With a brand new year comes a whole new host of trends. Thankfully, with the wedding season almost upon us, it’s time to take a look at the wedding trends that are turning heads in 2019.

Bring The Outside In

Many couples now want more eco-conscious days, with many opting to bring a touch of nature to their big day. Flowers and foliage look as though they could be taking center stage for the day over many other aspects of the wedding.

Coral Colors

Color schemes have come and gone over the years, and 2019 appears to be the return of the coral color. The most popular? A pink-orange called “living coral.” From flowers to dresses and makeup to cakes, it seems as though this warm tone could be bringing many ceremonies to life.

Colored Confetti

Many couples look to social media for the hottest wedding trends and latest inspiration, so what is wrong with jumping aboard the colored confetti train? There have been many snaps of brides and grooms exiting the venue to a shower of fun, and there could be a few more about to join the list.

Banquet Tables

Gone are the days of separate tables with name places and seating families with one another. It seems as though many couples will be opting for banquet tables instead in 2019. Now, the pair can take to the top of the table while their guests from both families surround them on either side.

Low Flowers

Sometimes, less really can be more – and these low floral designs go hand in hand with a banquet table. The centerpieces used to fill the entire room, but now it looks as though more people are opting for more low key arrangements with wildflowers and boho themes being more popular than ever.

Fancy Ice Cubes

Apparently, you can even jazz up ice cubes at your wedding in 2019. There are many things that people have opted to put in their drinks, with delicate flowers being a popular choice for many. These are a subtle yet beautiful way to add a finishing touch to any wedding breakfast.

If you’re planning a wedding for 2019 and want to be on trend – or just love making a Pinterest board like the rest of us – then it seems as though this year has plenty of style on offer.

It’s sad that Meghan Markle was never able to meet Diana, as she passed away when Prince Harry was young. However, Meghan shares many similarities in terms of ethos and lifestyle that Diana would have been proud of. Discover all of the reasons Princess Diana would be proud of Meghan!

Meghan Markle has always been an entrepreneurial spirit. She worked her way up in the acting world without any outside help, and the world fell in love with her as Rachel Zane in Suits. Similarly, Diana, the former Princess of Wales, came from a completely regular background. Diana worked many jobs in her youth, such as a dance instructor, a kindergarten assistant, and a nanny. The two of them would certainly have some stories to share about life before royalty!

Meghan broke royal protocol in an interview in South Africa, where she was on tour with Prince Harry. She spoke candidly about her postpartum struggles in an emotional interview that had her close to tears. Similarly, Diana was famous for being open and honest with her difficulties with her mental health and marriage and was seen as the humanizing face of the royal family. She would be proud that despite the strict rules of the royal family, Meghan is strong, open, and relatable.

For many years before she was a part of the royal family, Meghan Markle involved herself in charitable causes on an international scale. She traveled to India with World Vision and met with female refugees in Rwanda on behalf of UN Women. Diana dedicated much of her life to advocating for people who didn’t have a voice and would be delighted to see that her son is married to an equally charitable woman who makes philanthropy a key part of her life.

Meghan really goes above and beyond in her mission to help others. When a public housing apartment building in London suffered a tragic fire, Meghan not only raised awareness for the cause but got hands-on in the charity kitchen, eventually raising money with a cookbook for the victims. Meghan’s extremely personal commitment would be prized by Diana, who famously once sold 79 of her own gowns to raise $3.25 million for cancer and AIDS charities. Two truly inspiring women!

Meghan has been praised by fashionistas for thoroughly updating the royal family’s look. From messy buns, dark nail polish, pantsuits, and this off-the-shoulder dress that the newspapers dedicated whole columns to, Meghan shows that conservative styles can be modernized fashionably. Diana was known for being incredibly photogenic, and the tabloids loved to dissect her looks which, for the time, were daring! She would have loved Meghan’s bold choices, effortless chic, and efforts to bring the royal’s into the 21st century.

