Everyone here at the Wedding Shoppe is excited for the upcoming royal wedding! American actress Meghan Markle will marry Prince Harry on May 19th at Windsor Castle. There’s plenty of buzz building around the royal wedding, but one big reveal has us all on our toes: what will Ms. Markle’s royal wedding dress look like? Meghan is a unique and ground-breaking bride for the royals in many ways. Does this mean she’ll branch out from the typical royal wedding dress styles, or will she go for a bolder approach? Here’s what we know about royal wedding gowns: they’re typically chic and classic. These are the hallmark styles of royal gowns. Long trains. Not every royal bride has matched Princess Diana’s iconic 24-foot train, but long trains are common among royal wedding dresses. Some royals opt for floor-length gowns, like Princess Elizabeth. Still, she attached a silk tulle train at the shoulders to give her 13 feet of trailing fabric. When you’re walking down an aisle somewhere as majestic as Westminster Abbey, the elegance of a trailing dress is hard to pass up! Long sleeves. Diana’s big puffed sleeves aligned with true 80s fashion. Kate’s body-formed lace above a sweetheart neckline met the modern styles of her day. While the styles change, royals all seem to agree on one thing: we don't show shoulders. V-necks. What did Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, and even Camilla Parker Bowles have in common? All of these royal brides opted to have a v-neck design on their dresses. Beading. Princess Diana’s gown featured 10,000 pearls. Queen Elizabeth’s features similar numbers of intense hand-beading work. Detail is an important part of all royal wedding dresses. Natural waistline. The skirt styles range from giant ballgown to simpler A-line. However, most typical royal wedding dresses feature a natural waistline. While the ceremony gowns are iconic, it's becoming more typical for royal brides to swap dresses for the reception. Kate Middleton wore a gorgeous white lace-sleeved dress for the ceremony and first reception. At the second, however, she arrived in a lighter, train-free gown. It’s quite likely that after the ceremony for 600 guests, Ms. Markle will change her gown for the more intimate reception of 200 guests. Check out some of our favorite styles that are fit for a royal wedding (or royal wedding reception!). 1. Casablanca Bridal Gown 2073 This Casablanca gown was one of the many replica royal wedding dresses that were inspired by Kate Middleton’s choice for the big day. Both feature satin a satin pleated skirt, a sweetheart neckline, and lace long sleeves creating an illusion v-neck. The Casablanca style even has an elegant, yet manageable train. This is the ultimate royal wedding dress for a bride who swooned at the sight of Kate’s gown. The jacket is removable, too, making it versatile for a bride who wants to let loose at the reception! 2. Jasmine Bridal Gown F191012 This Jasmine gown combines elements of Kate Middleton’s dress with more modern bohemian vibes. It swaps the satin for tulle and the sweetheart/illusion v-neck for a full illusion sweetheart. It does stay true to the A-line skirt, long lace sleeves, sheer back, covered buttons, long train, and embroidered skirt. The style and pattern of the embroidery and applique lace appears wispier on tulle than satin, true. Yet the details can seen on royal wedding dresses ranging from Elizabeth’s to Diana’s to Kate’s. 3. Blue by Mori Lee Bridal Gown 4969 This classic and chic gown is reminiscent of Kate Middleton’s lesser-known reception dress. Made from duchess satin, this ball gown features a sweetheart neckline and rhinestone waist. While Kate wore hers with an elegant white cardigan, the gown itself gives royally-minded brides an excuse to go strapless. 4. Kennedy Blue Bridal Gown Grace / 28121 If ball gown style is not for you, consider this Kennedy Blue bridal gown, also inspired by Kate Middleton’s reception dress. It features a thinner A-line skirt with the same sweetheart neckline and rhinestone-encrusted waistline. 5. Casablanca Bridal Gown 2070 This gown, another of the replica royal wedding dresses, was inspired by Pippa Middleton’s maid of honor dress. It’s elegant and royal without following all the fussy tropes of royal wedding dresses. The satin A-line dress with cap sleeves and a draped neckline keeps things classy and simple. The satin buttons on the back serve as a perfect homage to this iconic bridesmaid dress. 