1. The Date
On Dec. 15, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan and Harry will tie the knot on Saturday, May 19, 2018.
Other notable May weddings in the British royal family: Princess Margaret and Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones (May 6, 1960) and Peter Phillips (Princess Anne’s son) and Autumn Kelly (May 17, 2008).
2. The Time
On Feb. 12, 2018, Kensington Palace announced that Meghan and Harry’s wedding ceremony will begin at 12 p.m. London time (7 a.m. EST; 4 a.m. PST), followed by a carriage procession one hour later around Windsor Town. The couple will also celebrate with a reception at St. George’s Hall, according to the Palace.
3. The Photographer
Meghan and Harry announced via Kensington Palace on April 13 that Alexi Lubomirski will be taking official photos at Windsor Castle following the wedding ceremony. Lubomirski is the same photographer who snapped the gorgeous engagement photos of the couple at Frogmore House.
4. The Ceremony
Bishop Michael Bruce Curry will give the wedding address, Dean of Windsor, the Rt. Revd. David Conner will conduct the Service, and the Most Revd. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, will officiate Meghan and Harry’s marriage vows.
5. The Cake
On March 20, 2018, Kensington Palace announced the Harry and Meghan asked pastry chef Claire Ptak of Violet Cakes in London to make their wedding cake, which will be a lemon elderflower creation “that will incorporate the bright flavors of spring.” (So, not the previously rumored banana cake. Too bad.) The cake will be covered with buttercream and adorned with fresh flowers. Meghan and the pastry chef have a special connection: she was previously interviewed for Meghan’s lifestyle site The Tig.
6. The Flowers
On April 1, 2018, Kensington Palace announced that London-based Philippa Craddock has been hired to provide everything floral on May 19th.
Craddock, who is self-taught, will locally source flowers from the Crown Estate and Windsor Great Park gardens to decorate both St. George’s Chapel and St. George’s Hall. While it’s unclear what exact flowers will be used for the big day, flowers that bloom naturally in May include branches of beech, birch, hornbeam, white garden roses, foxgloves, and Meghan’s favorite, peonies.
7. The Dress
Meghan is said to wear two gowns for her wedding – more conservative style for the church ceremony and a glamorous one for the reception party.
Ahead of a Suits episode in 2016, when her character Rachel Zane wore a wedding dress, Meghan spoke to Glamour to talk all things well, wedding dresses. At the time, Meghan revealed that she’s “a lot more relaxed” than her character but that she loved the low ballerina inspired neckline on Rachel’s dress.
8. The Music
On April 24, Kensington Palace confirmed Meghan and Harry’s plans for their service music. According to an announcement, the couple took “a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their service,” which will include several “well-known hymns and choral works” under James Vivian, Director of Music at St. George’s Chapel.
Among the performers is 19-year-old cello prodigy Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who confirmed that Meghan personally called to ask him to play.
9. The Cost
As noted in the official announcement, the Royal Family will take care of Meghan and Harry’s wedding bill. For comparison, Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 2011 wedding cost an estimated $34 million, with $32 million going to security alone (via CBS News).
10. The Food
According to PEOPLE, Meghan and Harry have tasted and approved the wedding reception menu from the kitchens at Windsor Castle.
The couple’s 600 wedding guests will be served bowls of food and canapés prepared with classical seasonal produce from the Queen’s royal estates. The canapés are meant to be consumed in two bites while the bowls are to be eaten standing up.
Mark Flanagan, the royal chef who’s leading the kitchen crew on the big day, told reporters, “The day of the wedding has fallen very kindly for us. All the British vegetables are just coming into season. That’s been a point of focus for us.”
11. The Location
According to Kensington Palace, Meghan and Harry will say “I Do” at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Harry was christened when he was three months old in 1984.
According to The Guardian, the chapel holds about 800 guests compared to Westminster Abbey’s 2,000, where Harry’s cousin Peter Phillips tied the knot there with his Canadian bride, Autumn Kelly, in 2008. St. George’s Chapel is also where Harry’s father, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, held their televised religious blessings after their civil ceremony in 2005.
