When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped out of Kensington Palace on Monday to formally announce their engagement, it sent a wave of heart palpitations across the pond—and most certainly into Exquisite Weddings’ San Diego office.
The royal wedding we’ve all been waiting for is officially in the works!
The 36-year-old American actress and star of USA Network’s Suits—from SoCal, no less!—and 33-year-old prince who is currently fifth in line to the throne have slated their nuptials for May at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, where Markle is rumored to be dubbed the first Duchess of Sussex.
Their fairy-tale romance began over a year ago and with a blind date of all relatable things.
Mentioning relatable, we at EW believe everyone can concur to having wide eyes over Markle’s ring, banded by yellow gold and with a center stone from the South African country Botswana—where the couple had their first getaway—and side stones from Princess Diana’s person collection.
And while Prince Harry designing the ring himself makes it totally priceless, we did call on Jillian Sassone, founder and lead designer at Marrow Fine Jewelry, for an expert’s analysis of the hardware.
“My best guess is that the center stone is between four to five carats and, depending on quality, this ring would retail for $100K on the low end and up to $400K with high-quality diamonds,” Sassone suggests. “Of course, with Princess Diana’s personal stones in the ring, it is nearly impossible to put a price on this beauty!”
Another thing we can’t put a price on? The grueling six-month suspense over what Markle will don down the aisle. To quell some of the anticipation, we pinged Brittany Arriola, senior consultant at The White Flower Bridal Boutique, for what she would pull off the racks for the newest member of the royal family.
Here comes the…
Playful bride
“The first is a two-piece gown by Hayley Paige called Sloane. This is a crepe sheath gown with a tulle flouncy overskirt. This may seem like an unusual choice, but because she’s from LA I can see her going with a gown that is playful and versatile, but still modest enough to wear in front of the queen. I can also imagine her customizing this gown to have a long illusion sleeve with scattered rhinestone embellishments.”
Modern bride
“The second gown I chose is the sleek and modern style 862 by Martina Liana. This is a Bellagio crepe fit and flare body con dress with a low v-back.”
Royal bride
“The third gown I chose is the most classically royal. It is a silk organza and lace-beaded ball gown by our Italian couture designer Alessandra Rinauldo. This gown is dramatic and classic, with a little bit of a sexy modern twist. I can picture this gown paired with a long cathedral lace veil and maybe an actual tiara.”
Wow! All the three gowns are amazing, especially the third one. You can try stylish lingerie with this gown to enhance the beauty of a dress. Surely, going to buy this one.