10 Things Meg Did Right On Her Wedding Day, According To Tradition (And 5 She Did Wrong)

As a Royal, there are a lot of things that the former American actress, Meghan Markle, won't be able to do anymore, like take selfies with her hubby Prince Harry or even with fans. In fact, you can blame the Queen for that. Apparently, she has a strong dislike for selfies. Markle also won't be able to sign autographs, which is a huge bummer for people who loved her in the Rachel Zane on Suits.

Of course, becoming Royalty is a learning curve, and Markle is bound to have a few hiccups here and there. She actually committed a ton of major faux pas on her wedding day.

But let's talk about the wedding day itself for a moment. If there's one family that knows how to throw the perfect wedding celebration, it's the Royal Family. There were locals lining up to praise Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from afar. Guests sparkled in their carefully selected outfits. There were many famous faces in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, (where the ceremony took place) such as Oprah Winfrey, Idris Elba, James Blunt, and George Clooney. So, with all these VIPs and the intense media presence, it makes total sense that Meghan might have messed up a bit.

15 Did Right: Her Wedding Dress Was A Moving, Powerful Statement

Meghan Markle is bound to make some major statements in the near future, which is something she's proven by requesting that the gospel choir sing "Stand by Me" at her wedding. So, let's focus on some of the things she did right, like her beautiful wedding dress. Thanks to designer Clare Waight Keller, who didn't even tell her own husband that she was designing a wedding dress for Markle, her gown was the epitome of a fashion statement.

Keller managed to balance minimalism and drama like a total pro. She was able to produce a dress that was traditional at its core but with a modern twist. The dress showed off the feminine strength that Markle loves to portray while managing to look regal and appropriate for the Royal wedding.

The dress had three-quarter sleeves that allowed Markle to remain covered up in a way that would please the church, but it was modern enough to not make her look too conservative either. Unfortunately, some people didn't enjoy the simplistic look, but the flipping of the script made a powerful statement because it showed that Markle was the one who was in control of this massive wedding event. She also proved that she was willing to compromise and upkeep the Royal Family's traditions. Way to go, Meghan!

14 Did Right: She Avoided Conflict Among Her Friends By Not Having Adult Bridesmaids

Ask any bride and they'll tell you that conflicts are bound to happen when you choose certain bridesmaids from your circle of friends. You can't leave some of your besties out without hurting their feelings! Markle didn't really want to deal with all that drama, so she decided to go a different route. As it turns out, she realized that the best bridesmaids in the world come in mini sizes.

Many assumed that Markle's closest friends, Priyanka Chopra, or even tennis champion Serena Williams, would have been bridesmaids, but that didn't happen; instead, Markle gave the special honor to a bunch of pint-size humans.

Meghan's bestie, Jessica Mulroney, arrived at the venue in the company of her twin sons Brian and John, who are seven, and her daughter Ivy, who's four. She was there to hold the flowers. The boys were responsible for carrying her veil. Now usually, boys don't get to be bridesmaids, but in this case, it was definitely cool. Meghan stood alongside Prince Harry's godchildren Florence van Cutsem, who's three, Zalie Warren, who's two, and Jasper Dyer, who's six. Then there were Markle's goddaughters, Remi and Rylan Litt, who are ages six and seven. Prince George and Princess Charlotte also played a role as bridesmaids, too.

13 Did Right: They Married On A Saturday

When Prince William and Kate Middleton got hitched in 2011, their wedding became a bank holiday. In other words, everyone got the day off at work. Then again, they got married during the week, which is when Royal weddings are traditionally held.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding happened on May 19, which fell on a Saturday. So Downing Street, (which is the headquarters of the government of the United Kingdom, where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer reside) claimed that there would be no banking holiday.

A representative of Downing Street told Wales Online that there was no precedence for this holiday and that this decision was also made during the weddings of Prince Andrew, which happened in 1986, and Prince Edward in 1999.

Some have suggested that the reason Prince Harry's wedding didn't warrant a holiday was that he is only fifth in the line of succession for the throne, whereas Prince William is next in line to be the king. However, a bank holiday was granted for Princess Anne in 1973, which suggests otherwise.

Fortunately, anyone who didn't get to stand in the vast crowd to get a glimpse of the wedding got the chance to enjoy the ceremony, as it was streamed online, and reported by countless international news outlets that day.

12 Did Right: She Wore The Perfect Amount Of Makeup

Meghan Markle already knew that the Royal protocol would forbid makeup that looked too heavy, so she called on the makeup artist and Dior brand ambassador, Daniel Martin. He is also a creative color consultant for Honest Beauty.

