Royal wedding traditions
Royal weddings are one of the most sought after and celebrated occasions in the world. From the most stunning wedding dresses to the highly special wedding bands, almost everything ceases to amaze us and leaves us in a state of wonder and exhilaration. With the most recent matrimonial union between Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the world was yet again swept off of its feet. That being said, it is only natural to want to know more about these royal weddings and their traditional etiquettes although most of it may seem impossible. Here are some of the most fascinating royal wedding traditions you could take inspiration from and channel it accordingly.
The British royals must seek the permission of the Queen to marry
While this is something we’re all familiar with and abide by in our families too, similarly, the members of the British royal family also have to seek the permission of the Queen to marry the love of their lives. It is absolutely mandatory for royals up to sixth in line to the throne to ask for the blessings of the reigning monarch before initiating the marriage.
A bouquet of myrtle is a must for the royal bride to carry
Dating back to the time of Queen Victoria, every royal bride since then has carried a sprig of myrtle on their wedding day. The tradition began when Prince Albert’s grandmother gave Queen Victoria some myrtle as a symbol of good fortune, which she planted in her garden. On the wedding of her eldest daughter Princess Victoria, Queen Victoria cut a sprig of myrtle from the garden and since then the tradition has remained in the family.
The wedding band is incomplete without Welsh gold
British royal wedding is surely incomplete without a wedding band made up of Welsh gold. In 1923, when the Queen Elizabeth, mother of the current Queen of England, was wedded to King George VI, chose Welsh gold for her wedding ring. Reportedly, the gold that was used them was extracted from the now-closed Clogau St. David’s mine in North Wales, which is now rumoured to have been completely depleted. However, there have been other wedding rings adorned with Welsh gold.
The Groom must suit up in military clothing
Apart from the beautiful wedding gowns worn by the brides, the royal grooms are also obligated to dress up in their military attires for the ceremony. In 1840, Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria, became the first to dress up in his military suit for the wedding ceremony, beginning a long-standing tradition of wedding in the royal family.
Fruitcakes are the traditional cake for weddings
From the classic wedding moments of Queen Victoria and Albert to something as recent as Prince William and Kate Middleton’s marriage ceremony, fruitcakes have always remained the traditional cakes for wedding occasions.
Following the wedding, the bride’s bouquet must be laid on a soldier’s tomb
As a way to honour her brother late Capt. Fergus Bowes-Lyon, who died in World War I, the Queen Mother or current Queen Elizabeth II’s mother, laid her bridal bouquet on his tomb. Following the tradition, every royal bride places her bouquet on a soldier’s tomb.
What’s a royal wedding without a family portrait!
As the royal wedding always starts with a grand ceremony, similarly, the wedding day ends with an even grander family-cum-wedding portrait. The photograph is taken in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace and includes every immediate family of the bride and the groom.