Fashion

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markles wedding dress will be more modern than sexy

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
(Picture: Tolga Akmen – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

We still dont know many details about Meghan Markles wedding dress.

We dont know who designed it (Ralph & Russo is the frontrunner in the predictions). We dont know what it will look like. We dont know if therell be a veil.

And the maddening thing is, we wont know until the big day, 19 May.

The fun part of that, though, is that weve got a few more weeks of predictions.

And who better to hazard a guess of what Meghan will wear on her wedding day than the queen of weddings, Vera Wang?

First things first, Vera is not designing Meghans dress. Shes officially out of the running – but shes still excited about Harry and Meghan tying the knot.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
(Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

I get royal wedding mania, Vera told Harpers Bazaar, and its amazing to be able to celebrate a royal wedding with an American – it brings attention to a sense of romance that in our present world we lack a bit of.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Vera reckons that Meghans dress wont be as princess-y as Diana and Kates, but it wont be too sensual or sexy, either. Instead Vera things Meghan will go for something modern, something with a bit of a twist.

There are two ways for her to go, explains Vera. American or British.

Given her new position, her new status, and her new role, shell very well go British.

Neither full blown royal wedding like Diana or Kate, and neither narrow, sensual and more sexy – I think shell go somewhere in-between that feels a tad more modern.

More: Fashion

Something maybe a tad subtler, not a mermaid but not a full blown royal proportion or anything theatrical. Given that shes not marrying the future king, shell still be a royal, [but] theres a lot to be done between those two worlds.

Sounds interesting, right? Personally were hoping for a Solange style jumpsuit with a cape, but were not convinced that will come to be.

Guess well have to wait and see whose predictions are spot on.

A closer look at the Duchess Of Cambridge's wedding dress

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Catherine Middleton shows her Alexander McQueen dress in full for the first time outside Westminster Abbey (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Alexander McQueen's creative director Sarah Burton was the brains behind Kate's elegant – and stunning – lace bridal gown for her wedding to Prince William.

For months speculation was rife on who would be the designer and Sarah had kept a stealthy silence on the matter.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The stunning dress featured delicate lace (Picture: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

So it was only natural that everyone was clamoring for the first glimpse of Kate in her dress – even it it was shielded in part by the screens at The Goring.

As Kate finally emerged outside Westminster Abbey – with the entire world seeing her dress on TV screens before her husband-to-be had – it was confirmed that Burton was in fact the designer.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Pippa carried Kate's train as they leave Westminster Abbey (Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

She was even on hand to neaten the train – which was 9ft long – on the day and ensure every inch of the dress looked perfect as Kate made her way down the aisle.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Sarah Burton arranges Kate's dress just before she walked down the aisle (Picture: Jon Bond – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The dress designer also created Pippa's gown (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

It later emerged that Kate and Sarah had been having secret meetings at Hampton Court Palace to discuss the dress – the location chosen due to its proximity to The Royal School Of Needlework, who created the lace for the gown.

It was so hush-hush that staff there were told that the lace they were creating was actually for a period drama.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Prince William and Kate Middleton emerge from Westminster Abbey after their wedding ceremony (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

How much is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding costing?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is expected to cost upwards of £32million.

And you thought your friend's £30,000 wedding was expensive?

Harry and Meghan's royal wedding is taking place on Saturday 19 May, with the world and his wife tuning in to watch the sixth in line to the throne tie the knot – that is, of course, if you're not one of the 2,640 members of the public invited to their big day.

They've had just six months to plan it, announcing their engagement on 27 November last year, but there has been no expense spared.

Harry and Meghan wedding cost picture: REX/getty
Harry and Meghan's wedding is going to set the royal family back a few bob (Picture: REX/Getty)
LISBURN, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 23: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the Eikon Centre and attend an event to mark the second year of the youth-led peace-building initiative 'Amazing the Space' on March 23, 2018 in Lisburn, Nothern Ireland. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, have spared no expense with their wedding (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Wedding planning website and app Bridebook.co.uk has expertly calculated that the overall cost (excluding security) is expected to be over £2,099,873 – that's over 100 times as much as the national average, which is £17,913.

With security costing an eye-watering £30million, suddenly Meghan and Harry have got themselves a £32m wedding.

A total of 800 guests are expected to attend the ceremony and lunchtime reception, followed by 600 at a private evening reception for family and friends. There are also the 2,640 members of the public they've invited to think about, so it's no surprise the wedding is on the expensive side.

