Everything Meghan and Harry had at their wedding that you can still shop today
Fancy giving your wedding the royal seal of approval? Read on
On 19 May 2018, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stood at the altar in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and exchanged their vows in one of the biggest royal weddings the nation has ever seen. An estimated 1.9 billion people watched the ceremony, with intense scrutiny on every single detail of the day, from the fashion to the flowers.
Fast forward three years, and the world – both for the royals, and the rest of us – looks staggeringly different. Not only have Harry and Meghan uprooted and left their titles behind in favour of a life away from the royal spotlight, we’ve endured a global pandemic and, subsequently, the weddings of yesteryear – however big the audience may have been – feel like a distant memory.
However, that doesn’t mean we can’t get a little bit nostalgic about the beautiful May day when we all tuned in from our living rooms and local pubs. With restrictions gently easing, perhaps we can even fantasise about injecting a bit of regal glamour into our own forthcoming nuptials too.
It’s not as out of reach as you might expect budget-wise, either – while some items were, naturally, bespoke couture, others rumoured to have played a part in Meghan and Harry’s celebrations start from less than £30.
For those soon to tie the knot, or anyone who, like us, can’t resist a behind-the-scenes peek at one of the biggest royal bashes in history, here’s a rundown of the products that were reportedly present at the royal wedding. Add them to your upcoming ceremony or simply swoon from afar – the choice is yours.
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The dress
Meghan’s first wedding dress, with its signature boat neckline and long sleeves, was custom Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy. Sadly, its one-of-a-kind nature means you’ll never be able to get an exact match.
Stella McCartney stretch crepe halterneck gown: £3,500, Net-a-porter.com
You can, however, still snap up limited sizes in Meghan’s stunning reception dress, a £3,500 Stella McCartney halterneck with a train hem and column silhouette.
Asos Edition ottilie alter applique and embroidered wedding dress with fishtail: £180, Asos.com
For a more affordable take, take a look at this Asos ottilie design, which has a similarly timeless shape and high neckline, with additional eye-catching embroidery. With its fishtail hem and open back, we think this is an equally elegant choice for your big day.
The shoes
Meghan paired her Givenchy dress with Givenchy heels to walk down the aisle, but the footwear for her reception look, and her entire bridal party, was custom Aquazzura, with everyone from the bridesmaids to her mother Dora sporting bespoke shoes from the brand.
Aquazzura so nude pump 85: £515, Aquazzura.com
Again, it’s not an identical option, but currently the closest match on the Aquazzura website is the £515 “so nude” pump. The classic pointed toe and slingback strap mean these would be a worthy addition to any bridal wardrobe – albeit not a particularly purse-friendly one.
The make-up
It’ll come as a surprise to absolutely no one that royals are not allowed to endorse particular beauty products, so Meghan’s wedding make-up has never officially been revealed.
However, it’s been widely reported that her friend and MUA Daniel Martin created her fresh, natural look using Dior products, and in particular, the Dior backstage face and body foundation, which was a brand new product at the time (well, if anyone’s going to get their hands on it pre-launch, it’s a duchess).
Dior backstage face and body foundation: £30, Boots.com
The sheer yet buildable coverage enabled Martin to give Meghan a camera-ready glow while still allowing her natural freckles to shine through. “Right now in make-up, so much is covered up and masked by contouring, strobing, and creating this false dimension to what you naturally have,” he later explained to Glamour. “On your wedding day you want to look back at your photos and think about how great you felt in your dress and not be distracted by how trendy your make-up was in 2018.”
We also like the fact it comes in a choice of 40 inclusive shades – a lot of other foundation lines could take note.
The nail polish
When all of the focus is on the ring on your finger, your hands have to look their best. According to British Vogue, Meghan had hers perfectly manicured at London’s Dry By salon in two shades of CND shellac: “unmasked” and “negligee”.
Both shades are currently available on Amazon for less than £20 each – however, those without steady hands or a gel nail kit at home may prefer to book an appointment.
CND shellac in unmasked: £8.08, Amazon.co.uk
CND shellac in negligee: £16.85, Amazon.co.uk
The candles
Fragrancing a wedding is officially a thing, and Parisian house Diptyque confirmed that they’d done the honours for Meghan and Harry’s wedding shortly after the big day took place.
Diptyque baies candle: £29, Spacenk.com
Further details have always been a closely guarded secret, but rumour has it that the chosen scent was Baies – a delicious pairing of rose and berry notes that’s one of the most popular Diptyque combinations (with good reason).
An empty Baies votive was also spotted on Meghan’s now-defunct Instagram page, The Tig, in the past, so while the wedding rumours remain, well, rumours, it’s safe to assume she loves the blend.
We’re also big fans of this candle and can confirm the throw is impressive, so you’ll only need a couple dotted around your ceremony space to fill the entire room.
The cake (sort of)
Harry and Meghan asked baker Claire Ptak, the woman behind Hackey’s beloved Violet bakery, to make their wedding cake – a seasonally appropriate medley of lemon and elderflower, sandwiched together with buttercream and lemon curd and adorned with fresh flowers.
‘The Violet Bakery Cookbook’ by Claire Ptak, published by Square Peg, £14.60, Amazon.co.uk
Sourcing 200 Amalfi lemons and elderflower cordial from Sandringham (just two of the ingredients reportedly included in Harry and Meghan’s sponge) may be something of a pipe dream, we’ll admit. However, you can get your hands on the recipes for many of Claire’s creations in The Violet Bakery Cookbook.
Alternatively, if you want the clout of the very same bakery making your wedding cake, you can also make an order enquiry on the Violet website, where the lemon and elderflower bake is still part of the brand’s deluxe cake menu – prices start from £48 for a 6in cake.
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