With the high-profile royal wedding just around the corner, fans are more anxious than ever to see the ethereal gown that Meghan Markle will choose to wear on the big day. Markle is notorious for breaking royal fashion rules, which makes it all the more exciting to see what risky sartorial decision she has up her sleeve when it comes to her wedding dress. Based on previous interviews and after tracking her royal style, there have been a few hints that have led us to predict what Meghan will opt for in terms of details, designer and ultimately the inspiration behind her wedding gown. Follow along for 15 rumored details of the ever-stylish Meghan Markle’s royal wedding gown for this upcoming May:
15. Designer: Erdem
Typically it’s expected that royals wear London-based clothing brands to boost their local sales, yet since Meghan Markle has spent much of her career living in Canada, the soon-to-be royal has opted to wear Canadian brands on many occasions while engaged to Prince Harry. With this in mind, it’s reasonable to assume Erdem may be a contender to design Markle’s gown since the label is a Canadian designer based in London. The brand is a favorite among royal circles and Markle has worn the brand on multiple occasions. Erdem would be the perfect happy medium to please Markle’s Canadian fashion taste and her new British roots.
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14. Inspiration: Ode to Lady Diana
Lady Diana’s tendency to dress in bold, statement pieces was groundbreaking during her reign, which was why her wedding dress was one of the most anticipated of all time. Her style is quite different than Markle’s in the sense that it’s quite unique and eye-catching while Markle opts for simplicity and elegance. Despite this, Markle obviously has the ultimate respect for Prince Harry’s mother so we wouldn’t be overly surprised to see her incorporate a few details inspired by Diana’s bold wedding look.
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13. Designer: Ralph & Russo
If Markle is completely ready to drop her Canadian roots, the British label Ralph & Russo would be another viable choice for her wedding dress! The luxury label recently debuted a ready-to-wear line for the first time in 2017 and the collection was critically acclaimed for its sparkling embellishment and feminine details. Markle is clearly a huge fan of the label since she decided to wear a dress designed by them for her official engagement portraits, so Ralph & Russo are definitely a huge contender in the race to be Markle’s official wedding dress designer.
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12. Details: Simplicity
Meghan Markle is quite simple in terms of her style and she’s even admitted that herself! She explained that her style is much different than her Suits on-screen character, Rachel, and revealed that her own wedding dress would look a little different. “It’s not my personal style, because I’m a lot more relaxed than Rachel,” she explained. “I have the luxury of wearing beautiful pieces of clothing every day for work, so my personal style—wedding or not—is very pared down and relaxed. Classic and simple is the name of the game, perhaps with a modern twist.”
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11. Designer: Delphine Manivet & Christos Costarellos
Back before her connection to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle spoke openly to Glamour of her ideal wedding look after playing a bride on screen in Suits. “Delphine Manivet and Christos Costarellos are faves of mine for their uniqueness and beauty,” she dished at the time of her favorite bridal designers. Although she’s expressed her fondness for both these brands just a few years ago, it seems unlikely she’ll actually follow through and hire them to design her dress since they are not London-based. Nevertheless, they still remain a viable option and are clearly brands of interest for Markle.
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10. Inspiration: Ode to Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton’s wedding dress is arguably one of the most iconic of all time with it’s Grace Kelly-inspired lace and elegant sheer detailing. Allegedly Markle and Middleton have become quite close and with their relationship as impending sister-in-law’s, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Markle embody the details of Kate’s dress with her own. Both ladies have a sense of style that is quite sophisticated and polished, so an A-line, lace gown definitely seems up Markle’s alley when it comes to wedding dress designs.
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9. Designer: Victoria Beckham
Another largely viable option when it comes to designers is acclaimed British designer Victoria Beckham! Markle has voiced on multiple occasions that Beckham is her fashion muse and one of her main sources of creative inspiration when putting together outfits. She’s even stepped out on multiple occasions wearing pieces from Beckham’s personal collection, including this cashmere cream sweater she wore during a recent public engagement. Considering Beckham is also a London-based label, the Beckham brand seems like a likely option to design Markle’s wedding gown.
