We're only two days away from the royal wedding, so it's safe to assume Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are finished with their planning (we hope). But if you're a commoner who's procrastinated on planning a watch party, you still have time to decorate and invite friends over for the affair, which takes place Saturday, May 19. If you're watching in real-time, you'll already be making quite the commitment — the wedding will start at 4 a.m. on the West Coast and 7 a.m. on the East Coast. But once you've convinced your friends to join you early in the morning, all that's left is buying things for your last-minute royal wedding watch party.
People have been planning royal wedding parties for months, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck if you just committed to hosting your friends in the early hours of Saturday morning. You won't have time to do anything elaborate, but you can still host an event that your guests will love. Etsy has print-at-home options, and if you're willing to pay overnight shipping costs, you still have a chance of ordering decorations from online vendors. Regardless of your budget, this guide will give you an idea of how to throw an enviable watch party without much effort.
1Lemon-Flavored Desserts
Although it was rumored that Harry and Markle would choose banana-flavored cake, they've gone for something more traditional, though still a departure from the traditional English Fruitcake. According to NBC News, the cake will be made with organic lemons and elderflower. Just search for lemon-flavored desserts at the supermarket, or if you're adventurous, look for an easy recipe that features the fruit. If you're flying solo, you can check out this lemon-elderflower cake for one person. You can't go wrong with lemon scones.
2Peonies
Peonies are Meghan Markle's favorite flower, and she shared a cryptic post before she made it official with the prince that featured a stunning peony bouquet. If you need flowers for the party, FTD has a Royal Touch Bouquet worth checking out. It may be too late to order flowers, so you could also just visit a local market.
3Handmade Fascinators
One of the most important aspects of any royal celebration is the fascinator. All of the women who attend Saturday's wedding will likely be wearing one, per royal tradition. You may not be able to create anything as intricate as the hats we'll see Saturday, but set up a fascinator making station at your party — Pinterest is filled with ideas.
4Royal Wedding Bingo
You'll have a bunch of networks to choose from when it comes to royal wedding coverage, and you can purchase printable bingo cards on Etsy to keep track of the coverage that'll likely last several days. You'll probably be shouting, "Bingo!" within a few minutes of the wedding starting.
5Royal Wedding-Inspired Cocktails
If you want to serve up cocktails at your party, The Victor at Parq Vancouver has helpfully provided cocktails inspired by the couple. "Victoria's Blessing" is pictured above, and here's the recipe.
- 2 oz. Star of Bombay Gin
- 0.25 oz. lavender syrup
- 3 dashes of The Victor bitters
- On ice
- Lemon twist garnish
It's a fun bonus that the lemon garnish looks like a fascinator.
6Royal Wedding "I Spy"
This is similar to bingo but slightly more entertaining for those of us who love fashion. You'll have a reason to stay glued to the television if you download this game and offer it to your party guests.
7Trivia Cards
Need to kill time on commercial breaks? Buy a printable trivia game and use it during your party. You'll get to quiz your guests and figure out who's actually the couple's biggest fan, and everyone loves an excuse to get competitive.
Even if you plan to catch a rerun of the wedding later in the day and don't have an elegant party planned, you can still make your celebration feel royal.
