If you're feeling inspired by the Royal Wedding, but don't have the £32 million budget to match, then here's how to get a wedding worthy of a princess.
The venue
If you want to feel like a royal for a day, then there are plenty of UK wedding venues that would be just perfect for this. We're lucky enough to have plenty of royal-worthy wedding venues in the UK, including incredible castle wedding venues and beautiful stately homes, but for a royal wedding-inspired celebration, our top pick has to be the historic palace wedding venues around London.
The Historic Royal Palaces in London are ideal for holding a truly grand event, and their venues have been used by England's kings and queens for centuries, meaning that your wedding will have a real sense of history to it.
The cake
When it comes to royal weddings, the bigger the better - so why not have a show-stopping cake for your big day? We spoke to genius cake designer Yevnig Davis, who recently created a royalty-inspired wedding cake to be displayed at Hampton Court Palace, about what makes a royal-worthy cake.
"When it comes to creating a cake fit for a royal wedding, you want this to be a fabulous and breathtaking centrepiece to make your guests go WOW!" says Yevnig. "Think opulent and lavish work of art, not just a sideline part of the wedding day. And when it comes to flavours, make it count: moreish and rich flavours are as important as the decoration outside." Whether you go for traditional fruitcake, or something more modern like lemon and elderflower, the key is to make your cake as much a part of the decor as anything else - especially if you have a grand venue to match.
The flowers
If there's one thing that the royals do well at their weddings, it's flowers. From grand floral arches to live trees lining the aisle or cascading floral bouquets, the royals have traditionally always made an impact with their flowers, while still keeping to a traditional ivory colour scheme. Greenery has definitely been popular at more recent royal weddings, with plenty of foliage and natural tones to complement the pale flowers.
"There is a growing trend for foliage-only bouquets, foliage arches, and foliage tablescapes with an emphasis on texture and the various shades of green," says florist Penny Chong of Penny Blossoms. As outdoor wedding ceremonies become more popular and more brides want the ‘one with nature’ look, foliage and greenery are definitely here to stay." So how do you recreate royal wedding blooms on a tight budget? "It is best to tell the florist your flower budget from the outset and explain your vision," says Penny. "An experienced florist would be able to manage your expectations and offer invaluable advice as to what you can have for that budget."
Image credit: Incandescent Photography
The transport
No royal wedding is complete without a carriage ride. You may not want to go for the full royal procession, but a horse-drawn carriage is the perfect way to get from the ceremony to the reception venue, or to the church in the morning. With both open-top and enclosed carriages available from most horse-drawn carriage suppliers, you can be safe in the knowledge that your royal wedding transport will work for all weathers, and the horse drivers should be dressed in full livery to add a touch of formality to proceedings. Find your perfect horse-drawn carriage from our trusted suppliers here.
The dress
One of the more modern royal wedding traditions that we're big fans of is the change from ceremony to evening gowns. As royal wedding ceremonies are religious state occasions, it's a requirement for royal brides to cover their shoulders for their church or cathedral ceremonies, which means that they often change into something a little less restrictive for the evening party.
If your bridal budget doesn't cover two entirely separate wedding dresses, then why not consider a gown with a separate topper, jacket, or detachable sleeves? Plenty of wedding dresses can be easily customised from day to night, which means that by simply removing a lace topper and adding a sparkly belt, you'll have two different looks for the big day - without the expense of two dresses, or the time spent changing!
For more royal wedding dress inspiration, check out how to get Meghan Markle's bridal look here!