Martin and Markle met in New York City in 2011 during an event for her TV show, Suits. Since then, the two have been good friends. So when the big day was approaching, she sent him an adorable message. "Meghan and I communicate a lot through text because I travel for work and because of the time difference between the both of us, it's hard to get on the phone. So she sent me a text asking what I was doing the weekend of May 19th. I was like, "I may be in Cannes for the film festival but what's up… " and she sent me the bride and groom emoji right back and I literally dropped my phone! Then she sent me the shhhh emoji back so I couldn't let anyone know… ," Martin told Elle.

Martin used a lightweight foundation to make Markle's skin look fresh. He also added a bit of concealer under her eyes but didn't cover her beautiful freckles because wanted her skin to look fabulous au natural.

Of course, the main focus was on her eyes. Martin used a gray eyeshadow on the lids and plenty of mascara. Then he used a warm brown powder to define her eyebrows. For her cheeks, he used a light shade to give her a subtle peach tone.

With a light pink lipstick, Martin carefully stained her lips so they'd look natural. He finished off the look with a subtle, yet generous amount of black eyeliner, which gave Markle a refined look.

11 Did Right: She Invited Everyone, (And I Mean, EVERYONE!)

The perks of having a bride that used to be a Hollywood star is that she gets to invite some amazing celebrities to the wedding. And boy, did she have a lot of guests, or what? The church was full of star power celebs like George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hardy, Serena Williams, Idris Elba, James Corden, Marcus Mumford, Carey Mulligan, David and Victoria Beckham, and even Markle's Suits castmates like Priyanka Chopra and Abigail Spencer. Also in attendance, was the wonderful Sir Elton John, who was a close friend of Prince Harry's mom. He actually sang the very moving song, "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral back in 1997. Fortunately, this was a happier occasion.

Oddly enough, there were some celebrities who did not get to rub elbows with the Royal Family. Many assumed Angelina Jolie would make an appearance because she was in London before the ceremony, but she didn't attend. Neither did singer Rihanna, who became good friends with Prince Harry when they initially met in Barbados in 2016.

Markle and Prince Harry had decided to put to rest any rumors that foreign leaders might attend the wedding. They opted not to extend an invitation to political figures like US President Trump and many UK politicians.

10 Did Right: Their Wedding Was A Multi-Cultural Celebration

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Royal wedding made waves with their spectacular ceremony. Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, is African-American and many of her relatives are also of African-American descent.

The overall theme, like the amazing gospel choir who sang "Stand by Me," added a flair of universal beauty, which is quite representative of the current state of multicultural Britain, if you think about it.

Oh, and then there was the sermon by Bishop Michael Curry, of the Episcopal Church from the US, which definitely had a multicultural undertone. So, in a room full of major celebrities and Royals, Curry had decided to take a moment to get a bit political and discuss issues like war and poverty, which he stressed needed to come to an end. "We must discover the power of love, the power, the redemptive power of love,” he eloquently stated. “And when we discover that we will be able to make of this old world a new world."

Curry has a reputation of being a political activist, according to his friend Reverend William Barber, who was interviewed by MSNBC. “Bishop Curry and others in our movement are lifting up what the word” - the Bible - “really says about the poor,” he said. Obviously, poverty was a recurring theme in Curry's sermon. He even quoted the Book of Amos and said: “When love is the way, then no child would go to bed hungry in this world ever again. With love, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness like an ever-flowing brook. With love poverty will become history and the earth will become a sanctuary."

9 Did Right: They Showed The Appropriate Level Of PDA

Rarely do the Royal couples show as much PDA as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when they're out and about. If you didn't know who they were, you'd swear that they were just an ordinary couple who's madly in love with each other. When they're not walking around holding hands, kissing each other on the cheeks, or lovingly holding one another, you will likely catch them with their hands behind each other's backs.

Now usually, a Royal couple has to follow certain rules when they're out in public, and PDA is not allowed regardless of whether they're dating or they're married. Just ask Prince William and Kate Middleton who do their best to avoid any kind of excessive PDA in public. Even with Royal protocols in place, these two lovebirds seem to choose love over everything else. Fortunately, these two are a total class act and found a way to uphold the Royal Family's traditions without leaving their human emotions to the side.

Prince Harry may not have to face the Queen's wrath since he's not the next in line to the throne, which gives him a bit more leeway to bend the rules. That is absolutely not the case with his brother William. At the time that Markle was holding hands with Prince Harry, she wasn't technically a part of the Royal Family until she said: "I will". But even though they're officially married now, it doesn't seem likely that these two lovebirds will ever let go.

