12 Things to Watch for at Harry and Meghan’s Wedding

If you thought that Kate Middleton was an unconventional bride, you haven't seen anything like Meghan Markle. When Prince Harry and Meghan join in matrimony on May 19, 2018, she will enter into the royal family as one of the most unconventional (and inspirational) members so far. Somehow a divorced, biracial American actress with firm political views emerged from Los Angeles and fell in love with a prince, and now we're all anxiously awaiting what will be a landmark wedding for this monarchy. Keep reading to find out which details to watch for during this monumental event.

The now-retired "Suits" actress Meghan Markle shares a huge heart for humanitarianism and justice, similar to her beau, Prince Harry. Throughout her childhood, she committed her time to feeding the homeless. As she got older, Meghan began acting, modeling and later writing on her blog "The Tig," which has since been taken down (but you can still read some old posts). We can't wait to see this 36-year-old charismatic Cali girl walk down the aisle.

After it was revealed that Thomas Markle, Meghan's dad, staged photos for paparazzi in exchange for cash, the 73-year-old announced he would not be attending his daughter's wedding (also, because of heart surgery). Samantha Markle, Meghan's half-sister whom she's not close to, says the photos were her idea and they were meant to improve their ailing father's media image before the wedding. It's possible that Meghan's social worker mother, Doria Ragland, will walk her down the aisle instead, but as of now, we'll have to wait and see.

Windsor Castle is the oldest continuous residence of monarchs in the world. St. George's Chapel stands on the same grounds, where Prince Harry was baptized in 1984. Although his parents were wed at St. Paul's, Harry and Meghan will walk the checkered floors and under the grand ceiling of St. George's. The sunlight should add a special glow to Meghan when it peers through the beautifully stained windows of this historic venue.

For a while we thought that Prince Harry would propose using the Queen Mother's engagement ring, but the smitten royal decided to design a custom ring for his bride-to-be. Though the center of attention in this romantic piece of jewelry is the diamond Harry got from Botswana, where the couple went on a romantic getaway last August before getting engaged, the accompanying side diamonds hold the most significance, coming directly from the late Princess Diana's collection.

The tiara Meghan will be wearing on her wedding day is a mystery for now. Everyone has a guess, from the Cambridge Lover's Knot tiara, an eye-catching piece made for Queen Mary in the early 1900s, to the Spencer tiara, which Princess Di wore the day she married Prince Charles. After customizing the engagement ring, we wouldn't be shocked if Harry followed suit and designed something exclusively for his fiancée.

The official surname of descendants of Queen Elizabeth II (the male line) is Mountbatten-Windsor. Once Meghan says "I do" to Harry, she'll be able to use the last name of the royal family, but she won't be required to. The newlyweds will also be assigned new titles by the queen (expected to be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex). Royals are often addressed by their specific titles, such as Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, in lieu of using their full names. You know you're royal when you have a title instead of a last name!

Royal weddings usually include a handful of adorably dressed kids trailing behind the bride as she floats down the aisle to meet her prince. Because of this tradition, and the fact that the prince is Uncle Harry to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, we're expecting to see the mini-monarchs as part of the big day. Baby Prince Louis, born on April 23, most likely will be sitting this event out. The soon-to-be newlyweds are both devoted to kids and those in need, which is why they've invited more than 2,500 school children and charity workers to Windsor Castle to congratulate them firsthand on their special day.

Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle seem to have a great friendship. So, why won't Kate be in Meghan's wedding party, even though they're soon to be sisters-in-law? For the same reason Kate didn't walk in her sister Pippa Middleton's wedding in 2017—it's not proper etiquette for a royal to walk behind a commoner. Prince William, however, will be Harry's best man, repaying the favor for his 2011 wedding where their roles were reversed.

It's natural to look at the relationship between William and Kate and want to draw comparisons between Harry and Meghan. One noticeable difference is how often the newest couple shows public displays of affection, like holding hands at events, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are rarely seen locking fingers in front of everyone. There are no rules that place boundaries on royal PDA, but experts theorize that when in public, members of the royal family are less likely to be openly affectionate because they are considered to be working and keeping their professional demeanors.

After Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in 1840 with myrtle in her bouquet, she planted a sprig of the "herb of love" in her Osborne House garden. Since then, every royal bride has carried myrtle in her bridal bouquet, picked from the same garden. Spectators can expect Meghan to follow tradition, adding local in-season flora like white garden roses and peonies, Meghan's favorite flower. Philippa Craddock is the main florist set to arrange the pink-and-white color scheme of flowers, many that will be plucked right from the grounds of Windsor Castle.

It's not uncommon for royals-in-training to be trendsetters, especially with the spotlight set so firmly on them leading up to their nuptials. Meghan stylishly lives up to expectation, bringing a sleek and sophisticated American swagger to the U.K. Her dark cape dress by Stella McCartney paired with Manolo pumps and a quirky clutch in this photo give us reason to believe Meghan's wedding gown just may be our favorite style to date. Fingers crossed!

Let's call the official ceremony the main course of the royal wedding day. In that case, the amuse-bouche will be Meghan arriving at St. George's Chapel, finally giving us the gown reveal we crave. The sweet finale will be the departure from Windsor Castle in the drop-top Ascot Landau carriage (the covered Scottish State Coach will be nearby in case of rain). Thousands will crowd the streets during the roughly half-hour round trip from the castle grounds, all waiting for the union of Harry and Meghan to satiate their fairytale fantasies of love.