Meghan’s looks are powerful, but the message behind them is even more so. When she stepped out wearing black skinny jeans by UK brand Outland Demin on Harry’s Australian tour, sales increased by an incredible 640%. The massive increase enabled founder James Bartle to hire 46 seamstresses in his Cambodian factory. Diana would have applauded Meghan’s savvy way to combine activism with ethical brands, and we know if they’d been available in the 90s, she would have bought a pair too!

Meghan Markle has always been a big fan of reading, as evidenced in her previous lifestyle blog, The Tig. She would regularly post her reading list for the season while encouraging readers of all levels to get involved and find something that inspired them. Similarly, Diana was an advocate for breaking down the boundaries in learning and campaigned for social equality where everyone had the same chances. We’re sure that Meghan and Diana would have found some favorite authors in common.

Naysayers in the media recently have been criticizing Meghan and Harry’s decision to stop their royal duties and start building their own life, but Diana would definitely have supported their move. Diana also decided to step back from public life in 1993, citing terrible treatment from the press and saying, “My first priority will continue to be our children, William and Harry, who deserve as much love and care and attention as I am able to give,” she said in her speech announcing the move.

Meghan currently has a pending legal case in which she sued the newspaper the Daily Mail for publishing part of a letter that she wrote to her father which is considered copyright infringement in the UK. Diana would have applauded the way Meghan is standing up for herself, instead of suffering in silence. Diana had her own battle with the press when she sued newspaper The Mirror for publishing secret photographs of her exercising in a gym wearing workout gear.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding attracted one of the biggest TV audiences of all time, but viewers may have missed out on the tiny detail in Meghan’s wedding vows. Meghan chose to omit the word ‘obey’ from her vows. Diana would have been all about this, as she also chose to do so during her wedding to Prince Charles in 1981. Meghan’s choice to omit the word was a clear nod to Diana, and something that Harry was said to appreciate.

Meghan’s family have definitely not all been supportive during her life and career. Her father, estranged half-sister, half-brother, and cousins have all tried to profit off her success, or slandered her in the press. Thankfully, she has a great relationship with her mother and built a meaningful life without the drama. Diana also had a dysfunctional upbringing, with her mother leaving the family when she was a child. Prince Charles has even nicknamed Meghan “Tungsten” after the nearly indestructible metal, which Diana would have loved.

Soon after announcing they were seriously dating, Meghan Markle started attending events with the royal family. This might seem normal in a relationship, but with the royal’s it has never been the thing to do before marriage, so Meghan is a game changer once again. When Prince Charles was considering dating Diana, he was allowed to take her on a sailing weekend in Cowes, UK, and shortly after she met the queen and the pair got engaged! It seems things moved very quickly back then.

Diana was the most approachable member of the royal family. She didn’t shake hands and move on, she really took the time to sit with the people she met and listen to what they had to say, while sharing anecdotes of her own. Diana would have been touched by Meghan’s own approachability, which is genuine and very inspiring. She hugs her fans, she takes the time to get to know everyone she talks to, and she even corresponded with a Suits fan for years.

For their last official engagement as a royal couple, Meghan and Harry spent the evening at the Mountbatten Festival of Music at Royal Albert Hall in London. Meghan has always been a fan of music ever since her high school days performing in musicals. Diana often attended similar events during her marriage with Prince Charles and was said to be particularly moved by classical music. She loved to see people expressing themselves through art, so Meghan and her would have had that in common.

Meghan Markle was a feminist from a young age. At 11 years old, she spoke out against a dishwasher soap commercial that claimed “women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.” Washing dishes is not and should not be exclusively a woman’s chore, and Meghan’s campaign got the messaging changed! Diana believed that “many issues and problems in a male-dominated world” derived from enforced masculinity, so she and Meghan would have been totally aligned on this topic.

Meghan’s focus on bettering the lives of women and girls continued into her adulthood. She recently delivered a powerful speech in New Zealand in which she said women didn’t need to be helped to find their voices, but that the world had to start listening. Diana was quite shy and innocent when she first got married, but she grew into a strong woman who fought for respect for herself as a woman and for women around the world.

Diana was famous for writing thank-you letters, and she wrote thousands over the years. She wanted people to feel connected, seen, and appreciated. Diana had a beautiful and distinctive signature which became a collector’s item in its own right. Diana would be proud to know that Meghan, a calligraphy expert, cultivates the same habit. She once wrote wedding invitations as a side job and has said she loves to dedicate a few hours a week to correspondence with her loved ones.

