Update 5/19: Meghan and Harry's venue looked absolutely stunning. See the pictures of St. George's Chapel below, and head here to see how the inside differs from Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.
Original story 5/1:
On May 19, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot in St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle—the Queen's residence located about 20 miles south of London. (Harry's father married his stepmother Camilla Parker Bowles there in 2005.) Afterwards, there will be two receptions: one, a luncheon hosted by the Queen, at St. George's Hall for the wedding party guests, and an intimate gathering later that evening. By intimate, we mean a private event for 200 family and friends hosted by Prince Harry's father, Prince Charles.
Lots of royal hopefuls are wondering what they will see and won't see the day of the wedding. What will the inside of the chapel look like? What about the reception immediately after? Are we even going to see the special touches of Prince Charles' reception? Who is decorating everything? Here, we breakdown what the venues will look like—including our decor predictions and whether or not Markle has a say in the designs.
The Ceremony - St. George's Chapel
The wedding ceremony will take place on the grounds of Windsor Castle at St. George's Chapel, which accommodates 800 guests. Here's what it looks like on the inside:
It's not the first time the royals have gathered at the chapel. Earlier this month, the royal family attended Easter church service here. They've also held confirmations, weddings, funerals, and other special events at the chapel throughout the years. In a major throwback moment, below, Princess Diana is pictured outside of the chapel at Prince William's confirmation in 1997. In the other photo, she's leading Prince Harry inside of it.
Like William and Kate's wedding, the chapel will likely not be adorned with extra decorations due to its already stunning historical architecture. It will, however, be covered with extra flowers and plants. Meghan has chosen florist Philippa Craddock to work on a selection of arrangements for the ceremony.
"Overall, Meghan will have a say in things she likes and dislikes for the wedding," says MarieClaire.com's exclusive royal wedding expert Caroline Castigliano. "However, St. George’s Chapel is steeped in history, so the flowers—which are all supposed to come from the Crown Estate and Windsor Park—will really be the only point of design choice in terms of style and color. It's said that there will be white garden roses, peonies, and foxgloves."
The First Reception - St. George's Hall
Harry and Meghan will head to St. George's Hall, a 180-feet-long room originally built in the 1800s, following the wedding ceremony. First, they'll take a drive along a route around the castle then they'll make their way to the hall for a luncheon hosted by the Queen. No word yet on whether this reception will be televised. Here's what it looks like on the inside (it's a lot bigger than you think):
"Many factors such as the color of the room and chairs will be fixed," explains Castigliano. "Meghan may decide which dinner service and glassware she prefers, but I would imagine St. George’s Hall will stay true to tradition."
The Private Reception - Frogmore House
Prince Charles will host a private reception in the evening for the couple's 200 closest friends and family at Frogmore House—the estate where Harry and Meghan took their engagement portraits that's been owned by royals for centuries. It's situated half a mile south from Windsor Castle in Berkshire. This sadly definitely won't be televised, extra sadly because it's the part of their big day that Harry and Meghan will likely have the most say in the "atmosphere" and "style" of, according to Castigliano. She says this reception will be "of a different nature" than the rest of the day, and that the bride and groom will go with decor that's "true to them."
And to get you even more excited for the wedding, this is Prince Harry at 15 years old outside of St. George's Chapel in 1999. Almost two decades later, he'll be married in the very same spot. Are you melting? I'm melting.
