estimated to have cost $45.8 million, the wedding of prince harry and former american actress meghan markle, which took place on saturday, was filled with moments designed to capture the masses. from fashion lovers, cake bakers, jewellery experts, florists, brits and non-brits alike, there was enough to satisfy the feeding frenzy of historians, analysts, gossipists and the joe public, all intrigued by the design details that make up a royal wedding in 2018…

 

 

a 16 foot veil telling a history of britain’s commonwealth

the royal wedding 2018: six design moments you may have missed

image courtesy of thenews.com

 

 

following rumours of erdem, alexander mcqueen, and the designer’s of the wedding dress of late princess diana, david and elizabeth emanuel, intense speculation came to a excitable halt when markle stepped out in a givenchy gown designed by brit clare waight keller. a secret keller kept from even her husband until the morning of the wedding, it defines a wedding’s most anticipated surprise and one we seem no further away from in 2018. the bateaux neckline dress featured three-quarter sleeves, a drop waist and (this is the part you may have missed-) a hand-embroidered 16 foot silk tulle veil with flowers representing all 53 countries of the commonwealth. it has since been given an estimated price of up to $340,ooo by some experts.

 

 

a royal cake that breaks from tradition

the royal wedding 2018: six design moments you may have missed

image courtesy of @kensington palace

 

 

forget tiered wedding cakes – gosh, how archaic. for a royal wedding in 2018 a centerpiece split into three pieces covered in plaster-like icing satisfies at the reception. it was designed by claire ptake of london’s violet bakery to capture the seasonal freshness of britain with layers of lemon sponge soaked with elderflower syrup.

 

 

a couple of wedding rings or just one?

the royal wedding 2018: six design moments you may have missed

image courtesy of the washington post (youtube)

 

 

meghan’s wedding band is made of clogau-welsh gold, honoring a royal wedding tradition that began in 1923 with the queen mother, and harry’s is a platinum band – not that it matters as he probably won’t be wearing it. according to cosmopolitan members of the british upper class and aristocracy have historically not worn wedding rings.

 

 

floristry remembering lost loved ones

the royal wedding 2018: six design moments you may have missed

images courtesy of @philippacraddock

 

 

a day to celebrate is often a day to remember and for a public still hooked on her memory, a nod here and there is a sign of respect not only to the late princess diana but those who adored her. working with london-based florist philippa craddock, roses and foxgloves were selected in honour of diana’s love of white gardens and flowers.

 

 

stylish guests to steal the show

 

 

 

beyond a royal bride’s wedding dress, the public’s obsession with ‘who wore what’ extends, as it has in the last half a century, to the VIP guest list. who better to tickle your fashion feels than a power couple X2. in a three-piece dior homme suit david beckham arrived with his wife, victoria beckham, who sported a navy midi dress featuring a belted neck and split sleeves from her upcoming pre-spring/summer 2019 collection. touted best-dressed however is amal clooney who seems to have reignited the love of yellow dressed since la la land’s impact began to fade. according to harpers bazaar the stella mccartney number has seen 17,000 people search for ‘yellow dresses’ in the first couple of days after the ceremony.

 

 

 

 

and stunningly captured photography

 

 

a spectacle such as this is as much defined by its physical details as it is by those captured in its image and one in particular shared by the sunday times went viral. taken by photographer yui mok, the aerial shot of the newlyweds taken after the wedding service has since done the rounds in a fashion no less similar than mrs. clooney’s yellow dress.

 

 

header image courtesy of @kensingtonpalace