Over recent years we’ve have the pleasure of watching several gorgeous royal weddings including Prince William’s marriage to Kate and Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan.

We’ve gone wild over the effortlessly stylish dresses, gorgeous floral arches and beautiful wedding transport and wished that we could recreate these iconic features for ourselves.

The great news is that we can!

Even if we don’t have Kate’s waistline, Meghan’s gorgeous dark lashes or the same budget as they do, we can create the elegant wedding of our dreams in 2020 that helps us feel every inch the princess.

Here are a few tips on how we can make that happen.

Make your wedding seasonal

Instead of following the crowd and choosing a spring or summer wedding, why not follow Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Anne by opting for a beautiful winter wedding instead?

You’ll have an abundance of ultra-elegant seasonal foliage such as fresh wisteria and myrtle to choose from and you can create something special by adding delicious seasonal vegetables and spices that aren’t commonly seen at weddings.

Winter also provides the perfect opportunity to create a rich, cosy and intimate ambiance for this special day.

Consider adding touches such as delicate fairy lights that you can hang from the trees, using flickering candles and tealights light your way and even using the outside space to create a backdrop that is absolutely stunning.

Keep your hair and makeup natural and fuss-free

Freshly washed, minimally styled, au natural hair and makeup is a big trend for 2020 that hit Instagram and the leading fashion magazines the moment that the stylish Meghan Merkle married Prince Harry.

It looks set to explode over the coming years as increasing numbers of celebrities across the world also adopt this minimal yet elegant style.

Instead of complicated, formal hairstyles that use a ton of hairspray, you should think soft, relaxed, and romantic styles that allow your natural beauty to shine. Makeup should also be minimal, with neutral lips and light flattering shades on the eyes.

Travel in style

When Meghan and Harry got married, they didn’t follow Royal wedding tradition slavishly and chose a retro Jaguar E-Type Concept Zero to arrive at their evening reception.

You could do the same by switching that traditional limo for something more unique and fun.

Great ideas include arriving on horseback, in an old double-decker bus, a tractor, a Vespa, a tandem bike and even a gondola. Don’t be afraid to think out-of-the-box and make a statement- this will simply make your wedding even more special.

Choose environmentally friendly

Photo by zaher ataba from Pexels

Just because you’re getting married, that doesn’t mean that you can’t stick to your green values and have a sustainable, environmentally friendly wedding.

You could either follow in the footsteps of Princess Eugenie who went completely plastic-free for her 2018 wedding at Windsor Castle, or simply aim to make more conscious choices with every aspect of your wedding.

Why not use recycled paper for your wedding invitations or keep them electronic? Perhaps choose a catering company that sources ethical, local and organic foods, or even go plant-based?

You could also follow Meghan’s example and avoid using plastic foam for your wedding flower display and choose biodegradable materials instead. Be creative and you’ll create something special that will also help safeguard the future of our planet.

Keep it local

Stay on trend for 2020 and follow the royal example by including local ingredients, materials and flowers in your wedding wherever possible.

This connects your love story to your wedding venue, helps reduce your carbon footprint and allows you to create a wedding that is truly unique.

This can be as simple as using local flowers for your wedding bouquet, choosing small local businesses to create your cake and even decorating with local foliage if you wish.

When Meghan and Harry got married, they served a modern lemon and elderflower single-tiered sponge cake which featured elderflower syrup from the Sandringham estate and was decorated with 150 fresh British flowers.

Even if you don’t have a budget to match the Royal family or you’d prefer to keep it simple, tiny local additions can make a big difference.

Be individual, Be Yourself – It’s Your Wedding

As should now be very clear, weddings in 2020 aren’t about rigidly sticking with tradition or choosing options just because they keep the parents happy.

As the Royal family have reminded us in their recent weddings, your wedding day should always be uniquely yours. It’s a celebration of your love and so it should reflect your personalities, your unique tastes and your desires and celebrating your love story in style.

So, despite our Royal tips and the trends for 2020 that we’ve shared here, don’t feel that you have to follow them, follow your heart and choose what is right for you.