This Was The Best Royal Wedding EVER (and I’ll Fight You About It!)
Like all of America (except for about 10 naysayers who clearly don’t care about love) I was up early and gushing via Twitter and Facebook about Meghan and Harry’s wedding. This was, no questions, the best royal wedding ever and here are 5 reasons why. And I’m celebrating their one-year anniversary today, because I stan a Royal Wedding as gorgeous as this one!”
*This was published on May 19, 2018, but I republished today because ZOMG they are parents to the cutest Archie and they are still ah-mazing!
First of all, I am likely going to use way too many !!! in my excitement over this wedding. I try really hard to limit them in my writing, but for this post… nah, y’all. I’m going to ! whenever it’s needed and pretty much that means every time I mention Harry or Meghan it will be needed! (See?)
I’ve been watching the British royals get married since Diana and Charles. I vividly remember getting up early, sneaking into the living room, turning on the TV, and watching in awe as the shy girl married the Prince in front of the world. I was just starting 1st grade so this was my version of a fairytale come true.
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When Fergie got married, I delighted in her. She was joyful and so unlike her sister-in-law Diana on that day.
Then, of course, William and Kate. All the #swoon over that wedding! But I have to say, compared to his little brother’s wedding, William’s was rather boring. Sorry guys. I love you, but… Harry and Meghan totally won this.
Here are the 5 reasons why I felt this was the best royal wedding ever.
Also: full disclosure I have always been a fan of the adorable youngest son of Diana and Charles. Harry made me laugh with his red hair and wild ways- and I cried real tears watching him walk behind his mother’s coffin when he was just 12-years-old. So, yeah, I’m #TeamHarry all the way. Today just cemented his place in my heart as my 2nd favorite ginger (my husband gets top billing, of course!).
Table of Contents
1. The Royal Couple is Clearly In Love
Congratulations to the happy couple! And guys- did you see them? They looked SO happy. So very happy. As one should on their wedding day.
I loved how Meghan glowed as she rode through the streets of London to Windsor Castle. She and her momma looked so happy, so thrilled, and so very radiant to be meeting her man at the church.
Harry clearly adores her. He looked a wee bit nervous or concerned?for a bit there at the beginning, but as soon as she met him at the aisle that seemed to change. They smiled, they laughed a little, he told her she looked amazing (um, yes, yes she did!) and they held hands.
I couldn’t stop looking at their hands. He was stroking the back of her hand with his thumb in the sweetest way. I melted. And he did that the entire ceremony.
This whole day felt different because it felt like it was truly about them. Sure, all weddings are supposed to be, but when you are a royal I expect that many things were not up to you. I mean, I’ve watched The Crown.
This day? It felt pretty personalized to the bride and groom. Maybe that comes with getting married a little older than previous royal couples (Meghan is 36, Harry is 33). But it worked and they were obviously happy with the day.
2. Meghan’s Dress, Veil, and Tiara Were Perfect (DON’T EVEN SAY DIFFERENT)
The Dress
Look, she’s 36-years-old and certainly has a sense of her own personal style. She’s also on marriage #2.
So the fact that her dress was one of simple elegance just made it clear that she knows exactly who she is and where she is in life. And I was 100% on board with this.
Frankly, she’s so beautiful she didn’t even need to worry about using a dress to stand out. All eyes were on her – most especially Harry’s. Which, in the end, is the only person on this earth who matters.
The Veil
I thought this was where she really made a smart choice. There was just enough drama to make us all swoon but it wasn’t too over the top like her late Mothers-in-Law. When Harry lifted it and said, “Hi” I DIED.
The Tiara
Could you imagine going “shopping” in the Queen’s tiara closet? I have no idea how that worked, but the report is that Meghan was allowed to choose a tiara to borrow for her wedding day.
She chose wisely! It was perfectly suited for her face and her veil and her dress. Simply perfect.
3. I Couldn’t Get Enough of The Music
I don’t know about you guys, but organ music during weddings is just… well, boring. This wedding hit some high notes with the choices made that reflected the bride and groom’s personal styles.
I planned on half watching the ceremony (because in the past, meh) but I was glued to every second of this one! I am not sure how Harry convinced his Queen Grandma to allow this personalization, but I was completely in love with every note.
The gospel choir singing Stand By Me floored me.
They were resplendent in their rose gold and blue glory. I need this version on iTunes, please!
ps- when you watch this video you’ll see some of that sweet Harry thumb rubbing I’m talking about. SWOON!
And if that wasn’t enough, the cellist, y’all, the CELLIST WAS BEAUTIFUL. He’s 19-year-old Sheku Kanneh Mason and was invited personally to perform by Meghan.
If you missed this part, do yourself a favor and watch the video.
4. The Preacher From America That Took Britain to Church
It was announced earlier this week that the Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, head of the American Episcopal Church, would give an address at the wedding. I looked forward to this inclusion of the American half of the wedding, but I didn’t know much about the Bishop.
I learned, as did the rest of the world, that this man had something to SAY about love.
Go ahead, settle in, and go to church. This is just an excerpt, but you see the power of his speech.
I wonder if St. George’s Chapel has ever heard anything like this! I mean, this was some preaching and I loved the message he was sharing with us during this very personalized wedding.
The other weddings did not have the same memorable moments like this one!
5. Diana Was There When Harry Got Married
I can’t imagine what growing up without your mom must be like. Especially one who was as beloved and adored by her children as Diana. When Harry planned his wedding, he made sure she was included.
Reports say that he helped picked the flowers for Meghan’s bouquet and included Forget-Me-Nots, his mother’s favorite flower in the mix.
Guys, this man can’t get any more perfect, can he?
Oh, he can.
He also requested that a seat be left in the chapel in honor of her. The space next to William remained empty throughout the ceremony in her name.
Annnddd… they left the church in the same carriage as his parents rode in. Yeah, Diana was all up in this wedding (as she should be. Look, I’ve got 2 sons of my own- and I am going to be all over their weddings; #sorrynotsorry ladies).
There’s so much more I loved about this day.
- An American divorcee was allowed to marry into the Royal Family without issue (YAS, QUEEN!).
- First African-American to marry into the Royal Family.
- That they are now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, named after the Duke of Sussex who worked to abolish slavery. The Queen is slaying these decisions, y’all.
- The pageboys and bridesmaids were super cute and the one holding Meghan’s veil stole the show!
- I love Meghan’s mother- she looked so happy and proud. I hope someone was there to hold her hand because she looked awfully alone when they seated her. But she openly wept and it was sweet.
- The reception look for both of them. WOWOWOWOWOWOWOW.
Meghan wore a Stella McCartney dress to the evening reception #royalwedding https://t.co/ZVeMH0vI8x pic.twitter.com/uaqFh6QwqW
— CNN International (@cnni) May 19, 2018
Harry and Meghan, today was simply lovely. I wish you all the happiness you deserve and hope people aren’t bugging you too much about babies (but… seriously, could we handle the cuteness that would come from a union of these two?!)
ETA: Oh, yes, we can! Have y’all seen Archie? SO STINKING CUTE!
Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
