Royal Wedding: The American traditions Meghan Markle will be following

With just weeks until Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s big day, speculation is rife among Royal fanatics about what their nuptials will be like.  

Although there are a number of Royal traditions the pair are expected to include in their wedding, they will likely try to work in a few American customs as well.  

Meghan and Prince Harry’s wedding will be a bit more low key than Duchess Kate Middleton and Prince William’s was, as they’re so far down in the line of succession. This gives them the freedom to bend the rules a bit and make their wedding truly their own. 

So which American wedding traditions might we see at the Royal wedding? Check it out. 

American traditions that may be included in the Royal wedding

A large bouquet

Traditionally, Royal wedding bouquets are smaller and more subdued. American brides tend to have more over-the-top, eye-catching floral arrangements in hand on their wedding day and there’s a good chance Meghan Markle might go that route.   

Kensington Palace confirmed on Twitter that the wedding flowers will include ‘flowers and plants that are in season and blooming naturally in May’.

American brides tend to have more over-the-top, eye-catching floral arrangements on their wedding days

These plants and flowers include peonies, a favorite of Meghan’s, as well as ‘branches of beech, birch and hornbeam’. You can also expect to see white garden roses and foxgloves worked in.

Personalized vows

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will be married by the Archbishop of Canterbury, which means their wedding ceremony will be pretty traditional. However, there’s some speculation among fans that the former actress and her beau will write their own vows. 

There are vows traditionally recited at Royal weddings, which Meghan, 36, and Prince Harry will surely say as well.

The Royal vows were used by Queen Elizabeth in 1947 and come from the church’s Anglican Book of Common Prayer. In them, grooms vow ‘to love and cherish till death do us part’. The bride promises to ‘love, cherish and obey’.

Princess Diana omitted the word ‘obey’ from her vows at her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Kate Middleton followed in her footsteps in 2011 and Meghan will likely do the same

According to ABC News, the vows have been modernized, however.

In 2000, they were changed to: ‘I, (bride/broom name), take you, (groom/bride name) to be my wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.’

Princess Diana omitted the word ‘obey’ from her vows at her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Kate Middleton followed in her footsteps in 2011 and Meghan will likely do the same. 

Adult bridesmaids

Traditionally, bridesmaids at Royal weddings are children. The maid of honor and best man are the only adult members of the wedding party.

While Princess Charlotte and other young members of the Royal family will likely be included, Meghan is expected to invite friends of hers to be bridesmaids as well. This is a tradition among American brides.

Kate Middleton will probably not be one of those adult bridesmaids, according to the Daily Express. 

While Princess Charlotte and other young members of the Royal family will likely be included, Meghan is expected to invite friends of hers to be bridesmaids as well. This is a tradition among American brides

Royal Expert Marlene Koenig warned fans of the Duchess of Cambridge not to hold their breath for seeing her play a large part in the wedding. 

‘The Duchess of Cambridge barely knows Meghan,’ she said. 

It’s been rumored that Meghan’s college friend, Lindsay Jill Roth, will be selected as her Maid of Honor. Meghan filled the roll at Lindsay’s 2016 wedding. 

Father and Mother escorting her down the aisle

At traditional American weddings, the father of the bride escorts her down the aisle. Meghan Markle is close to her father, despite the fact that he and her mother, Doria Ragland, are divorced and he lives in Mexico.

It’s been rumored that she’ll have her father and her mother, with whom she’s also extremely close, walk her down the aisle on her big day. 

This is a growing trend among American brides. 

American food

Meghan Markle fancies herself a foodie, so the food at her wedding reception is expected to be spectacular. According to reports, there’s a chance some of the fare will be American, though it’s not clear at this point exactly what options will be offered.

The former Suits star and her future hubby plan to have two wedding receptions, which means their post-wedding celebration will likely go on late into the evening. 

According to reports, there’s a chance some of the fare will be American, though it’s not clear at this point exactly what options will be offered

Speaking with the Sunday Times, Moda Operandi communications manager Hayley Bloomingdale said: ‘She needs to get this right. People don’t want food on silver platters at 1am.

‘They want grilled cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers, a taco truck, a doughnut wall, something lowbrow.’

She added: ‘That’s very American. We’ll be the first to admit it is.’

Neither wedding reception will be made public, however, so we’ll have to wait to hear from someone lucky enough to have been invited. 

British Royal wedding traditions 

As with most anything the Royal family does, there are a number of traditions pertaining to a Royal wedding. 

Although protocol has been relaxed in recent years and Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, 33, are due to have a slightly less grand wedding than Duchess Kate and Prince William, they’re still expected to include certain customs in their special day. 

Here are a few they’re meant to follow.

The bride must wear white

Although Meghan’s been married before, she’s expected to wear white at her wedding. This tradition dates back to 1840 at Queen Victoria’s wedding.

The bride wears a tiara

Royal brides always wear a tiara. There’s been a lot of speculation about which Meghan will decide to wear on her wedding day. 

An official wedding portrait must be taken

A photo of the bride, groom, their wedding party and other important members of the Royal family must be taken at each Royal wedding. Meghan and Prince Harry’s will be no different. 

The Royal family travels in a glass coach to and from the wedding venue

This tradition is age-old, but was broken by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They decided to travel by car. It’s unclear what Meghan and Prince Harry will decide to do. 

Royal wedding bands contain Welsh gold

This tradition began with Queen Elizabeth II’s mother in 1923. Welsh gold is more valuable than other types of gold and is always included in the wedding bands of Royals. 

Female Royal wedding guests must wear hats

This tradition has been in practice for quite some time. Fans of Duchess Kate have become especially fond of watching to see what hat she opts for during special events like weddings and her children’s christenings. 

There are two cakes at the reception

This is a longstanding tradition in the Royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan have already broken with tradition in the choosing of their wedding cake flavor, but will likely still have two cakes.

The bridal bouquet is left on the grave of the Unknown Warrior

Traditionally, a newly wedded Royal bride leaves her bouquet on the grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey. This tradition has been practiced since Queen Elizabeth’s wedding.

Newlywed Royals must make an appearance at Buckingham Palace after their wedding

The happy couple traditionally stands and waves to the crowd or shares a kiss. 

A piece of wedding cake is mailed to guests as a thank you

The slice of cake is wrapped up and mailed out in an ornate little box to each guest to thank them for attending the newlywed Royal’s big day. 

When is the Royal wedding?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will marry on May 19, 2018. The service will begin at midday in England. Americans will have to catch it at around 7am ET.

Royal wedding route map 2018

While you probably won’t ever have the opportunity to attend a Royal wedding, you can certainly catch a glimpse of the couple by camping out along their wedding route. 

Check out this map here.