It’s almost time for the wedding of the year! Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to tie the knot on May 19, and just because you weren’t one of the lucky few to snag an invite, doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate like royalty.
Celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss — who planned the luxury celebrations when stars like Nicole Richie and Joel Madden and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi tied the knot — shared her five best tips for throwing an incredible at-home viewing party with Us Weekly.
While those closest to the 36-year-old former Suits actress and 33-year-old royal gather at London’s St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle to watch the two exchange “I do’s,” Weiss is giving Us all the tricks to watching in style from the comfort of your couch.
Scroll down to see Weiss’ perfect party planning tips to celebrate the love between Meghan and Harry!
Get the Timing Right
For those of us in the States, live TV coverage begins on Saturday, May 19, at the crack of dawn, with the actual ceremony set to start at 7 p.m. EST, but don’t let that stop you! Host a breakfast celebration at home or set that DVR and hold your viewing party a bit later in the day.
Have Themed Food and Drinks On Your Menu
A royal wedding viewing party calls for traditional British foods like crumpets, scones, finger sandwiches and, of course, tea. And mimosas and Bloody Marys are certainly in order. Meghan and Harry have already revealed they will be having a lemon elderflower cake, so serve some lemon elderflower cake pops or cupcakes to honor the happy couple.
Have Fun With the Dress Code
A few ideas: encourage your guests to pay homage to the royals with outrageous hats. Or go a little wacky and ask your female guests don an old bridesmaid dress – the crazier the better (when else are they going to wear them?). If you’re going the early-morning route for your event, what’s better than a pajama party?
Set the Mood
You can have tons of fun with the style of your viewing party. Adorn your living room with fresh peonies, which will likely make an appearance at the wedding, roll out a red carpet for guests and have some British tunes playing.
Get Social
Such an adorable viewing party deserves to be on social media, right? Set up a photo area for your guests with some fun themed props like tiaras, mini British flags, tea cups and more. Don’t forget to create a cheeky hashtag!
