The Royal Wedding...How to bring a touch of Markle Sparkle to your day

So the wedding has been and gone but we've got a feeling what we saw that day is going to be around and shape future trends for a while. Here's our thought's on the look and where to find it...

Let's start with the dress! We are pretty chuffed with our prediction (helped by our amazing couples on social media with our weekly polls) that Meghan would opt for a slim fitting gown with little or no detailing such as lace on it. We also went with full on sleeves and got that bang on too! Oh, and the veil-see our image of the veil in our predictions...plain with detailing around the bottom? Yep-we got that spot on too!

So we of course had to go on the hunt for a dress like Meghan's, and found a couple of options!

This gorgeous gown is stocked by Whitewed Approved Maria Christina Bridal Boutique and the best bit-it's only £350!! Or how about a more slim line look with this one by Catherine Parry which is also stocked by Maria Christina Bridal Boutique and features a stunning low back with added sparkle. You can easily add sleeves by opting for a removable bolero which will also create two looks from day to night without having to fork out on two dresses!

Now, let's move onto the flowers. How amazing were they?! That arch was just spectacular!

Whitewed Approved Florist, Louise of Wendy House Flowers tells us all about "Meghan's Bouquet", created by Philippa Craddock but she also had a little help from Prince Harry himself. A few specially selected blooms were picked from the gardens of Kensington Palace and sent to Phillippa on the morning of the wedding. Meghan's bouquet was created using the following:

• Astilbe – Symbolising patience and dedication
• Astrantia – Symbolising Courage and protection
• Sweetpeas – blissful or delicate pleasure
• Lily of the Valley – Sweetness, a return to happiness and the birth flower for May
• Jasmine –Sensuality and beauty
• Myrtle – A tradition for royal bouquets since Queen Victoria.
• White Forget-Me-nots – Diana’s favourite flower

Although it may appear to be a small, simple bouquet, it still bears a high price tag in, upwards of £150. And these flowers are not available all year round such as Jasmine, Lily of the Valley and Sweetpeas (below) – the most expensive ones.

Some alternatives you could use with a lower cost would be Bouvardia, Phlox, and Lisianthus (below) where the average cost would be upwards of £75 but prices will vary depending on seasonality and florist.

"Another crucial aspect of the wedding were the stunning Chapel arrangements which were all created foam free - A specific request from Harry and Meghan. And something we are doing more and more as it is better for the environment."

After the wedding, the flowers were taken down and transformed into gorgeous bouquets and be delivered to hospices across London.

Louise says "This is a such a wonderful use of the flowers after your event and something I wholeheartedly endorse. Quite often brides will avoid big displays of flowers for the fact they are “wasted” but this just proves that you can give so much joy after your special day. At Wendy House Flowers, we will happily turn your floral displays into small posies and delivered to family or your local charity."

So there you have it, guilt free gorgeous blooms fit for a princess!

And how about going back to the very beginning of wedding - the invitations! Georgia Yates Weddings have designed a gorgeous new range inspired by the royal wedding. The example below are the same style as their actual invites...

Georgia has also created a couple of other styles to suit all budgets. She says "The modern style can either be white or black and I can also do the modern style with a metallic finish too! Another element I have included is a 'wax seal' style sticker to seal the envelopes with!"

We love the wax seal sticker idea! You could of course go one step further and invest in wax sealing them, perhaps even have your own crest designed by Georgia too?!

So there you have it, a few examples from us of how you can be inspired by the Royals and how to go about it in your own way!