15 Bizarre Wedding Traditions The British Monarchy Still Follows Today
It's no secret that the world is utterly obsessed with the upcoming Royal wedding. After all, just think of how much people looked forward to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding - and that one had been years and years in the making! William and Kate had quite a long courtship period, whereas Prince Harry and his wife to be Meghan Markle had a bit of a whirlwind romance. Plus, there are their personalities to take into account - Harry has always had the reputation of being the playful younger brother, ready to cause trouble, and it's kind of sweet to see him settling down. And, many people became fans of Meghan Markle watching her in her various projects, including Suits, so it's kind of like the public knows her already.
Now, both Meghan and Harry have broken a few Royal rules and pieces of protocol from time to time, but that doesn't mean they're going to go totally off the rails when it comes to their wedding. While they might bend the rules a bit, at the end of the day, Prince Harry is still a Royal, and he has to abide by certain traditions - after all, you wouldn't want Queen Elizabeth to get angry!
Here are 15 slightly unusual wedding traditions that the British monarchy still has today.
15 The Happy Couple Doesn't Send Out The Invitations - Queen Elizabeth Does
Anyone who has ever had a wedding knows all about the arduous process of having to compile your guest list (and perhaps cut out a few individuals), find everyone's addresses, find the proper stationery, mail out the invitations, get the RSVPs… it's quite the undertaking. However, it turns out that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle don't really need to worry about that - the Queen takes care of it. Obviously, the happy couple probably gave their input, and Meghan likely compiled which guests she would like to invite from her side, but the Queen seems to handle the final details (with the help of her staff, of course).
According to Brides.com, she sent out a whopping 1,900 invitations for Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding!
It's a good thing there's a post office in the basement of Buckingham Palace to make it a little easier.
14 The Traditional Cake Flavor Is Fruitcake - And There's Usually Two Cakes
For many couples, picking a wedding cake is one of the most enjoyable parts of the planning process because, well, you get to try a bunch of cake! However, it's a bit different if you're planning a Royal wedding. While the Queen likely won't call the wedding off if you decide to go with chocolate cake, typically, fruitcake is the traditional flavor of every Royal wedding cake. Now, it's not the lumpy fruitcake you might remember from the holidays - we're talking a multi-tier, lavishly decorated fruitcake fit for, well, Royalty! We suppose it's nice to have one less thing to worry about when it comes to wedding planning, but at the same time, what if you just don't like fruitcake? We'll have to see what Harry and Meghan's wedding cake looks like.
13 The Bride Always Carries A Sprig Of Myrtle From A Particular Shrub In Her Bouquet
Okay, as far as traditions go, this one is actually pretty adorable. Apparently, back in her younger years, Queen Victoria received a myrtle plant from Prince Albert's grandmother and brought it from Germany to the Isle of Wight. The plant has been cared for over the years and has become a staple in Royal weddings - namely, in the bride's bouquet.
Princess Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, and Duchess Kate Middleton have all carried bouquets on their wedding day that contain a sprig of myrtle from the same plant.
We're not sure what kind of bouquet Meghan has envisioned, but we're betting it will contain a sprig of myrtle in there - it seems like a fairly sweet tradition, so why not honor it? Perhaps it can end up being her 'something old'.
12 All Royal Wedding Bands Contain Welsh Gold
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle's engagement rings couldn't be any more different - while Prince William gave Kate his mother's old ring, a stunning sapphire piece, Prince Harry went a bit more classic with Meghan's, proposing with a gorgeous diamond. However, the two women will probably have one thing in common - their wedding bands. Apparently, ever since 1932, all Royal wedding bands have contained Welsh gold in them. For those who aren't in the know about the gold industry, Welsh gold is allegedly up to three times more valuable than gold from other regions - so, it's certainly fit for a Royal. The gold comes from a particular mine in North Wales, and we have a feeling this tradition will very likely carry on with Meghan Markle. We can't wait to see her full wedding set.
11 Female Guests Are Required To Wear Hats
If you watched Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding or even checked out some of the media coverage, chances are you'll remember the multitude of over the top hats present for the big day.
That isn't just because women close to the Royal family have a penchant for stunning hats - it's kind of a rule!
Apparently, hats are required for female guests attending a Royal wedding. Now, you don't want to go too over the top and don a creation that blocks everyone else's view - but you cant definitely enlist the skills of a talented haberdasher and craft a custom piece. After all, how many opportunities do you get to wear a gorgeous hat? Plus, you can probably keep it in a hat box for years to come and use it as a bit of a memento from the Royal wedding.
10 Forget The Tux - The Groom Must Wear Military Attire
Most men get married in either a formal suit or a tuxedo - there just aren't quite as many options for male attire as there are for wedding dresses! However, you certainly won't see Prince Harry in a tuxedo, not even a custom crafted one from Savile Row. That's because the groom at a Royal wedding will always wear military attire since it's tradition for men in the Royal family to serve in the military. The world got a glimpse of just how dashing Prince Harry looked all dressed up in military garb during Prince William's wedding, so we absolutely cannot wait to see how handsome he is on his own wedding day. To be honest, we still can't believe the redheaded troublemaker is actually walking down the aisle!
9 Absolutely No Shellfish Permitted On The Menu
We don't know too many details about what is served at Royal weddings, but there's one thing that is guaranteed to never appear on your plate - shellfish. As many true Royal fans will know, the Royal family generally does not consume shellfish because there's a higher risk of food poisoning than with most foods, which can be devastating for a Royal with a schedule packed full of obligations. So, you won't be seeing an oyster bar at the Royal wedding, even though it definitely seems swanky and right up Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's alley.
