Meghan and Harry
With the royal wedding round the corner myself and good friend Leanne Megson from Set The Scene venue styling couldn’t resist to combine our artistic minds with a whole pool of talented Yorkshire suppliers to create the ultimate perfect Royal Spring Wedding. Wanting the ultimate location of natural light with a fairytale feel we fell head over heels with Saltmarshe Hall.
Décor Styling - Set The Scene (Leanne Megson)
Royal weddings are always styled so classical and timeless, which is just the look I believe Megan and Harry will continue as a royal family tradition. With this in mind we chose the majority of our colours white and gold to keep in line with a fairy tale wedding fit for a princess.
We used white satin tablecloths which provided a touch of shimmer and also a feel of ultimate luxury. To incorporate our chosen colour palette we chose to display our gold beaded glass charger plates, which are a stunning decorative piece to add to a table setting. To complete the look and add a slight hint of glitz we used gold beaded napkin rings around our napkins.
Our centerpieces consisted of our very own Blossom trees, which are the new romantic wedding centerpiece favorite for this year. Since blossom trees are the symbolic flower of the spring and a time of renewal I think they would be perfect for the May Royal Wedding. Our falling blossom tree are the highest quality, its cascading branches give a magical feel. We dressed the trees with hanging glass baubles and real candlelight to set the mood of romance and love for our couple.
At the base of the trees we incorporated moss to bring the trees to life, along with gold mercury glass vases, filled with real flowers provided by our florist. Our ornate gold frames helped to display the table numbers. We also added matching gold mercury tealights to add the perfect ambiance.
To add the ultimate statement piece we chose to dress the room with one of our large canopy blossom trees, which is heart- stoppingly beautiful and continues our spring feel. They are the perfect touch whether hired alone or as a pair, they really are a simply divine way to dress an aisle or entrance to the wedding breakfast.
To complete our tables we dressed the venues chiavari chairs with our white ruffled chair covers, which created a beautiful elegance to the room. To finish we added our diamante brooch which rhinestones sparkled and glistened in the natural daylight as the sun shone through the large bay windows.
We displayed the couples seating plan on a stunning ornate gold easel and matching mirror, which provided a very royal design carved beautifully out of wood. Since there has been reports that the wedding breakfast may be an intimidate affair, I chose to seat only the couples close family and friends which Jo at Boutique 14 cleverly designed in our gold and white theme.
We styled the cake on our very own cake table which we dressed in a sequin gold tablecloth and gold mercury candle holders, to give it an extra special touch and a regal finish.
Wedding Flowers- The Allotment Bride
In recent years Royal Wedding Bouquets have been somewhat understated in comparison to the decades prior, being smaller in size and usually containing predominantly white flowers. With this is mind I have kept this bouquet smaller, in a simple oval shape, rather than a larger cascading bouquet for example. I have also opted for White flowers to tie-in with the pretty blossom trees decorating the venue.
Within the bouquet I have included Dendrobium Orchids, Lily of the Valley, Gypsophelia, Ranunculus and Freesias. I have also added some Myrtle leaves and soft Ruscus for greenery to add texture and break up the white a little.
So what do these flowers symbolise and why did I choose them for Meghan’s Bouquet?
I wanted the flowers to be a reflection of both the Bride and The Royal family and their combined history, a unity.
I chose Dendrobium Orchids as these are popular amongst American Brides and they add a fine structure to a bouquet. A white Orchid represents innocence, beauty and elegance.
I added Lily of the Valley for it’s beautiful scent and pretty bell-like flowers to add a different texture and contrast to the Orchid. It is said to bring luck in love and marriage and is popular amongst May Brides.
I decided to add Gypsophelia as a nod to Meghan’s parents Wedding. Although her mother carried bright-coloured roses on her Wedding Day she also wore a flower crown of simple Gypsophelia. There is a simplicity to Gypsophelia that is often over-looked because it is used so often as a ‘filler’ flower. It does a good job of uniting flowers within a bouquet which is quite fitting for Harry and Meghan.
I opted for Ranunculus to add more structure. They relay a sweet sentiment. In the language of flowers Ranunculus say “ I am dazzled by your charms ”.
There are Freesias within the Bouquet also. These are mixed through both for their beautiful scent and their meaning. They are a popular wedding flower symbolising purity, innocence and trust between the Bride and Groom. It is also worth noting that Princess Diana included Freesias within her wedding bouquet too, a nod of remembrance then to Harry’s mother to include them in Meghan’s flowers.
Perhaps most interestingly I have included Myrtle leaves throughout the bouquet. This is a subtle tradition linking all Royal Brides since Queen Victoria. Myrtle is known as The Herb of Love. To have it in your bouquet is said to bring good luck in love and the marriage.
The Myrtle within the royal bouquets has always come from the same bush given to Queen Victoria in the 1800’s by her husband’s Grandmother.