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8. Details: Whimsical/Subtle Romance
In terms of style, Markle has previously dished to Glamour details that she prefers when it comes to wedding dresses. “I personally prefer wedding dresses that are whimsical or subtly romantic,” she shared. Markle’s style is quite laid back and casual, so we can definitely imagine her opting for a dress that is clean with subtle detailing rather than anything too bold or attention-grabbing.
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7. Designer: Sarah Burton by Alexander McQueen
Another contender for Markle’s wedding gown designer is Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Burton partnered with Kate Middleton to design her iconic lace wedding gown from 2011, so it would be fair to assume that Markle would follow in her soon-to-be sister in law’s footsteps. The Burton design received worldwide attention and is still noted as one of the most memorable wedding gowns of all time. We wouldn’t be surprised if Markle wanted to work with Burton after how well received Middleton’s dress was!
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6. Designer: Roland Mouret
Designer Roland Mouret is another huge contender in the fight to design Markle’s wedding gown! Markle and Mouret are close friends and Markle has worn his designs multiple times for various red carpet events during her time as an actress. Mouret was recently interviewed by WWD and when asked whether he is designing the gown Mouret was quite tight-lipped. “Mmm, I don’t want to say,” he responded. “No comment. It’s… there is no comment on that. She’s a friend. And that’s… I can’t say,” he stuttered suspiciously.
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5. Inspiration: Ode to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
When Glamour asked Meghan Markle about her favorite wedding dress of all time, Markle responded with “Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. Everything goals,” in reference the sleek slip dress worn by Bessette Kennedy when she married John F Kennedy Jr. in 1996. The slinky silk number would definitely be quite different than many of the royal wedding looks we’ve previously seen, but we have to admit the fitted and simple Narciso Rodriguez design would look stunning on Markle.
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4. Details: Sheer Panelling
As for dress detailing, sheer paneling seems to be a viable option for Markle’s wedding gown. Not only is sheer fabric a huge trend for 2018, but the look is also one she’s already worn for her official engagement portrait with Prince Harry. The look may have caused some controversy at the time, but it was truly elegant with a little bit of edge which perfectly encapsulates Meghan’s style.
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3. Details: Lace
Lace seems to be an ongoing trend when it comes to the Royals, especially in terms of wedding dresses! Grace Kelly set the standard when she transitioned from celebrity-to-princess wearing a high-neck lace creation that went on to inspire brides for generations. Both Kate and Pippa Middleton took inspiration from Grace Kelly and opted for lace bridal gowns themselves, which is why we wouldn’t be overly surprised if Meghan Markle decided to opt for a lace gown as well.
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2. Inspiration: Ode to Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly’s 1958 wedding gown is recognized for it’s sheer, lace detailing and high neckline. Her wedding look is one of the most iconic of all time, which is why we wouldn’t be surprised to see Markle mimic her timeless style and opt for something similar. The high, sheer neckline is one we saw Meghan Markle don during her engagement photos, so this is definitely a viable option when it comes to the structure of her own wedding gown. Considering both Pippa and Kate Middleton, along with countless other non-Royal brides, used Kelly’s bridal look as inspiration, we’re sure Markle would look up to Kelly as well.
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1. Details: Low Neckline
Meghan Markle tends to be quite edgy when it comes to fashion and this is a style preference we’re quite certain she’ll stay true to with her wedding gown. When asked how her Suits character Rachel Zane’s bridal style compares to her own, she mentioned that her style is much more relaxed but enjoyed playing “dress up” in Rachel’s Cinderella-inspired gown. She also added that if it were up to her, the dress would have had one detail a little different. “For TV we did have to bring the neckline up a touch per the producer’s request, but the original design has a low ballerina inspired neckline and I happen to love that,” she dished. Although the Royals are quite modest with their necklines, we wouldn’t completely overlook Markle’s preference for low necklines for her own bridal attire!
