What to Make for Your Royal Wedding Viewing Party 

For anyone planning  to rise in the wee hours of the morning (more specifically, Saturday 5/19, 7 AM, eastern standard time)  to bear witness to a royally tear-evoking union of matrimonial bliss—A.K.A the royal wedding, A.K.A Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials—well by golly, you sure as heck can’t do it with proper sustenance. And I do mean proper in the most British sense possible; you need a viewing party menu fit for the 92-year-old, gin-loving queen herself. Here’s a list of make-ahead friendly, royally delicious ideas for a smashing royal wedding experience. Serve as a complete menu or pick and choose just a couple of items that you and your viewing company would especially enjoy. 

Spring Gin Punch

It’s no secret Queen Elizabeth fancies her gin, but rather than mixing with her preferred Dubonnet, let’s mix it into a light, lemony, and all-around lovely spring punch. This big batch cocktail is perfect for such an elegantly festive occasion, and it can be mixed up ahead of time and chilled—just wait to add the sparkling water until you’re ready to serve. 

Or if gin feels a bit too potent for you first thing in the morning, how about these blushing mimosas?

Classic Crumpets

If you’ve never experienced the toasty, buttery glory that is a homemade crumpet, please let this wedding be the occasion that makes it happen for you. Trust me, it’s so worth your while. Though crumpets do require a yeasted dough, and yeasted doughs tend to feel a little intimidating, I can promise you that these are actually pretty difficult to mess up if you follow the recipe. Once your crumpet dough (it’s really more of a batter, as it is quite loose) is made, you’re essentially just cooking pancakes. You know how to make pancakes. Again, you can make your crumpets the night before and simply warm in your toaster oven or toaster the following morning. Serve with butter, jam, honey, and (of course) tea. 

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

This recipe is our take on the Queen’s favorite dessert—an intensely rich treat made by mixing digestive biscuits (i.e. buttery cookies) with chocolate ganache, forming the mixture into a cake, and then coating the whole shebang in another layer of chocolate ganache. I don’t think I need to say much more. 

Tacos

Given her California roots, fish tacos top the list of the bride-to-be’s favorite foods, according to Today.com. Thus, tacos should obviously be included in our royal wedding viewing menu to pay homage to the beautiful merging of culinary traditions that’s about to take place up in that marriage. Here are a few fantastic fish taco recipes you might consider:

• Baja Fish Tacos
• Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos
• Pan Seared Tuna Tacos with Avocado and Mango Salsa
• Fish Tacos and Topping Bar

WATCH: How to Make Fish Tacos

That said, if you’re not the type of person who can stomach fish (that isn’t smoked and presented on a bagel) first thing in the morning, you might go with a tasty breakfast taco instead. 

Bacon, Cooked the Way Prince Harry Likes it

Which, if you don’t know, is the way he had it prepared at Disney World as a child. This extra-crispy bacon that the prince prefers is made by first broiling the bacon, and then wrapping it in paper towels and nuking it in the microwave for a minute. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

These muffins are another one of Prince Harry’s childhood favorites, according to former royal chef, Darren McGrady. You can grab the recipe for the simple, sandwich-inspired breakfast pastries here. 

Now, pick out your most formal PJs and make sure you’re well-stocked on tissue—you are royal wedding-ready, my friends.