While there has been a bit of a lukewarm response to the upcoming royal wedding so far, there is still time for things to turn around for those looking to celebrate the nuptials of Prince Harry and ex-Suits actor Meghan Markle. With the weather forecast set firmly to ‘sunny’,it’s still not too late for retailers to capitalise on the ‘Royal Wedding Effect’.
While it looks like the number of official celebrations won’t be anywhere near that of previous royal celebrations, that’s not to say that parties and impromptu gatherings won’t be taking place as the nation gathers in front of their TV sets to see the popular, fun-loving prince get married to the American actor. And there’s nothing more likely to get the Great British public out enjoying themselves than a good weather forecast!
What does this mean for the party industry? “The success of recent Royal celebrations does suggest that the wedding will give retailers an added boost this spring with sales of British-themed bunting, balloons and party ranges,” says Tracey Cooper, Neviti’s director.
Also looking forward to the impending nuptials is Mask-arade, which is predicting that its much-loved royal Face Masks will feature as prominently in the celebrations as they have with other recent major royal events.
“It never fails to amaze me how the British public gets into the spirit of a royal occasion,” says commercial director Ray Duffy, talking to PartyWorldwide recently. He says the company had 18,000 Harry and Meghan masks made initially but when they sold out new stock was ordered in immediately.
Not everyone expects Harry’s wedding to follow in the footsteps of his older brother. “Everyone loves a Royal Wedding, but we get the feeling this one will be more of a subdued affair than Wills and Kate,” muses Holly Forder, product and marketing manager at Creative Party. “Just like the couple, we expect it will have more of a casual, modern feel.”
Click here to read the full version of this article, from January’s Progressive Party Europe.
