Bride Book

May 4, 2018

Five figures is a huge expense for a one-day affair. That is, unless you’re ultra-rich – and especially if you’re royalty rich . Next month, the world will bear witness to the most anticipated royal wedding in years. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set to be married on May 19 at St. George’s Chapel, in Windsor, and will begin a carriage procession immediately after the ceremony. Their reception will take place later on the grounds of Windsor Castle. Kensington Palace will cover the cost of the wedding, an expense traditionally taken on by the bride’s family. The case was the same for Kate Middleton and Prince William’s 2011 royal wedding – the only item Middleton paid for was her six-figure Alexander McQueen dress. Their total wedding celebration cost $34 million (£23.7 million). Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding will reportedly cost in excess of $45.8 million (£32 million), according to Bride Book’s estimation . That’s over 1,000 more than the average wedding. The venue is the biggest part of a typical wedding budget for couples in the US and the UK , taking up nearly half of the entire wedding cost . Access to St. George’s Chapel – and St. George’s Great Hall, where the wedding reception will take place – is free of charge for Markle and Prince Harry. Transportation is also free, thanks to the Queen’s fleet of Rolls-Royces, Daimlers, and Bentleys. The greatest cost for the royal couple? Security. Protecting Markle and Prince Harry, plus thousands of guests and onlookers, will run Kensington Palace a whopping $43 million (£30 million), estimates Bride Book . That includes the cost of snipers, undercover police, military technology, and security drones. The bulk of Kate Middleton and Prince William’s wedding budget similarly went to security costs. Otherwise, Markle and Prince Harry’s total wedding spend, including food, cakes, entertainment, wardrobe, and the honeymoon, amounts to about $2.8 million. Below, check out Bride Book’s breakdown of what the royal wedding will cost. Food and drinks — $686,000 (£479,000). Catering is needed for both the formal lunch reception and the dinner reception for friends and family. Top-shelf champagne, wine, and whiskey will likely come from the Royal Palace cellars. The Royal Family’s favorite champagne, Bollinger, goes for nearly $115 (£80) a bottle; that’s approximately $195,000 (£136,000) spent on champagne alone. source