6. Allure Couture Bridal Gown C368 This stunning gown by Allure Couture captures many hallmark traits of royal wedding dresses. It features a long train, full skirt, ¾ length sleeves, and intricate beading. The model’s eccentric headpiece also reminds us of the incredible hats British royal wedding guests are known for! 7. Enchanting by Mon Cheri Bridal Gown 117177 The scoop neckline of this dress is a vintage throwback to Princess Elizabeth’s gown. It's a nice mix between classic and modern royal wedding dresses. The style combines lace sleeves, delicate beading, covered buttons, and a chapel-length train. This classy design is sure to make any bride feel like a princess. 8. Blu by Mori Lee Bridal Gown Maya 5517 Many royal brides tend to go big with the ball-gown silhouette, and this Mori Lee gown captures that style with whimsical elegance. The beading, illusion long sleeves, v-neckline, covered buttons, lace are also reminiscent of common styles for royal wedding dresses. 9. Mori Lee Bridal Gown Maira / 8110 This elegant gown is fit for a royal wedding. The lace-covered bodice extends to an elegant A-line skirt with a lingering train. The dress takes a slightly bolder approach to the neckline and includes a stunning keyhole back. Still, the long sleeves and covered buttons keep the look classy and royal. 10. Casablanca Bridal Gown Peony / 2260 This stunning Casablanca dress combines styles of royal wedding dresses from days of old with the modern trend of the two-piece dress. The pleated satin skirt rests on the natural waistline and is lined with a lace trim. The skirt extends to a chapel-length train with satin-covered buttons trailing all the way down the back. The lacy top typical of royal brides ends in a cap-sleeve, showing a bit more arm while keeping it classy enough for a royal affair. 11. Jasmine Bridal Gown T192013 This gown brings together elements of a typical royal wedding dress with a few more daring choices. While keeping the full-length sleeves, the wider cut of the neckline shows a bit more collar than Kate’s dress did. The illusion back plunges a bit further downward while keeping the elegant beadwork and satin buttons. The tulle train would flow elegantly down the aisle of St. George’s chapel. Ms. Markle is a ground-breaking bride in many ways, so we’d love to see her take a few risks with her choice of bridal gown in a dress like this! 12. Jasmine Bridal Gown F191009 This dress combines elements of Kate Middleton’s dress with contemporary styles. The fit-and-flare style creates a sexier silhouette. This is especially true when combined with the wider v-neck collar and daring v-shaped open back. The dress is still covered in delicate, intricate lace, to give the gown a timeless feel. 13. Ashley & Justin Bridal Gown 10451 This Ashley & Justin dress features even more bold style moves we think Ms. Markle could pull off. It stays true to the motifs we’ve come to recognize as royal—sweetheart neckline, illusion sleeves, lace, and a train. However, it breaks the mold with a fit-and-flare silhouette and a daring open back. 14. Ashley & Justin Bridal Gown 10411 Another daring option for Ms. Markle, this fit-and-flare dress keeps the long sleeves but takes them off the shoulders. The design also incorporates the classic back buttons and Middleton-inspired sweetheart neckline. The long sheer lace train also points to the long train pinned to Princess Elizabeth’s dress. 15. Maggie Sottero Bridal Gown Deirdre Marie / 7MW366 While this dress doesn’t look exactly like any of the most famous royal wedding dresses, it combines elements of several to create a timeless gown. Long sleeves, lace fabric, A-line silhouette, and a lace-lined skirt with a train make this dress worthy of a bohemian royal bride. Classy and classic. We hope you’re as excited as we are for the big reveal on May 19th. The world will be watching this historic event as Meghan Markle weds Prince Harry, and we can’t wait to see the big dress reveal. We hope these royal wedding dresses leave you feeling inspired for your own big day! Whatever she wears, we know the bride’s royal wedding dress will be a topic of discussion for years afterwards, just like Kate Middleton’s dress was (and still is!). What are your favorite royally-inspired styles? What kind of dress do you think (or hope!) Ms. Markle will stun the world with? Leave us a comment!