Here's a breakdown of Harry and Meghan's wedding costs, in case you're feeling inspired…

Venue – £350,000

Harry and Meghan are tying the knot at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and luckily, they don't need to worry about paying for the privilege.

While their first receptions is to be held at St. Georges Great Hall, their second reception is being held in a luxurious glass marquee (just like Pippa Middleton had at her nuptials last May) in the grounds of Frogmore House, near Windsor Castle, and these can cost as much as £300,000. Add on catering, security and staff adjoining marquees, it gets pretty pricey.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (764923k) Frogmore House, the venue for the reception The wedding of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly, St George's Chapel, Windsor, Britain - 17 May 2008
Frogmore House is where Harry and Meghan will host their intimate evening reception in a marquee (Picture: Rex Features)

Catering – £286,000

Catering will be needed for the formal lunch reception for state guests and the intimate dinner reception for close family and friends at Frogmore House. London caterers charge at least £100 per guest for a lunch reception and £300 per guest for a dinner reception, including all food, chefs, staffing and crockery hire.

If Meghan and Harry provide the 2,640 members of the public who they've invited with tea and scones in the grounds of Windsor Castle, that will also set them back a few bob.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy

Drinks – £193,000

According to Bridebook, the wedding standard is to serve one glass of champagne for every 30 minutes of the drinks reception, in addition to a minimum of half a bottle of wine per person during dinner. They predict around 1,700 bottles of vintage champagne and 650 bottles of fine wine, whiskey and cocktails to accompany dinner and dancing for the 800 plus guests.

While Buckingham Palace's wine cellars – which boast contents worth a reported £2million – will likely provide the champagne and fine wines for the wedding, they will still set the Queen back a few bob. The royal family's favourite champagne is Bollinger and that sells for £80 a go, equating to around £136,000 on bubbles. Throw in a few bottles of Prince Charles favourite 15-year-old Laphroaig Scotch, some of Meghan's favourite wine, Tignanello – the wine she named her former lifestyle blog The Tig after – it adds up pretty quickly.

Dress – £300,000

We are unlikely to find out which designer Meghan has chosen for her wedding dress, but she's expected to spend around £300,000 on a bespoke dress and a tailor-made outfit for the evening.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Megan Markle's character Rachel Zane wearing a wedding dress in Suits (Picture: Netflix)

Flowers – £110,000

There's no secret about Meghan's love of flower – especially peonies.

Considering Meghan and Harry are having their wedding in two locations, the cost of flowers is likely to jump. While us mere mortals would do the sensible thing and use the ceremony flowers during dinner and dancing too, it's likely, with no expense spared, Meghan and Harry will deck all of their wedding venues out.

Photography & Videography- £17,000

The country's top wedding photographers could set you back around £4,500. Meghan and Harry will likely need more than one to ensure all angles are captured, not to mention a videographer so they have the moment on film to watch again and again… and again.

Cake – £50,000

A stunningly-decorated cake from a top cake maker will start from £4,000 and will need to be at least eight tiers to give a slice to each of the 800 guests. Meghan and Harry have chosen Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery in East London and they've gone for a lemon and elderflower buttercream-frosted sponge.

It's also expected Harry and Meghan will go for more than one cake, which will only serve to bump up the cost.

Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Bakery in Hackney, east London, who has been chosen to make the cake for the wedding in May of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
London-based Californian baker Claire Ptak has been confirmed as the baker of Harry and Meghan's wedding cake (Picture: PA Wire)

Stationery – £30,000

From save-the-dates to the invitations to name cards, menus and signage around the venue – weddings require a lot of stationery.

Harry and Meghan have used Barnard and Westwood for their beautiful, bespoke invitations, which have now been sent to guests. A 200-piece Bespoke Stationery set from Barnard and Westwood exceeds the £10,000 mark. As the invites, which feature the Three-Feathered Badge of the Prince of Wales printed in gold ink, have gone out to 600 guests, it's a pretty hefty price for invites.

Music – £300,000

Music will feature heavily at their wedding – from bell ringers to the organist and choirs in the church, to musicians for the reception and a top wedding band and DJ. It's even rumoured a top music act like Elton John – or The Spice Girls, even – could perform on the day, although whether they'll charge for the privilege is another thing altogether. One thing's for sure: the best in the business is an expensive business.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The Guards Band ahead of the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the 29th April 2011 at Westminster Abbey London UK (Photo by Paul Cunningham/Corbis via Getty Images)

Trumpets – £90,000

Prepare to hear the classic Royal Announcement 'dun dun-dun-dun-duuun' coming from 20 bespoke silver-plated fanfare trumpets, all stamped with the Royal Coat of Arms as requested by the Ministry Of Defence. Each of these will set the couple back between £3,000 and £6,000.

