WEDDING FLOWERS: #RoyalPlatinumWedding
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Showing posts with label #RoyalPlatinumWedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #RoyalPlatinumWedding. Show all posts

Tulips

Although tulips are most often associated with the Netherlands, this flower is actually a native of Persia. Representing "consuming love" and "happy years," the tulip can be a meaningful wedding choice. This flower is grown in a wide range of hues, including white and cream, pastels (pink, yellow and peach) and vibrant shades (magenta, red, orange and purple).


 Available during much of the year, the most common tulips are very affordable, though rare varieties can be expensive. The versatile tulip can enhance both elegant wedding settings and more casual venues, and work well in almost any detail at a wedding—from bouquets and boutonnieres to table arrangements. Three main varieties are commonly used: Dutch tulips (typically seen at neighborhood florist shops and in gardens), French tulips (expensive and elegant, with extra-long stems and large tapered blooms) and parrot tulips (noted for their ruffled, striped petals in intense colors).

Here Are 10 of the Most Popular Wedding Flowers Ever

Having trouble choosing your blooms with so many options? Start with these tried-and-true favorites.
by The Knot



Picture yourself walking through a glorious garden with every flower at its peak. Which flowers would you go with for your wedding: something classic or trendy? Colorful or neutral? Large or minimal? If you're answer is something along the lines of, "I don't even know where to start," we'll help you narrow down your flower options before you meet with your florist. Begin with the basics, aka the top 10 most beautiful, timeless and popular wedding flowers.

Queen's 70th Wedding Anniversary: the Queen as a bride


All brides are beautiful but some linger in the memory forever. The Queen is in that category. OK, it helps that she's the Queen and millions watched her wedding while billions have no doubt seen the photos since. And we're all getting wedding excitement again as the Platinum anniversary of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh arrives this November 20th. So to celebrate that very special moment, here's a look back at the Queen as a bride.....


The Veil



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For simplicity's sake, let's start at the top and work our way down. The Queen's wedding veil was tulle and worn back from her face. It gave way to a fifteen foot court train, attached at the bride's shoulders, made from silk tulle and with embroidery including pearls and crystals.


The Tiara


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There was plenty of family and lots of drama about the tiara that the Queen wore to her wedding. The diamond fringe diadem was made for her granny, Queen Mary, and had started as a wedding present itself. When Mary married the future George V in 1893 she received a diamond necklace from her new hubby's granny - who just happened to be Queen Victoria. She later had Garrards turn that into the tiara. She passed the piece on to her own daughter-in-law, Elizabeth, when she became queen consort in 1936. The then Princess Elizabeth chose it for her wedding but may have had second thoughts after it famously broke on the morning of her marriage and had to be hastily repaired.




The Dress


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Created by Norman Hartnell, this is about as famous a royal wedding gown as you will find. It was made of ivory silk, spun by worms at Lullingstone Castle in Kent and woven by Winterthur in Dunfermline. Hartnell said he was inspired by the painting Primavera by Botticelli - the return of spring, rather apt for a gown worn by a future monarch marrying in front of a nation still recovering from the harsh times of war. The gown has full length sleeves, fitted bodice and heart shaped neckline. After the wedding it was displayed in cities across the UK.



Jewellery


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When you're a royal bride, you don't just stop at a tiara. Oh no. There are all kinds of expectations and family heirlooms to contend with and the Queen managed it all marvellously. We know she loves pearls and for her wedding she wore a double strand necklace with enough historical punch for three royal nuptials. One strand of the pearls is believed to have belonged to Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch of Britain, while the other belonged to Caroline of Ansbach, consort to King George II. The pearls were passed down from Queen Victoria and given to Princess Elizabeth by her father on her wedding day. The earrings are made of pearls and diamonds and once belonged to George III's daughter, Mary, who ended up as Duchess of Edinburgh - the title waiting for the new royal bride after her marriage. Of course, Princess Elizabeth wore her diamond engagement ring, made by Antrobus using a stone from a tiara belonging to Prince Philip's mother, Alice. And she left the Abbey with perhaps her most precious piece of jewellery - a wedding ring fashioned from Welsh gold, continuing a tradition of the House of Windsor.



The Flowers



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The Queen carried a bouquet of white orchids, three varieties in total, all grown in the UK. Amongst those exotic blooms was a sprig of myrtle, continuing a tradition started by Queen Victoria who carried some in her own wedding bouquet who had received a cutting from Prince Albert's grandmother and planted it at Osborne House where it flourished. The bouquet, created by Martin Longman, went missing before the official photos were taken hence the bloomless bride in some of the snaps.