Perhaps, if they take a honeymoon, they'll be able to indulge in all the normally prohibited shellfish, away from the Queen's watchful eye!
Hey, even though he's becoming a married man, we have a feeling Prince Harry still has a bit of his rebellious streak.
8 The Queen Must Legally Give Written Permission - No Exceptions
Even though it's no longer a requirement for most people, the average man still often asks their partner's parents for permission to propose. It's really just a kind gesture that shows respect for the bride's family. However, in Prince Harry's case, it's not just a sweet gesture - asking the Queen for her permission to get married is an actual law. We're totally serious. Under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, as BBC News reported, a member of the Royal family is legally required to get the Queen's blessing before they ever even think of popping the question to their beloved. We're not sure how that conversation between Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth went, but, obviously, he asked, or we wouldn't be eagerly anticipating the wedding - and, obviously, she liked Meghan enough to give her permission!
7 All Bridesmaids Are To Be Under 18
We know exactly what you're going to say - but what about Pippa and her iconic dress at sister Kate Middleton's wedding? Well, it turns out that Kate actually bent the rules a little bit when it came to selecting her wedding party - she was really close with her sister and wanted her there on her big day, so she included her in her bridal party, even though it broke tradition a little.
It turns out, the Royal wedding party isn't made up of bridesmaids that are friends - it's made up of younger family and friends. As in, 18 and under.
We're not sure exactly who came up with the tradition, and what some of the complications are of having a wedding party with so many children, but hey - it's Royal protocol.
6 The Queen Picks Out A Tiara For The Bride - And She Must Wear It
Most Royal brides aren't afraid of a little sparkle - after all, the Royal family has so much gorgeous jewelry, why not show it off on such a special occasion? Once you're officially a married woman in the Royal family, you're allowed to rock a tiara, and the first opportunity comes on your wedding day. However, you can't just go through the Royal vaults with your stylist and figure out which one looks best on you - the Queen apparently selects the tiara you wear on your wedding day. On the one hand, we imagine it must be a bit frustrating for brides who'd prefer to choose their look themselves. On the other hand, it's kind of a lovely tradition, sort of the Queen welcoming the new bride into the family.
5 Guests Must Sit On Specific Sides Of The Church
At most weddings, guests are explicitly told not to choose a side, and to just gather together as one happy family. After all, you certainly don't want awkwardness if either the bride or groom has a larger portion of guests on their side. However, that style of casual seating doesn't apply if you're a Royal - they have strict rules about seating at a Royal wedding.
Apparently, the Royal family must always sit on the right side of the church.
So, if you're watching the Royal wedding and the camera pans around to the crowd, you'll see all the Royals on the right side, supporting Prince Harry, and you'll likely see Markle's family and her celebrity friends on the left side of the church. Although there will likely be celebrities on both sides, so who knows.
4 Once The Queen Is Done With Her Meal, All Guests Must Be Done
It probably comes as no surprise that the Queen holds a major amount of power when it comes to any Royal occasion, including the Royal wedding. As some Royal fanatics may know, there's a rule that you must finish eating once the Queen has finished eating - even if you're not done with your meal yet. That's right - the moment the Queen puts down her utensils and is finished with her meal, the wait staff will clear the table and whisk away your plate as well, regardless of how much food remains on it. This rule apparently extends to weddings as well - the guests are just lucky that they'll likely all get served right away, and won't have to wait for their table number to be drawn as is the tradition in many regular weddings.
3 Guests Must Arrive Quite Early To Avoid Arriving After The Queen
Another tradition to do with the queen involves when, specifically, guests show up. Now, there's obviously a time given on the Royal wedding invitations, but guests in the know realize that it's important to arrive much earlier. And no, it's not just because all the paparazzi and press and fans make traffic a lot slower that day.
It's also because the queen absolutely must be the last person to enter a room at any function she attends - including weddings.
Apparently, there were even people at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding that showed up two hours before things kicked off. Hey, better to be safe than to insult the Queen by accidentally showing up after her! We have a feeling 'traffic was bad' wouldn't really be an adequate excuse in that situation.
2 Weddings Are Held In The Morning, Followed By A Brunch Reception
Most people consider weddings an evening affair - you have the ceremony in the afternoon or early evening, and then head to a reception where you dance, drink, and party all night long. Royal weddings are a little bit different - although tradition is changing a bit. Traditionally, Royal weddings are held in the morning and then followed by a wedding 'breakfast' (more like a brunch or luncheon type situation). However, it's become a bit of a new tradition to follow the earlier wedding breakfast with a later reception where the Royals can invite a more exclusive guest list of only family and close friends, and let their hair loose a little. It just goes to show that, even in the Royal family, traditions can change - it just requires a bit of time.
1 Guests May Not Approach The Queen - She Must Approach Them
While the Royal wedding guest list definitely includes a fair bit of actual Royals, there's also plenty of notable guests that may not see the Queen all that often.
So, it may be tempting to approach her, even just to share a few kind words.
However, guests should remember traditional Royal wedding etiquette if they are lucky enough to get the chance to attend a Royal wedding, and know that you're not supposed to approach the Queen, ever. The Monarch is a superb hostess and will try to mingle with her guests as much as possible, and you're supposed to wait until she approaches you to exchange a few words (although even then, you're supposed to keep things short and sweet so you don't monopolize her time too much). After all, she's the Queen!
References: chron.com, theknot.com, littlethings.com, goodhousekeeping.com, weddingwire.com, townandcountrymag.com