Decoration and Production – £130,000

Weddings are all about the wow-factor so expect plenty of amazing lighting and production from the church to the reception to the intimate dinner at Frogmore House.

Wedding Rings – £6,000

Meghan's wedding ring will most likely be Welsh gold – a tradition the royal family have held since 1923: the Queen holds a small amount of gold in the royal vaults. Kate Middleton's wedding ring was created by royal warrant holder Wartski, with ties to Wales, and they are likely to do Meghan's too.

It's expected that Harry will choose to wear a ring, unlike his grandfather Prince Phillip and brother Prince William. Prince Charles, however, does wear a gold band and Harry may follow suit.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 27: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens, Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Meghan is likely to have a Welsh gold band to go with her engagement ring (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

Bridesmaids Outfits – £5,000

While Kate only had sister Pippa Middleton as her bridesmaid and then younger flower girls, Meghan is expected to have around three or four, as is the growing trend in both the UK and US, where Meghan is from. A designer bridesmaid dress can cost as much as £1,000 – that's not including all of the alterations that may be needed, which Bridebook has included in its quote.

Flower Girls and Page Boys Outfits – £1,698

Flower girls and page boys are also expected to be in abundance at the royal wedding, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte expected to take center stage. Kate's outfits for her flower girls and page boy outfits were created by Nicki Macfarlane.

Church Fees – £175

Yep, Harry and Meghan will have to pay their marriage fees just like everyone else.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle is the location of their ceremony (Picture: Zak Hussein)

Groomswear – £8,000

Harry is expected to wear a tailor-made Royal Air Force uniform for the wedding – and it won't come cheap. It's also likely he'll wear a custom tuxedo or suit from Savile Row.

Hair and Makeup – £10,000

Hannah Martin of Bobbi Brown and Richard Ward did Kate and Pippas wedding makeup and hair, so Meghan may opt to use them as she has spoken of her love of Bobbi Brown in the past. However, Belgravias Neville Hair & Beauty is also a favourite of Meghans.

CARDIFF, WALES - JANUARY 18: Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Ben Birchall - WPA Pool / Getty Images)
How will Meghan have her hair and make-up? (Picture: Getty Images)

Entertainment – £55,000

Anything from a grand fireworks display to photobooths to children's entertainment and even a display from the Royal Air Force could take place at the royal wedding. The budget will need to be big for those impressive stunts that Harry and Meghan will want to wow their guests with.

Wedding Favours – £3,000

It's a given that Harry and Meghan will make their wedding favours personal – but will they take inspiration from America or England? And will they go down the DIY route? Either way, favours for 800 guests won't come cheap.

Toilets – £35,000

Given how many guests are attending their wedding – 800 plus 2,640 members of the public – plenty of toilets is an absolute must. Spend a penny? More like 3,500,000 pennies!

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace after their Wedding reception in Prince Charles' vintage Aston Martin DB6 Volante on April 29, 2011 (Picture: Indigo/Getty Images)

Transport – Free

The Queen's State fleet of three Rolls-Royces, three Daimlers and two Bentleys will no doubt all be in use on the day, meaning they can save a few pounds in the transport department.

The Honeymoon – £120,000

Bridebook predicts that Harry and Meghan will opt for some alone time before the wedding, then whisking their closest friends away for a party-filled holiday to celebrate with them after their big day. It's also expected that Meghan will be paying for the honeymoon as a gift to Harry.

Security – £30 million

The big one: security.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent £30,000,000 on security for their 2011 wedding. That's around 15 times as much as Harry and Meghan's whole wedding will cost.

While the wedding might not be in London, security will be just as tight with threats having previously been made to Meghan and thousands of members of the public heading to Windsor to revel in the festivities.

TOTAL – £32,099,873

MORE: Why is Kate Middleton not a Princess when Diana was?

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MORE: Meghan Markles wedding dress more of a showstopper than Kate Middletons frock

MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markles royal wedding set to be A-list affair as George and Amal Clooney confirmed

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Fashion

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markles wedding dress will be more modern than sexy

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
(Picture: Tolga Akmen – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

We still dont know many details about Meghan Markles wedding dress.