8 Did Right: Meghan's Bouquet Was Hiding A Secret Message

The bouquet is an important piece in a bride's overall look, so naturally, Meghan Markle's Royal wedding bouquet was special for two important reasons. For one thing, the bouquet was made from Sweet Pea Forget Me Not flowers, which used to be Princess Diana's favorite. The bouquet also had Lily Of The Valley, Jasmine, Astrantia, Astilbe, and Myrtle flowers, which is part of the Royal tradition. But the bouquet also had other secret messages that may not have been so obvious.

The bouquet had symbolic meanings of dedication and love according to Orlando Hamilton, a well-known florist.

He shared with Express UK: “I gather Prince Harry had a hand in choosing the flowers and most of these grow in the garden at their home at Kensington Palace - this is a perfect way to mix the formal with the familiar. It sends a statement about this very modern Royal couple.”

Then he added that: “Meghan's bridal bouquet contains a sprig of myrtle visible from the top, as is traditional for significant Royal brides since the time of Queen Victoria and it will most likely be from a tree at Osborne House, Queen Victoria's favorite residence on the Isle of Wight. It also has lily of the valley, a floral symbol of love - as in Kate Middleton's bouquet. The feathery white flowers are astilbe which in the Victorian Language of Flowers signifies dedication."

7 Did Right: Then, She Donated Her Flowers For An Amazing Cause

Weddings are usually decorated with beautiful flowers, but Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's wedding had more flowers than most of us could probably count. That was thanks to florist Philippa Craddock who came up with all the delightful flower arrangements. According to Cosmopolitan, Craddock said: “I am excited and honored to have been chosen by Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle to create and design their wedding flowers.” But as a big of an event as the wedding was, when it was over, the flowers had to go somewhere other than a gigantic trash bin. But what did the Royal couple do with their flowers? Something amazing!

The flowers used for the wedding were delivered to St. Joseph's Hospice in London, which as you can imagine, was a bit of a Royal surprise for them. St. Joseph's Hospice wrote on their Facebook: "Today we got a very special delivery. Beautiful bouquets made from the #royalwedding flowers which we gave to our patients. A big thank you to Harry and Meghan and florist Philippa Craddock. Our hospice smells and looks gorgeous. Such a lovely gesture."

As for Markle's Royal wedding bouquet, that was placed on the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. This tradition was started by Queen Elizabeth's Mom and has been carried out by Queen Elizabeth, Lady Diana, Kate Middleton, and now, Meghan Markle.

6 Did Right: Their Wedding Was So Spectacular, It Got Higher Ratings Than Prince William's

According to CNN, American television ratings were at an all-time high as 29 million people tuned in to watch Meghan Markle and Prince Harry get hitched according to Nielsen. Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., Eastern standard time, CBS had 4.8 million viewers, MSNBC had 1 million, and CNN had 1.8 million. Fox news wasn't left behind. They boasted 1.9 million views. CBS had 4.8 million, ABC had 6.3 million, and NBC had the highest average with 6.4 million people watching. Those ratings were higher than when Prince William and Kate Middleton got married in 2011. But that's okay because the world absolutely adores both Prince William and Harry.

As a result of the Royal Wedding, tourism skyrocketed; for one thing, the wedding allowed people from all over the world to gaze at the beauty of the UK, and audiences on television will likely want to visit the town that was shown during the wedding.

The tourist board believes that the number of tourists from the US alone will rise 15 percent, giving the British economy a boost. Patricia Yates, who's the director of the national tourism agency Visit Britain told Express UK, "It's a great opportunity, it's a great showcase moment for Britain." She added, “We know that history and heritage is already a major draw for travel to the country, and it's really about interpreting that for a younger audience, showing a couple that are in love." It was indeed, the closest thing to a real-life fairytale wedding!

5 Did Wrong: Markle Chose To Walk Alone

Meghan Markle went down in history for a lot of things. For starters, she was the first biracial person to marry into the Royal Family. But there was one thing she probably wishes people hadn't focused on too much, like the fact that she walked down the aisle without the father-of-the-bride.

This made Markle the first bride in UK history to do this, but once she made it to the Quire, she was joined by Prince Charles, who escorted her towards Prince Harry. But one thing he didn't do was give her away to his son.

As she approached Prince Harry, Prince Charles stood back and allowed her to walk towards her soon-to-be husband on her own.

But why didn't her own father, Thomas Markle, show up? It turns out that he was sick and couldn't attend. But even if he hadn't been sick, she would have still walked alone.

It turns out that Markle had decided to take a feminist stand and according to CNN, "Markle's decision indicates that she wishes to assert herself as a strong, independent woman who is prepared to challenge Royal norms." The thought of being given away by one man to another didn't sit well with her.

