I could hardly write this week’s blog on anything other than the Royal Wedding, mainly because I’m a florist and like every other florist in the world, I was waiting with bated breath to see what spectacular displays were created. Traditionally, after a wedding of this calibre, we tend to see an increase in interest from brides aiming to replicate the bouquet.
This time, I think it will be a bit of a challenge for Australian florists, but Meghan Markle’s simple bouquet seems to have captured many hearts, along with the rest of their love story.
The now, Duchess of Sussex’s bouquet included sweet pea, forget-me-nots, lily of the valley, astilbe, jasmine, astrantia and the royal tradition of myrtle flowers. Her bouquet includes strong messages from both a royal stand point, as well as from the Victorian language of flowers.
Many of the flowers included in the bouquet grow in the garden at their home at Kensington Palace which I thought was a lovely way to integrate what seems to me to be their down to earth nature as a couple.
According to the language of flowers Astilbe is a symbol of dedication and Lily of the Valley symbolises of love.
The bouquet also contained forget- me- nots which were Princess Diana’s favourite flowers. The bouquet also contained delicate sweet pea blossoms, and jasmine.
Along with the bouquet, London based florist Phillipa Craddock, created a monumental floral gateway, which is said to have been made without floral foam. Perhaps for non-florists that doesn’t seem like some great feat, but to create such a large floral display without floral foam takes great skill, artistry and mechanical ingenuity.
The benefit of not using floral foam is that you can keep the stems long, allowing them to be transformed into something later, and that is exactly what transpired. This time though, they were not rearranged into something for the reception as is often the case, instead the flowers were bunched up into hand tied bouquets, and delivered to various hospices and women’s refuges.
Phillipa Craddock, the florist appointed by the couple for the Royal Wedding shared a photo via instagram detailing what would happen to the floral arrangements which decorated the entrances to St George’s Chapel, at Windsor Castle. And later, a resident from St Joseph’s Hospice was pictured holding one of the bouquets with a touching thank you message, and the biggest grin from ear to ear.
The floral arrangements within the chapel were left there, for another couple to use who were marrying in the coming days.
Following in the tradition of leaving the royal bridal bouquet at the grave of a fallen soldier, Meghan Markle’s bouquet, was left at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, in Westminster Abbey.
This tradition was started by the Queen Mother at her marriage to King George VI in memory of her brother Fergus, who was killed in 1915 during the First World War.
It is back to business as usual for the couple, who have postponed their honeymoon, and are instead performing their Royal duties.
Did you watch the Royal Wedding?
Fwf x