We dont know who designed it (Ralph & Russo is the frontrunner in the predictions). We dont know what it will look like. We dont know if therell be a veil.

And the maddening thing is, we wont know until the big day, 19 May.

The fun part of that, though, is that weve got a few more weeks of predictions.

And who better to hazard a guess of what Meghan will wear on her wedding day than the queen of weddings, Vera Wang?

First things first, Vera is not designing Meghans dress. Shes officially out of the running – but shes still excited about Harry and Meghan tying the knot.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
(Picture: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

I get royal wedding mania, Vera told Harpers Bazaar, and its amazing to be able to celebrate a royal wedding with an American – it brings attention to a sense of romance that in our present world we lack a bit of.

AdvertisementAdvertisement

Vera reckons that Meghans dress wont be as princess-y as Diana and Kates, but it wont be too sensual or sexy, either. Instead Vera things Meghan will go for something modern, something with a bit of a twist.

There are two ways for her to go, explains Vera. American or British.

Given her new position, her new status, and her new role, shell very well go British.

Neither full blown royal wedding like Diana or Kate, and neither narrow, sensual and more sexy – I think shell go somewhere in-between that feels a tad more modern.

More: Fashion

Something maybe a tad subtler, not a mermaid but not a full blown royal proportion or anything theatrical. Given that shes not marrying the future king, shell still be a royal, [but] theres a lot to be done between those two worlds.

Sounds interesting, right? Personally were hoping for a Solange style jumpsuit with a cape, but were not convinced that will come to be.

Guess well have to wait and see whose predictions are spot on.

A closer look at the Duchess Of Cambridge's wedding dress

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Catherine Middleton shows her Alexander McQueen dress in full for the first time outside Westminster Abbey (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Alexander McQueen's creative director Sarah Burton was the brains behind Kate's elegant – and stunning – lace bridal gown for her wedding to Prince William.

For months speculation was rife on who would be the designer and Sarah had kept a stealthy silence on the matter.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The stunning dress featured delicate lace (Picture: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

So it was only natural that everyone was clamoring for the first glimpse of Kate in her dress – even it it was shielded in part by the screens at The Goring.

As Kate finally emerged outside Westminster Abbey – with the entire world seeing her dress on TV screens before her husband-to-be had – it was confirmed that Burton was in fact the designer.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Pippa carried Kate's train as they leave Westminster Abbey (Picture: Kirsty Wigglesworth – WPA Pool/Getty Images)

She was even on hand to neaten the train – which was 9ft long – on the day and ensure every inch of the dress looked perfect as Kate made her way down the aisle.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Sarah Burton arranges Kate's dress just before she walked down the aisle (Picture: Jon Bond – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The dress designer also created Pippa's gown (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

It later emerged that Kate and Sarah had been having secret meetings at Hampton Court Palace to discuss the dress – the location chosen due to its proximity to The Royal School Of Needlework, who created the lace for the gown.

It was so hush-hush that staff there were told that the lace they were creating was actually for a period drama.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Prince William and Kate Middleton emerge from Westminster Abbey after their wedding ceremony (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

How much is Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding costing?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding is expected to cost upwards of £32million.

And you thought your friend's £30,000 wedding was expensive?

Harry and Meghan's royal wedding is taking place on Saturday 19 May, with the world and his wife tuning in to watch the sixth in line to the throne tie the knot – that is, of course, if you're not one of the 2,640 members of the public invited to their big day.

They've had just six months to plan it, announcing their engagement on 27 November last year, but there has been no expense spared.

Harry and Meghan wedding cost picture: REX/getty
Harry and Meghan's wedding is going to set the royal family back a few bob (Picture: REX/Getty)
LISBURN, NORTHERN IRELAND - MARCH 23: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit the Eikon Centre and attend an event to mark the second year of the youth-led peace-building initiative 'Amazing the Space' on March 23, 2018 in Lisburn, Nothern Ireland. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Harry and Meghan in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, have spared no expense with their wedding (Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Wedding planning website and app Bridebook.co.uk has expertly calculated that the overall cost (excluding security) is expected to be over £2,099,873 – that's over 100 times as much as the national average, which is £17,913.

With security costing an eye-watering £30million, suddenly Meghan and Harry have got themselves a £32m wedding.

A total of 800 guests are expected to attend the ceremony and lunchtime reception, followed by 600 at a private evening reception for family and friends. There are also the 2,640 members of the public they've invited to think about, so it's no surprise the wedding is on the expensive side.