The Shoes



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How forties are these? The satin crossover sandals were made by Edward Rayne and if the rest of the  outfit is all about a future queen getting married, these are all about a young bride enjoying the biggest day of her life. The company originally made theatre shoes and went on to be a royal favourite with Margaret and Diana also using them.

Royal Platinum Wedding: Congratulations to the Queen and Prince Philip on 70 Years of Marriage


''In all essentials, exactly the same as it would have been for any cottager who might be married this afternoon''.. That's what the Archbishop of York said to Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten about their marriage as they wed on November 20th 1947 at Westminster Abbey. Plenty raised an eyebrow at that sentiment then and since. But in many ways, Cyril Garbet was right. For any marriage will always come down to the two people who enter into it. It might start in splendour but it relies on the hard work and unending hope of those saying 'I do' if it is to continue in glory. The Queen and Prince Philip, seven decades on, have proved that love really does conquer all.



Today, Elizabeth II, the longest reigning monarch in British history, and Prince Philip, the longest serving consort, will celebrate and be celebrated for what is a pretty phenomenal achievement. Few couples get to the milestone that is 70 years of marriage. Yes, good health and good care have helped a lot but so has this couple's determination to make their marriage work. They are clearly just as happy in one another's company as they were on that cold November day when they became husband and wife. Their affection for one another and rock solid bond is a huge part of the modern Monarchy's success. It has been a constant in the evolution of the House of Windsor and a solid foundation that has kept it stable even when crises began to threaten it.




Royal marriages don't have to succeed. It's perhaps the greatest irony of Elizabeth and Philip's long and successful marriage that their children have, sometimes, struggled so hard to find matrimonial happiness themselves. There is an assumption that once a monarch or sovereign in waiting has said 'I do' they are bound to their spouse for all time. We know that isn't true, Regal marriages fall apart. For one to succeed in the way that this one has is a true achievement.


The marriage that began on November 20th 1947 has allowed both partners to follow the paths they believe to be right. The Queen has made no secret of the support she takes from her husband, calling him famously ''quite simply my strength and my stay all these years''. Philip, in turn, has been a perfect consort, always one step behind but with enough ideas and energy to make a difference in the areas that matter. Elizabeth and Philip haven't just smiled and waved all these years. The Duke of Edinburgh has become renowned for work that has supported young people, helped the environment and promoted arts and culture. The Queen has transformed herself from an unexpected heiress to the very model of a modern monarch. Neither could have been what they are without the other.


Their marriage also clearly brings them great personal joy. The delight they take in each other, the pride they feel for one another is clear for all to see. Despite their sometimes frosty reputations, they also clearly adore their children, grand children and great grandchildren. They have shaped a royal family for the 21st century and continue to be its mainstay even now.



Their marriage has clearly brought joy to them and to those that they love. It has provided inspiration to many who only watch from afar. And, despite being a dynastic necessity and a public property in some ways, it is still clearly first and foremost the promise made between two people in Westminster Abbey all those years ago. Cottagers is a word from another time. The world has moved on - it is bound to, seven decades have passed. But the reality of life remains the same. Like every other couple marrying that day they have faced joy and sadness and learned to support one another through it all. For marriage is growing comfortable with one another, learning to walk away from the annoyances, loving when it is the hardest thing to do.  The Archbishop of York was right about this one and the couple he said it to have shown that and then some. Congratulations to them, now and always. Their marriage is a celebration we should all treasure. 

Photo credit: Royal Family Twitter and Matt Holyoak/ Camera Press.

Royal TV takeover


If you love the royals, then grab the sofa. They are taking over the TV. There's some right royal treats coming up on the tellybox so settle down, find the choccies and veg out, regal style.....



The Queen won't be the only royal with a prime time spot on BBC1 this Christmas Day. The Duchess of Cornwall will be part of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. Yep, Camilla is getting glittery and bringing the party to her as she hosts some of the SCD special at Buckingham Palace. It's pre recorded so there's no hope of seeing Chaz and Cam doing the conga after one advocaat too many. What you will see are the highlights of a tea dance being held at the Palace with Strictly stars involved. Some of the professional dancers as well as Tess Daly will be getting the regal treatment and we'll see the results on Christmas Day. It's all part of a push to show the benefits of exercise for older people. Camilla has never made any secret of her love of the programme, even attending a performance of Strictly Confidental a few years ago. You can all but bet your last mince pie on her taking a twirl of some description in the show on Christmas Day.


