Prince Harry and ex-Suits actor Meghan Markle will be getting married in just a matter of months. As the nation looks forward to Saturday 19 May, many party retailers will be looking to capitalise on the ‘Royal Wedding Effect’.
The popular, fun-loving prince and the American actor have already made a number of public appearances since the announcement, charming the media and the public alike and building anticipation for the main event.
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 hoping 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. He says the company is already seeing an increased demand for its royal range, which has already been expanded to include new Prince Harry and Meghan masks.
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.