Here's a breakdown of Harry and Meghan's wedding costs, in case you're feeling inspired…

Venue – £350,000

Harry and Meghan are tying the knot at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and luckily, they don't need to worry about paying for the privilege.

While their first receptions is to be held at St. Georges Great Hall, their second reception is being held in a luxurious glass marquee (just like Pippa Middleton had at her nuptials last May) in the grounds of Frogmore House, near Windsor Castle, and these can cost as much as £300,000. Add on catering, security and staff adjoining marquees, it gets pretty pricey.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (764923k) Frogmore House, the venue for the reception The wedding of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly, St George's Chapel, Windsor, Britain - 17 May 2008
Frogmore House is where Harry and Meghan will host their intimate evening reception in a marquee (Picture: Rex Features)

Catering – £286,000

Catering will be needed for the formal lunch reception for state guests and the intimate dinner reception for close family and friends at Frogmore House. London caterers charge at least £100 per guest for a lunch reception and £300 per guest for a dinner reception, including all food, chefs, staffing and crockery hire.

If Meghan and Harry provide the 2,640 members of the public who they've invited with tea and scones in the grounds of Windsor Castle, that will also set them back a few bob.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy

Drinks – £193,000

According to Bridebook, the wedding standard is to serve one glass of champagne for every 30 minutes of the drinks reception, in addition to a minimum of half a bottle of wine per person during dinner. They predict around 1,700 bottles of vintage champagne and 650 bottles of fine wine, whiskey and cocktails to accompany dinner and dancing for the 800 plus guests.

While Buckingham Palace's wine cellars – which boast contents worth a reported £2million – will likely provide the champagne and fine wines for the wedding, they will still set the Queen back a few bob. The royal family's favourite champagne is Bollinger and that sells for £80 a go, equating to around £136,000 on bubbles. Throw in a few bottles of Prince Charles favourite 15-year-old Laphroaig Scotch, some of Meghan's favourite wine, Tignanello – the wine she named her former lifestyle blog The Tig after – it adds up pretty quickly.

Dress – £300,000

We are unlikely to find out which designer Meghan has chosen for her wedding dress, but she's expected to spend around £300,000 on a bespoke dress and a tailor-made outfit for the evening.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Megan Markle's character Rachel Zane wearing a wedding dress in Suits (Picture: Netflix)

Flowers – £110,000

There's no secret about Meghan's love of flower – especially peonies.

Considering Meghan and Harry are having their wedding in two locations, the cost of flowers is likely to jump. While us mere mortals would do the sensible thing and use the ceremony flowers during dinner and dancing too, it's likely, with no expense spared, Meghan and Harry will deck all of their wedding venues out.

Photography & Videography- £17,000

The country's top wedding photographers could set you back around £4,500. Meghan and Harry will likely need more than one to ensure all angles are captured, not to mention a videographer so they have the moment on film to watch again and again… and again.

Cake – £50,000

A stunningly-decorated cake from a top cake maker will start from £4,000 and will need to be at least eight tiers to give a slice to each of the 800 guests. Meghan and Harry have chosen Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery in East London and they've gone for a lemon and elderflower buttercream-frosted sponge.

It's also expected Harry and Meghan will go for more than one cake, which will only serve to bump up the cost.

Claire Ptak, owner of Violet Bakery in Hackney, east London, who has been chosen to make the cake for the wedding in May of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
London-based Californian baker Claire Ptak has been confirmed as the baker of Harry and Meghan's wedding cake (Picture: PA Wire)

Stationery – £30,000

From save-the-dates to the invitations to name cards, menus and signage around the venue – weddings require a lot of stationery.

Harry and Meghan have used Barnard and Westwood for their beautiful, bespoke invitations, which have now been sent to guests. A 200-piece Bespoke Stationery set from Barnard and Westwood exceeds the £10,000 mark. As the invites, which feature the Three-Feathered Badge of the Prince of Wales printed in gold ink, have gone out to 600 guests, it's a pretty hefty price for invites.

Music – £300,000

Music will feature heavily at their wedding – from bell ringers to the organist and choirs in the church, to musicians for the reception and a top wedding band and DJ. It's even rumoured a top music act like Elton John – or The Spice Girls, even – could perform on the day, although whether they'll charge for the privilege is another thing altogether. One thing's for sure: the best in the business is an expensive business.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
The Guards Band ahead of the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the 29th April 2011 at Westminster Abbey London UK (Photo by Paul Cunningham/Corbis via Getty Images)

Trumpets – £90,000

Prepare to hear the classic Royal Announcement 'dun dun-dun-dun-duuun' coming from 20 bespoke silver-plated fanfare trumpets, all stamped with the Royal Coat of Arms as requested by the Ministry Of Defence. Each of these will set the couple back between £3,000 and £6,000.

