Harry And Meghan's Wedding: Date Confirmed

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding date was Saturday, May 19, 2018. The couple tied the knot at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, with the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom at the altar. The ceremony was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor and two receptions: a luncheon hosted by the Queen, and an intimate evening affair hosted by the Prince of Wales. The wedding broke with several royal traditions, including the choice of a weekend date, the cake flavour, and the absence of a balcony kiss.

The wedding date and time

The wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took place on Saturday, 19 May 2018, at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, in the United Kingdom. The ceremony commenced at 12:00 midday BST (7:00 a.m. ET) and was followed by a carriage procession through Windsor at 1:00 p.m. BST (8:00 a.m. ET).

The wedding date was unusual as it fell on a Saturday. Historically, British royal weddings have been held on weekdays. For example, Prince William and Kate Middleton were married on a Friday, while Prince Charles and Princess Diana were married on a Wednesday. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, on the other hand, exchanged vows on a Thursday.

The choice of a weekend date for the wedding may have been influenced by the fact that it coincided with the FA Cup Final, which Prince Harry's brother, William, normally attends in his role as President of the Football Association. It was confirmed that the Duke of Cambridge would not be attending the final that day.

The timing of the wedding was also a break with royal tradition, as royal weddings typically take place during the daytime, with the ceremony commencing in the morning.

Meghan's wedding dress

Meghan Markle's wedding dress was designed by British designer Clare Waight Keller for the fashion house Givenchy. The dress epitomised "a timeless minimal elegance" with "sleek lines and sharp cuts", according to Kensington Palace. The dress was made of double-bonded silk cady with an underskirt in triple silk organza, a boat neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a sweeping train. The dress was simple and elegant, without lace or other embellishments.

The veil was perhaps the most striking part of the ensemble. At 16 feet (4.9 m) long, it featured a variety of flowers embroidered on its hem, representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, as well as wintersweet from Kensington Palace and the California poppy, the state flower of California, Meghan's home state. The veil also featured crops of wheat, symbolising love and charity, and was secured by a tiara borrowed from the Queen's collection.

The dress was kept a closely guarded secret until the wedding day, with Waight Keller unable to tell anyone that she had been chosen as the designer. The designer and Meghan worked closely together, with Meghan sharing that she had a very clear vision of what she wanted. The dress was manufactured in Paris by a small team of ateliers, with only five months to complete it.

The dress was well-received by some, with Elizabeth Emanuel, co-designer of Princess Diana's wedding gown, commenting that Waight Keller should be pleased as Meghan looked "absolutely stunning and beautiful". However, it also received mixed reviews from the public, with some describing it as "boring" and "ill-fitting".

The wedding rings

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding rings were crafted by court jewellers Cleave and Company. Markle's ring was made from a piece of Welsh gold gifted by Queen Elizabeth II, continuing a royal tradition that began with the Queen Mother's wedding in 1923. Harry's ring, on the other hand, was made of platinum with a textured finish, marking a departure from the classic Welsh gold usually favoured by the royal family.

Harry's decision to wear a wedding ring at all was also unusual for a male member of the royal family. While his father, Prince Charles, wears a wedding band, he wears it on his pinky finger, and his brother, Prince William, does not wear one at all. Harry's choice to wear a ring, and to wear it on his ring finger, was seen as a reflection of his modern approach to his role as a royal.

The wedding cake

The cake was made with 200 Amalfi lemons, 500 organic eggs from Suffolk, and plenty of butter, flour, and sugar. The cake was soaked with 10 bottles of Sandringham Elderflower Cordial, made from flowers harvested at one of Queen Elizabeth's private homes, which gave the cake a floral flavour and balanced the sweetness.

The cake was made up of two single-tiered cakes and one two-tiered cake, displayed on ornate gold stands from the royal family's collection. The cakes were frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream and adorned with 150 fresh flowers.

The cake was estimated to have cost $70,000.

The guest list

The British royals were well-represented at the wedding, with notable family members in attendance, including Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Charles, and Queen Elizabeth II. Prince Harry's aunt, Baroness Fellowes, added a touching moment by reading a scripture lesson from The Song of Solomon.

Several A-list celebrities graced the event with their presence. Meghan's friends Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, and her "Suits" co-stars, including Abigail Spencer, Gabriel Macht, and Patrick J. Adams, attended the ceremony. Prince Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas and Chelsy Davy, were also among the guests.

The wedding saw the coming together of several famous couples, such as George and Amal Clooney, Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford, and Victoria and David Beckham. Other celebrities in attendance included Idris Elba, who served as the DJ for the evening, and Elton John, who performed at the daytime luncheon. Oprah Winfrey and James Corden were also part of the star-studded guest list.

The wedding ceremony and reception at St. George's Hall were not open to the public, but the royal couple invited approximately 1,200 members of the public to greet them outside St. George's Chapel and be a part of the celebration.

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