One of the humanitarian causes dearest to Meghan’s heart is access for everyone to education. Meghan took part in projects in schools in Rwanda, Malawi, and India before she met Harry and has said she wishes to continue this work in the future. Diana shared Meghan’s ambitions, once saying, “Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a good and essential part of my life, a kind of destiny.”

Meghan Markle is a dog lover and has long encouraged to adopt rescue pets, using the hashtag #adoptdontshop. One of her four initial royal patronages was a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of dogs and cats. Diana gave her sons Harry and William plenty of furry friends when they were children. She despised the royal pastime of hunting, and Meghan is said to share the same sentiments. She would have been proud of Meghan’s compassion for all living things.

When Diana was plucked from obscurity and brought into the royal family, she was determined to make a real difference in the world. Initially known as ‘Shy Di’, she became the ‘People’s Princess’ thanks to her warm nature and personality. Diana would have been so proud to see Meghan work her way up in the acting world, launching her own lifestyle website on the way, and creating fashion collections for a Canadian brand, all before meeting and marrying Harry.

The very first official joint royal event that Meghan and Harry attended was a visit to charity fair organized by the HIV/AIDS charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, marking World AIDS Day. Diana worked tirelessly to bring attention to AIDS, through small actions such as being photographed shaking a man with AIDS’ hand, and bigger ones, like raising millions for the cause throughout her life. She would be thrilled to know Meghan was shining a spotlight on a cause close to her heart.

Meghan has been quite vocal about wanting baby Archie to have as normal a life as possible, and it started with the fact that she only gave him one middle name, which was a break from royal protocol! Diana would have loved this diversion from the norm, as she too broke rules with Harry and William by choosing their first given names, personally picking their schools, and organizing her public duties around their timetables, all of which was very unusual for a royal.

British newspapers were soon to judge Meghan’s ‘American work ethic’ which involved waking up early and texting ideas to staff from the moment that she and Harry had gotten serious. She started attending royal engagements as soon she moved to the UK. Diana would have seen a little bit of herself in Meghan, as she was equally work orientated. She attended and organized hundreds of events a year and worked hard to turn her royal role into one that would be meaningful to everyone.

It should come as no surprise that Meghan Markle loves the arts, given her acting background. The Queen gifted Meghan her patronage of the National Theatre as one of her first royal duties, and she took her appointment very seriously by visiting often. Diana was the patron of the Royal Academy of Music, and London City Ballet, amongst others, and she received the International Leonardo Prize, which is given to “the most distinguished patrons and people in the arts.” They would have been kindred spirits!

In the 80s and 90s, none of the royal family hugged people. Diana noticed, once saying, “If someone might be nervous of you or you’re speaking to a very young child or a sick person, get yourself on their level.” Diana’s sons followed their mother’s example, and Meghan took it one step further when she stopped a woman from curtseying to her and instead gave her a warm embrace, in a move that would have really impressed Diana.

Harry proposed to Meghan when she was making him a roast chicken, and reports say their life in Vancouver is all about family, their love for each other, and hanging out with their dogs. Meghan is a nurturing soul and often looks protective of Harry when they’re in public. Diana sometimes worried about Harry’s place in the world as he was the son who wouldn’t be king, so she’d love the fact he had someone close with his best interests at heart.

Meghan has shown time and time again that her support for women goes beyond giving fashion and beauty tips on her lifestyle blog The Tig. She interviewed female leaders working in business and sports and included pieces on self-empowerment, writing, “I was hoping to integrate social consciousness and subjects of higher values than, let’s say, selfies.” Diana would have adored the social consciousness, as she too spent much of her life advocating for looking past the superficial to the human within.

Meghan’s love for yoga is well known, and she reportedly gets up as early as 4 am to fit practice in. What’s better, she shares the healthy habits, that she learned from her mom, with Harry too, encouraging him to get active. Diana would be all for it! She loved going to the gym and worked with chefs and nutritionists to develop a healthy diet that helped her with her bulimia, which she publicly struggled with for many years.