Decoration and Production – £130,000

Weddings are all about the wow-factor so expect plenty of amazing lighting and production from the church to the reception to the intimate dinner at Frogmore House.

Wedding Rings – £6,000

Meghan's wedding ring will most likely be Welsh gold – a tradition the royal family have held since 1923: the Queen holds a small amount of gold in the royal vaults. Kate Middleton's wedding ring was created by royal warrant holder Wartski, with ties to Wales, and they are likely to do Meghan's too.

It's expected that Harry will choose to wear a ring, unlike his grandfather Prince Phillip and brother Prince William. Prince Charles, however, does wear a gold band and Harry may follow suit.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - NOVEMBER 27: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend an official photocall to announce their engagement at The Sunken Gardens, Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Meghan is likely to have a Welsh gold band to go with her engagement ring (Picture: Getty Images Europe)

Bridesmaids Outfits – £5,000

While Kate only had sister Pippa Middleton as her bridesmaid and then younger flower girls, Meghan is expected to have around three or four, as is the growing trend in both the UK and US, where Meghan is from. A designer bridesmaid dress can cost as much as £1,000 – that's not including all of the alterations that may be needed, which Bridebook has included in its quote.

Flower Girls and Page Boys Outfits – £1,698

Flower girls and page boys are also expected to be in abundance at the royal wedding, with Prince George and Princess Charlotte expected to take center stage. Kate's outfits for her flower girls and page boy outfits were created by Nicki Macfarlane.

Church Fees – £175

Yep, Harry and Meghan will have to pay their marriage fees just like everyone else.

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle is the location of their ceremony (Picture: Zak Hussein)

Groomswear – £8,000

Harry is expected to wear a tailor-made Royal Air Force uniform for the wedding – and it won't come cheap. It's also likely he'll wear a custom tuxedo or suit from Savile Row.

Hair and Makeup – £10,000

Hannah Martin of Bobbi Brown and Richard Ward did Kate and Pippas wedding makeup and hair, so Meghan may opt to use them as she has spoken of her love of Bobbi Brown in the past. However, Belgravias Neville Hair & Beauty is also a favourite of Meghans.

CARDIFF, WALES - JANUARY 18: Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle on January 18, 2018 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Ben Birchall - WPA Pool / Getty Images)
How will Meghan have her hair and make-up? (Picture: Getty Images)

Entertainment – £55,000

Anything from a grand fireworks display to photobooths to children's entertainment and even a display from the Royal Air Force could take place at the royal wedding. The budget will need to be big for those impressive stunts that Harry and Meghan will want to wow their guests with.

Wedding Favours – £3,000

It's a given that Harry and Meghan will make their wedding favours personal – but will they take inspiration from America or England? And will they go down the DIY route? Either way, favours for 800 guests won't come cheap.

Toilets – £35,000

Given how many guests are attending their wedding – 800 plus 2,640 members of the public – plenty of toilets is an absolute must. Spend a penny? More like 3,500,000 pennies!

Vera Wang predicts that Meghan Markle's wedding dress will be more modern than sexy
Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge leave Buckingham Palace after their Wedding reception in Prince Charles' vintage Aston Martin DB6 Volante on April 29, 2011 (Picture: Indigo/Getty Images)

Transport – Free

The Queen's State fleet of three Rolls-Royces, three Daimlers and two Bentleys will no doubt all be in use on the day, meaning they can save a few pounds in the transport department.

The Honeymoon – £120,000

Bridebook predicts that Harry and Meghan will opt for some alone time before the wedding, then whisking their closest friends away for a party-filled holiday to celebrate with them after their big day. It's also expected that Meghan will be paying for the honeymoon as a gift to Harry.

Security – £30 million

The big one: security.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent £30,000,000 on security for their 2011 wedding. That's around 15 times as much as Harry and Meghan's whole wedding will cost.

While the wedding might not be in London, security will be just as tight with threats having previously been made to Meghan and thousands of members of the public heading to Windsor to revel in the festivities.

TOTAL – £32,099,873

MORE: Why is Kate Middleton not a Princess when Diana was?

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