The Dress and Accessories- Ava Rose Hamilton
We think Meghan will wear Mallory by Enzoani as it has a classic design with timeless elegance and a modern twist. The gown features beaded corded and chantilly lace adorning the delicate long lace sleeves, perfect for a royal wedding. The unlined bodice and illusion sweetheart neckline adds an extra touch of allure complemented by the low open back. With a detachable train she can have two looks in one. We have accessorised the gown with a simple , full length veil, a truly romantic look and a statement but classic headpiece.
Make Up - Julia Jeckell
Hair and Make-up inspiration for our shoot came from Meghan’s own timeless style and natural beauty.
This look is perfect for a modern Princess, showcasing glowing hollywood skin, smoldering eyes and flushed cheeks whilst being long lasting and photographing beautifully.
The make-up look was created by Yorkshire based professional hair and make-up artist Julia Jeckell for our model, Kirsty, with Meghan’s classic and timeless beauty in mind.
Initially, I prepared Kirsty’s skin with a mini facial and a moisturizer.
I then applied Gorgio Armani’s ‘luminous silk’ foundation which lets Kirsty’s natural freckles show through, which is very similar to Meghan. It was mixed with a Charlotte Tilbury ‘Hollywood flawless filter’ to give that signature ‘Meghan Markle ‘ glow to her skin. A fine translucent powder was then used on the T-zone to prevent shine.
Kirsty’s brown eyes were accentuated with the Charlotte Tilbury ‘Dolce Vita’ Palette and a dark brown kohl eyeliner. This was used in the upper and lower waterline and smudged into the top lashline for a smokey effect. Individual three quarter lashes were used to add definition as well as waterproof black mascara.
Like Meghan, Kirsty’s eyebrows were naturally styled, with the help of an ebony brow powder.
On her cheeks, I applied a soft sweep of dusky peach blusher which helped recreate Meghan’s signature glow as well as few additional dabs of Charlotte’s ‘Flawless filter’ to give a light reflective glow to her cheekbones!
To complete the look, I used a neutral lip liner, a peachy brown lipstick and a slick of gold peach gloss to finish.
Kirsty's hair was backcombed, loosely curled and then smoothed out to recreate that tousled natural style.
The Royal Tiara was placed on the crown of her head, pinned and height was added behind to give it volume. The lengths were swept into a loose chignon at the back with the help of hair padding and it was then loosely pinned to keep it's tousled texture. To finish, it was sprayed with a fine mist of hairspray and some natural pieces were left around the ears to keep hair looking relaxed and romantic...fit for a Princess!
The Cake- White Rose Cake
Radha believes Meghan and Harry will want to keep their spring wedding cake traditional and elegant but will add their own modern 21st century stamp.
Royal wedding cakes have historically been white and gold, so I have kept this colour scheme throughout the design as I think the couple will want to continue this custom.
The delicate handmade sugar blossoms growing up the gold branch convey how Harry and Megan’s friendship has flourished into a beautiful romance and the extravagant design displays the regal side to the royal couple.
The textured aged effect on the tall double barrel tiers of the cake makes it more interesting and bring out the modern and on trend side of the young couple.
This tailored design displays the flowering story of this couple in love. It provides hints of elegance of these two very sophisticated people. The cake expresses regal features to express this couples importance.
This wedding cake is the perfect for Megan’s and Harry’s 21st century spring Royal Wedding
The stationary- Boutique 14
Windsor Castle has inspired a thousand fairy-tales, and Harry and Meghan have inspired a thousand headlines. A venue and a couple that epitomise opulence and elegance demand the same qualities from their wedding stationery. The use of gorgeous vintage lace – so popular with brides at the moment – reflects Meghan’s love of this material in her wardrobe, evoking the high-necked lace dress she wore to Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, when she was formally introduced to Her Majesty The Queen. The gold ribbon, wrapping the card, is both a traditional symbol of their union, and reflects the Royals' love of the highly-sought after Welsh gold, used in the wedding rings of the Royal family for over a century. The centre-piece of our stationery is a touching way for Harry to celebrate the two most influential women in his life who cannot be with him and Meghan on their big day. A ring of pearls – the gemstones most commonly associated with Her Majesty The Queen Mother – are delicately set among a bed of crystals, as every avid Royal watcher knows this is a nod to The Spencer Tiara, which was the Swarovski tiara worn by Diana on her wedding day. At Boutique Fourteen Wedding Stationery we know that every wedding day is unique, so our stationery is bespoke. We enjoyed imagining Meghan and Harry coming to our workshop for a consultation, and we’re sure they’d be thrilled with what we produced.
Suppliers
Venue: SaltmarsheHall
Venue Styling: SetTheSceneVS
Dress: Ava rose hamilton
Suit Hire: The grooms rooms yorkshire
Hair and make up Artist: Julia Jeckell
Flowers: Allotment bride
Cake: White Rose Cakes
Videography: Vivienne Edge
Stationary: Boutique fourteen wedding stationery
