Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s royal wedding is almost here!
As they gear up for their upcoming spring nuptials, ET’s breaking down everything you need to know about their special day. From what time to set your alarm to what their cake will taste like, we’ve got you covered with a complete guide to what’s sure to be the biggest event of the year for the royal family and their fans.
When is the wedding?: Saturday, May 19
Where are they getting married?: Meghan and Harry will say “I do” at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, England.
What time is everything happening?: The day will start with a church service, which will begin precisely at 12 p.m. GMT (that’s 7 a.m. for the East Coasters, and 4 a.m. for all of you on Pacific Standard Time). One hour later, the public will get their first glimpse of Meghan and Harry as newlyweds when they take a carriage procession from the chapel along the High Street and through Windsor Town before returning to Windsor Castle. Later, Meghan and Harry will attend two separate receptions.
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How many people were invited?: Approximately 600 guests were invited to both the service at St. George’s Chapel and a lunchtime reception at St. George’s Hall, which will be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. Around 200 guests were also invited to the private reception Prince Charles will host at Frogmore House.
Who’s on the guest list?: While we’re still awaiting the official list of attendees, we’re expecting a slew of celebrities to attend Meghan and Harry’s nuptials, including the Spice Girls, David Beckham, Elton John, Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra and the actress’ Suits co-stars. We also have our fingers crossed that Rihanna, Cara Delevingne, Margot Robbie and Barack and Michelle Obama will be on hand to watch the lovebirds say “I do.”
Who’s in the wedding party?: As the nuptials gear closer, we’re starting to get more information about who may be standing by Meghan and Harry’s side as they exchange vows. We already know Prince William will stand in as Harry’s best man (though he joked he has yet to be asked!), and a source tells ET that there’s a few ladies who could serve as the brunette beauty’s maid of honor.
“Lindsay Roth is her best friend from Northwestern [University], Heather Dorak [her Pilates instructor] from Los Angeles and [stylist] Jessica Mulroney are her closest friends,” the source says. “Meghan served as Lindsay’s maid of honor when she was married a year ago.”
Who are the page boys/flower girls?: Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, would be filling these roles. But this month we learned that Meghan and Harry may be including a few other children on their special day. A source believes Jessica and Ben Mulroney’s daughter, Ivy, could join Charlotte as a flower girl, as well as Benita Litt’s daughters, whom Meghan once referred to as her “fairy goddaughters” on her Instagram page. As for kids on Harry’s side, the source says his mentor, Mark Dyer, has a young son that could potentially be a page boy. The source also believes Harry will include his cousins’ kids — Zara Tindall’s daughter, Mia, and Peter Phillips’ daughters, Isla and Savannah.
Will there be ushers?: Yes. Seeing as hundreds of guests are expected to attend, Meghan and Harry will certainly need help ushering people into St. George’s Chapel. “Harry has several close friends since childhood who all could serve as ushers,” the source reveals. “Charlie and Tom van Straubenzee, Tom Inskip, Guy Pelly, Adam Bidwell and Arthur Landon, along with Mark Dyer, are among Harry’s very closest friends. William, of course, will be Harry’s best man, despite joking that he hadn’t been asked yet.”
What does Meghan’s wedding ring look like?: Meghan’s ring is truly one of a kind, as Harry commissioned the triad design himself! It includes two side diamonds with a larger center stone, all in a yellow gold setting (reportedly Meghan’s favorite). The smaller diamonds on the band are from the personal collection of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, while the main stone is from Botswana, the site of their earliest vacation together, and a country Harry often visits. The custom sparkler, pictured below, is valued at a reported $66,750.
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What type of dress will she wear while walking down the aisle?: To be determined! Information about Meghan’s wedding gown has been kept under tight wraps, but we do know that Jessica flew to London earlier this year to help her friend choose a dress designer. ET recently caught up with celebrity designer Mark Zunino. Though he’s not sure who’s creating the custom dress — “I’m trying to get it out of Jessica!” — he estimates Meghan’s gown will cost “at least $100,000 or more.”
“You know, [it will cost] $100,000 to $300,000, because she’s going to showcase everyone: herself, her family, his family, the country, our country, Canada. She’s representing everything,” Zunino shared. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she picked a Canadian designer, but something that is either her roots or respectful to the country that she’s marrying into.”
Perhaps Meghan will pick a similar style to this gorgeous Anne Barge number she wore in an episode of Suits?
Do the guests have to follow a dress code?: Yes. As the official invitations revealed, anyone attending Meghan and Harry’s wedding is expected to dress in uniform, a morning coat, lounge suit or a day dress with a hat, like this one Kate Middleton wore at Zara Phillips’ wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011:
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What type of cake are they serving?: Pastry chef Claire Ptak is baking a cake that’s perfect for spring! Kensington Palace revealed the dessert will have a lemon elderflower flavor and be “covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.”
Just like Meghan, Claire is originally from California, but now lives in London. She opened up her own shop, Violet Bakery, in 2010, and was previously featured on Meghan’s lifestyle blog, The Tig, before she shut it down due to royal etiquette.
Hear more on everything we know about the royal wedding (so far!) in the video below. And be sure to keep up with all of ET’s coverage of the royal family right here as we count down to May 19.
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