Before then, Prince Michael of Kent will appear on Songs of Praise. A special edition of the programme is due for broadcast on Sunday 19th November 2017 to mark the 70th wedding anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Michael was, of course, a pageboy at the big event, carrying the bride's veil. He'll be reflecting on his memories as the programme celebrates the major milestone with some of the couple's favourite hymns.



Then on November 20th 2017, you can tune into a special programme all about the royal wedding anniversary. Kirsty Young will present Love and Duty on BBC1 at 9pm. Add to that all the royal news you'll see on the day and it's clear that there really is a right royal TV takeover going on.

Royal Wedding Tiaras: the Queen and Princess Anne


The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on their wedding day

A tiara worn by the longest reigning monarch in British history and her only daughter for their marriages is going to take some beating as a royal wedding diadem and this delight of diamonds is pretty hard to top. The sparkling fringe tiara chosen by the then Princess Elizabeth and her daughter, Princess Anne, for their weddings had plenty of royal pedigree before its starring role in their big days. And now it's known just as much for its part in the weddings of Elizabeth II and Anne, Princess Royal. This really is a royal wedding tiara.



This fringe tiara is now most often called after that diamond queen of the House of Windsor, Mary, who collected gems like most of us collect cups of tea and who has bequeathed a truly stunning collection of stones to her descendants. At the time this tiara was first worn for a royal wedding, Mary was still alive and no doubt had something to say about the jewels being worn on November 20th 1947 when her granddaughter, Elizabeth, married Prince Philip.




The bride chose to wear this sparkling set of diamonds perhaps to provide a link to her grandmother, Queen Mary, and possibly even her great, great grandmother, Queen Victoria. For this tiara was created from a diamond necklace given to Mary by Victoria for her own marriage in 1893.





There were two things Mary did really well in life - diamonds and duty. And true to form, when her own husband, George V, died in 1936 she did her duty and passed these diamonds to the new queen consort, Elizabeth, who on November 20th 1947 was mother of the bride.



It's perhaps not surprising then that with all these family links, Princess Anne chose to wear it for her own wedding in 1973. Her first marriage, to Captain Mark Phillips, was a global affair and she was the most famous royal bride of the decade so the tiara had to pack a punch, both sparkler wise and history wise. What better than this diadem decked with diamonds and filled with sentimental value?



It's a rather pretty tiara, modern without being avant garde and easy to match to just about any wedding dress design going. But it's the family history behind it that really turns this one into something special. Linked to two of the most famous royal women of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it now has an even bigger part in regal history with its associations with Anne, Princess Royal and Elizabeth II.

Royal Platinum Wedding: the other anniversaries


The marriage of a monarch and her consort
November 20th 1947
(photo Wiki Commons)

The Queen and Prince Philip are about to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary, yet another milestone in a reign that has seen both monarch and consort break records and make royal history over and over again. The couple, then just 21 and 26, married on November 20th 1947. Seven decades on, they look as loved up as they did on that special day. They are the first royal couple in British history to celebrate seventy years of marriage. In the run up to this historic moment, here's a chance to look back at how they celebrated their other landmark anniversaries....



The first major wedding anniversary came in 1972 when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated 25 years of marriage.


Their Silver Wedding anniversary was marked with plenty of family events with their four children joining them for portraits and parades.





The main event was a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on November 20th 1972, exactly 25 years after the couple had become man and wife there.


 

Just as they had a quarter of a century earlier, the couple partied at Buckingham Palace afterwards with their family and friends around them.



 

The Golden Wedding Anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh was celebrated in much more difficult times for the Royal Family. They marked half a century of marriage in November 1997, less than three months after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales had led to some angry outbursts against the House of Windsor.



The celebrations had begun before that summer of sadness with a Golden Wedding Anniversary tea party at Buckingham Palace.

 


On the eve of their Golden Wedding, November 19th 1997, the couple attended a lunch at the Guildhall where the Queen made one of her most famous speeches and the Duke of Edinburgh was momentarily left lost for words. It was here that the Queen said of her husband ''he is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments, but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years and I and his whole family, in this and many other countries, owe him a debt far greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know'.


 

Many of their family were with them to celebrate with royalty from across Europe attending a golden Gala at the Festival Hall in London that evening. They also attended the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey on the anniversary itself. In the evening, a private party was held at Windsor Castle with royalty from around the world in attendance. The Golden Anniversary was a hard one for the royals to negotiate but the celebrations passed successfully.

 

By 2007, as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh became the first British monarch and consort to celebrate sixty years of marriage, the party was much easier all round.  The celebrations got under way with a special photo released ahead of the anniversary itself and taken at Broadlands where they couple had started their honeymoon in 1947.

