evening reception was held at Frogmore House, where the couple shared their first dance as a married couple. The festival-themed celebration included uplifting party music, bespoke cocktails, a sit-down dinner, and a fireworks display. The music was curated by actor and friend Idris Elba, featuring soul-tinged tunes from the Sixties and dance hits from the Eighties.

The wedding cake was a lemon and elderflower cake

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on the 19th of May 2018. The wedding cake was a lemon and elderflower cake, a flavour chosen by the couple to reflect their spring wedding date. It was created by Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Cakes in London, who was selected to bake the cake due to her focus on seasonal and organic ingredients.

The cake was a departure from the traditional fruit cake typically served at royal weddings. Instead, the lemon and elderflower flavour was chosen to create a lighter, more refreshing taste. The cake was a sponge cake, drizzled with elderflower cordial from the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk to give it a floral flavour. The cordial was also incorporated into the frosting, balancing the sweetness of the cake with a hint of tartness.

The cake was decorated with elderflower Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with 150 fresh flowers, including British peonies and roses, Meghan's favourite flower. The display consisted of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, presented on gold ornate stands from the royal family's collection.

The cake was baked in the kitchens at Buckingham Palace by a team of six bakers, taking five days to prepare. It was then assembled at Windsor Castle on the morning of the wedding. The ingredients included 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs, 10 bottles of elderflower cordial, 44 pounds of butter, 44 pounds of flour, and 44 pounds of sugar. The cost of the cake was estimated to be around $70,000, with each slice valued at approximately $100.

Overall, the lemon and elderflower wedding cake was a unique and elegant creation, reflecting the couple's personal taste and adding a special touch to their memorable wedding day.

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