4 Did Wrong: They Ditched The Fruitcake And Went For Lemon Elderflower Cake

Everyone from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, to Prince William and Kate Middleton, have enjoyed having the customary Royal fruitcake. It's a tradition they've kept for years, and according to Chris Dodd, London's Dalloway Terrace pastry chef, "A fruitcake was originally a symbol of wealth and prosperity because of its precious ingredients such as dried fruits, alcohol, and spices. Furthermore, the cake, in a way, represented the vastness of the British Empire, using ingredients from far-flung corners of the globe." It's also the kind of cake that the aristocrats and upper-class families in the UK tend to enjoy at events like these, according to Vogue.

But, the new Royal couple decided to forego tradition, throw the proverbial fruitcake out the window and hire Claire Ptak, a London-based pastry chef who was originally born in California but has a bakery in East London. Ptak, posted on her Instagram page that she and the Royal couple “share so many of the same values regarding food provenance, sustainability, seasonality and of course, flavor!”

According to Kensington Palace's Instagram page: “The couple have asked Claire to create a lemon elderflower cake that will incorporate the bright flavors of spring. It will be covered with buttercream and decorated with fresh flowers.”

3 Did Wrong: She Broke Royal Tradition By Giving The Wedding Speech

As the new Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle has pushed the boundaries of Royal traditions by making a speech at her own wedding. At a normal wedding, this wouldn't be an issue of course, but it definitely raised a few eyebrows at the Royal wedding. According to Daily Mail, Markle gave a speech to about 200 guests at the reception. She thanked her new Royal Family for welcoming her into their hearts and into their palace with open arms. The speech specifically thanked her family and friends, as well as Prince Harry, and the Queen.

Now usually, it's the father of the bride who makes a speech during the reception, but since Markle's dad, Thomas, was recovering from heart surgery, that just wasn't quite possible.

Besides, Markle had already planned to make a speech, just like she had planned to walk herself down the aisle.

Of course, she wasn't the only one who gave a moving speech. To keep with the patriarchal norms, Prince Harry and Prince Charles also had a few words to say during the lunchtime version of the reception, and the latter's words were so emotional that it allegedly made everyone break down and cry.

2 Did Wrong: Since Harry Said "I Will", Instead Of "I Do", Meghan Supported Him And Did The Same

There were many fails at the wedding, like when Prince Harry tried to lift his bride's veil up but ended up failing miserably, or when Prince Charles allegedly fell asleep during the ceremony. Of course, these things weren't Markle's fault, but she did forget to curtsy as she walked by Queen Elizabeth. And in case you have no idea what curtsy is, it's when a woman bends her knees with one foot in front of the other, which you're apparently supposed to do.

When Megan Markle stood next to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel, the crowd started to giggle because Prince Harry replied "I will," very loudly when the priest asked him to affirm his vow. It was obvious that the young prince was nervous. Shortly after, the crowd cheered, and everyone started chuckling. The Royal couple is totally adorable, even when they mess up!

The bride decided to follow in his footsteps when her turn came and she also answered: "I will". Markle's American fans might have been a little confused by the fact that she said "I will", because in the States, it's more common for a bride and groom to answer "I do". But this major faux pas is actually just British tradition that is quite common, especially when the ceremony is being performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

1 Did Wrong: They Got Married In May (Gasp!)

The ceremony was held in May, which would probably be okay for a regular bride who has no ties to the crown. After all, a spring wedding allows guests to dust off or buy some fashionable pastel-colored dresses that seriously go with every skin color. But Meghan Markle and Prince Harry broke a tradition that would have horrified the late Queen Victoria, and it had nothing to do with fashion. It had to do with the month they picked to get married. According to Fashion Magazine: "The late, great monarch believed it was unlucky to marry in the fifth month of the calendar year, buying into the superstitious rhyme: 'Marry in May and rue the day'"

This superstitious wedding tradition is the kind of thing that most brides would take seriously, and you'd think Meghan would be worried about it since this wasn't her first rodeo.

After all, she had been married once before. Long before Harry came into the picture, she actually dated producer Trevor Engelson for seven years before they decided to get married in 2011. But in 2013, the couple couldn't make it work and ended their marriage. It was a good move for her as years later, her prince would come to sweep her off her feet and help her to start a new life as a member of the British Royalty. Talk about living happily ever after, am I right?

References: Forbes, Telegraph, Elle, Fashion Mag, Elle again, Harper's Bazaar, Cosmo, Bustle, The Sun, The Sun 2, Deadline, The Cut, Town and country mag, Vogue, Wales Online, Forbes 2, Harper's Bazaar, Harper's Bazaar 2, Harper's Bazaar 3, The Atlantic , Town and country mag 2, PopSugar, Express UK, Cosmopolitan 2, Telegraph 2, Money, Telegram 3