 

Royal fans had already had the chance to remember the wedding - that year's special exhibition during the summer opening of Buckingham Palace included archive footage of the day and the clothes worn by those taking part in this historic royal marriage.


The family party started on November 18th 2007 when the Prince of Wales hosted a dinner for his mum and dad at Clarence House. Well, if you're marking a Diamond Wedding Anniversary, you need a chance to wear diamonds.

 


A National Service of Thanksgiving was held at Westminster Abbey on November 19th 2007 where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh celebrated surrounded by their family.


 

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh spent their actual Diamond wedding anniversary in Malta where they had lived so happily in the early years of their marriage. They looked just as happy sixty years on. This anniversary was all about the romance of Elizabeth and Philip, the young couple who went on to become such historic and iconic figures in British royal history.

Royal Platinum Wedding: the marriage it made


It's said that a really good wedding should always lead to another. The Queen's wedding, on November 20th 1947, was a real cracker and in true romantic tradition another marriage followed as a result. But while the regal lovebirds might have been happy ever after with each other, it was very far from a complete royal fairytale. For the monarchical marriage made in Westminster Abbey that winter's day was that of Michael and Anne of Romania.



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This was a love match with more than its fair dose of drama. The couple had been known to each other for a while before their meeting but Cupid got a chance to fire his arrow in very unusual circumstances. When Anne arrived in London for the royal wedding, she popped into Claridge's to see her parents and found Michael there. She made her excuses as soon as she could but the deal was done. The couple ended up spending plenty of time together and a proposal followed within weeks. 



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The bride was far from a stereotypical princess despite her very royal pedigree. Anne Antoinette Francoise Charlotte Zita Marguerite of Bourbon-Parma had been born on September 18th 1923 in Paris, daughter of Prince Rene of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Margaret of Denmark. She was a great granddaughter of King Christian IX of Denmark and of the controversial King Miguel I of Portugal among others. But her old world ancestry had given way to a very modern existence. For Anne had fled France in 1939 as World War Two began but in 1943 joined the French Army where she served in Algeria, Morocco and liberated Germany. She was given the Croix de Guerre.





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The groom had had a no less interesting life. Michael of Romania was born on October 25th 1921 in Peles Castle, son of the heir to the throne, Prince Carol, and his second wife, Princess Elena. But within years, the couple had separated and Carol gave up his rights to the throne to live with a mistress, Magda Lupescu. Not long afterwards, in 1927, Michael became King of Romania on the death of his grandfather, King Ferdinand, only to see his dad return and claim the throne in 1930. Michael became king for a second time in 1940 when his father was deposed by Ion Antonescu. In 1944, Michael staged a coup against Antonescu and joined Romania to the Allies as World War Two continued. After the war, his country came under the rule of the pro-Soviet government of Petru Groza and by the time Michael left for London to attend the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip, his country was in turmoil.



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Falling in love would prove to be just a momentary distraction from his political worries. Just weeks after returning to Romania from London, Michael was forced to abdicate and went into exile days later. It was there that the couple planned their wedding. They needed a dispensation from the Pope but none came and so, when they did say 'I do' on June 10th 1948, it was at an Eastern Orthodox ceremony that took place in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Athens. The bride's parents ended up staying away on the advice of her uncle who was in charge of the family at the time.





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This royal wedding should have turned the bride into Queen of Romania and in a nod to her new royal role, Anne wore the tiara that her mother in law had used for her own marriage. But there was no coronation or regal celebration following the wedding. Instead, Michael and Anne moved to England where they began their family before settling in Switzerland. It would be decades before they were ever allowed into Romania again.




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 But despite the turmoil surrounding their lives, Michael and Anne were a notoriously happy couple. They remained devoted to one another until Anne's death in August 2016. All good weddings should lead to another and in this instance that proved true. The history making marriage of Elizabeth and Philip led directly to this very happy union. A wedding tradition worth celebrating all round.

8 things we learned from 'A Very Royal Wedding'



You just can't beat a royal wedding. Even when you think you know one like the back of your hand, there is still plenty to find out about these moments of magic that fill royal history books. That was proved and then some by the fabulous documentary shown on ITV on October 30th 2017 as the countdown to the 70th anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip's wedding gathers pace. The programme, made by Oxford Films and presented by Alexander Armstrong, told the story of the big day in minute detail with never before seen footage and interviews with some of those who turned this dynastic love match into the wedding of the century. Here are eight things we learned from 'A Very Royal Wedding'....