Although it couldn’t be said that Diana and Meghan grew up in similar situations, they did both attend private all-girls schools. When Diana was nine, she began attending the boarding school Riddlesworth Hall. As for Meghan, she attended a Catholic girls’ school in California by the name of Immaculate Heart High School. Both Diana and Meghan have spoken fondly of their school days, and they definitely would have connected over the similarities in their educations.

Meghan Markle’s close friend Janina Gavankar told the Royal Mail newspaper that being royal ‘hasn’t changed’ Meghan. Apparently, Meghan still uses FaceTime ‘no matter where she is’ to maintain her friendships. Diana was the life of the party and loved by all, but she had one closest friend, her butler Paul Burrel. Diana would confide in him about everything, sharing Meghan’s belief that it is always better to have a few close friends than a hundred false ones.

Meghan is an advocate of ‘alone time’, whether it’s going to the cinema on your own, taking yourself out for dinner, or going on solo holidays, and Prince Harry has made mental health one of his key campaigning issues. Diana would fully support their need for privacy and alone time, as she wasn’t afforded much of it herself. She was famously stalked by photographers and had to resort to changing outfits to try and throw them off her trail.

During the last US election, Meghan posted on Instagram, “Exercise your right to vote—sadly, not everyone in this world has it, so if you do, please let your voice be heard.” She has always encouraged women to speak up for themselves, and exercise the power they have to inform politics. Diana was the pioneer of using the media to her advantage, which for her meant taking the monarchy’s platform and putting it to good use by speaking on behalf of those in need.

On a purely superficial level, we are sure that Diana would have loved Meghan’s taste in jewelry, particularly because the royal family gifted Meghan some of Diana’s pieces. In fact, when Harry and Meghan got married, she wore Diana’s gorgeous aquamarine ring. Before she was a royal, Meghan was famous for always wearing her own jewelry in photoshoots, which shows her humble side. Diana would have loved that, and also would have been happy to share some of her trinkets.

Meghan studied at Northwestern University, where she double-majored. She told Marie Claire, “I knew I wanted to do acting, but I wanted more than that, and I had always loved politics, so I ended up changing my major completely and double-majoring in theatre and international relations.” Diana would have appreciated Meghan’s can-do attitude, and also her impressive skill set. Diana herself was married before she had a chance to go to university, but was highly self-educated on many topics.

Thanks to an impetus from Meghan, she and Harry chose the environment as the social issue of the month on their Instagram last year. “There is a ticking clock to protect our planet,” the post says, pointing to the threats of climate change, endangered wildlife, and plastic pollution. Diana took a firm stance against environmental pollution, which was linked to her support of animal charities, and would have joined the crusade with Meghan and Harry to raise awareness of the topic.

Meghan has dabbled in meditation thanks to her extensive yoga practice, but she managed to bring Harry in on it as well. He was photographed deep in conversation with Buddhist monk Kelsang Sonam, who gave Harry a copy of a book entitled 8 Steps to Happiness after the Prince discussed the holistic practice with him. Diana was very interested in non-Western spiritual practices and loved trips to Asia, where she was keen to learn more about meditation and associated practices.

One of the reasons that Meghan Markle started her lifestyle blog was her love for travel. She’s been able to explore the world as an actress and even traveled as a college student, when she had an internship at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires. Diana traveled all over the world as part of her efforts to meet and understand people from all cultures and walks of life. The pair would have enjoyed many mother-in-law daughter-in-law trips.

Meghan warmed hearts across the world when a video of her visiting a retirement home for British entertainers went viral. Her interactions with the residents were both funny and heartwarming, as she joked about feeling ‘very pregnant today’ and took the time to speak to each individual. This attitude echoed Diana’s, who believe in caring across generations. She said, “Everyone of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.”

Meghan and Harry are head over heels in love! Meghan says that it’s simple, “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.” Harry feels exactly the same, saying about their engagement, “I know that at the end of the day, she chooses me. I choose her. Whatever we have to tackle will be us together as a team.” What would make Diana more proud than to see her youngest son married to the woman of his dreams!