1. It really was the People's Wedding

Sticking ''people's'' in front of a major event is a bit of a cliche and, let's face it, the House of Windsor hasn't had the happiest associations with the phrase. A Very Royal Wedding was based on the principle that the marriage of the then Princess Elizabeth to Philip Mountbatten on November 20th 1947 really was the ''People's Wedding'' and it kind of proved the point. We heard about the contributions sent from around the world to make the big day happen - from the already well told story of the clothing coupons that had to be sent back to the less well known tales of sugar and fruit winging their way from as far away as Australia to help make the cake. But what really came alive in this programme was the way the wedding turned into a focal point of celebration for a nation still recovering from World War Two. The minor objections to the cost of the match were well handled at the start and the documentary really gave a feel of how this one day became a beacon of hope for so many still mourning and rebuilding. 


2. Those Mountbatten genes are strong

While the Queen's dress and bouquet might have got plenty of attention in the programme, Prince Philip's cheekbones also came in for plenty of scrutiny as many of the contributors spent the first part of the show talking about just how downright handsome the groom was. The archive footage showed they were right but it also proved just how strong those Mountbatten genes really are as both William and Harry bear more than a passing resemblence to that dashing prince of 1947. In fact, the Duke of Cambridge might be granddad all over again.


3. A wedding gift list like no other

Alexander Armstrong in John Lewis might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to royal history but the man had a point. As he wandered through the shop zapping random items, we learned that the Queen and Prince Philip were the first senior royal couple to accept wedding gifts from anyone and everyone rather than keeping the list just for the rellies. They ended up with 2,583 presents in total including a washing machine from the people of Leamington Spa and a bath sponge from an odd vicar and his wife. So far, so very People's Wedding. Then Queen Mary turned up with a shed load of diamonds that could sink a ship. You have to keep it regal sometimes.


4. The Queen is a trend setter

Kate fans might disagree with the fashion expert who said that the Queen's wedding dress inspired the one worn by the Duchess of Cambridge but the epic amount of colour film from the time showed that the bride's whole look really did set trends. I could quite happily have listened to Betty Foster, the seamstress who worked on the gown, and Barbara Unwin who helped wave the silk for the frock all day. These two women, both 19 at the time, helped create a frock whose silhouette really did inspire brides for years to come. And what's not to love about hearing designer, Norman Hartnell, employ typical British understatement in an archive clip where he described the frock as having a ''simple line but rather elaborate working''.

5. Sleep, sleep and more sleep

Sleep featured quite a lot in this programme. We learned that Norman Hartnell made his manager sleep in the design studio where the wedding dress was being created, allegedly armed with a gun, to stop anyone trying to steal the design. We heard that Jim Allen of McVitie's slept in the factory where the cake was being made to protect it. We heard that the florist, Martin Longman, got precisely zero z's the night before the wedding when he had to be up just after midnight to start making the bouquet so it was fresh for the wedding. And even the bride herself missed out on some snoozing as the crowds outside Buckingham Palace were cheering for her so loudly the night before the wedding that she made an impromptu balcony appearance. There were no photos so presumably it wasn't a pyjamas and dressing gown moment.

6. Everyone loves a baking show right now

Just as Bake Off comes to an end on Channel 4, ITV showed that everyone loves to watch cakes on television right now. To bring to life just how complex the Queen's cake was (all 9 feet and 500lbs of it), top chef Judy Walsh and her team spent really quite a long time recreating it. When you see a cook wearing jumbo blue gloves to mix rum into raisins and then use a huge saucepan to get the cake mix into the tin, you know you're onto a major bake.

7. Weddings are all about family

The Queen might have had 200 million people listening to her wedding on the radio around the world but when all was said and done, she was still a young woman making the biggest move of her life so far with her family around her to support her. We were treated to some never before seen cinefilm of what went on behind the Buck House doors and it was all rather sweet and pretty much like every other wedding you've been to. There was 5 year old page boy, Prince Michael, running down a corridor and almost taking uncle Bertie (King George VI to you and me) out at the knees. There was the bride's granny strolling arm in arm with a cousin she'd not seen in ages (Queen Mary and Queen Frederica of Greece if you need a clue). But best of all, we got a glimpse of a bride's aunt doing what they all do and sneaking a cheeky cig when she thinks no one is looking. Yep, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent caught on camera making it a real, proper family wedding.

8. It really was a happy ever after

Seeing this wedding brought to life in the colour film all these years on wasn't just a huge treat, it really underlined just how into each other the happy couple were. You can't watch this programme and not realise just how much love there was and is between Elizabeth and Philip. As John McNaughton, who took part in the bride's escort to Westminster Abbey, said ''she really was as happy as Larry''. As we all were, watching this treat of a programme. Happy every after.

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