WEDDING FLOWERS: CP-Sofia Wedding
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Showing posts with label CP-Sofia Wedding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CP-Sofia Wedding. Show all posts

4. Lily of the Valley

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With bell-shape florets dangling from a thin stem, the lily of the valley is sometimes called "the ladder to heaven." The fresh, perfumed scent from its tiny flowers is unmistakable. In Norse mythology, the flower is linked to Ostara, the goddess of springtime, and while most plentiful during this season, it remains available -- and very expensive -- most of the year.

photo by TANJA LIPPERT PHOTOGRAPHY

So while a fistful of lily of the valley might be your dream, a more affordable alternative may be to use just a few stems to infuse a bouquet or centerpiece with its wonderful fragrance. Most people know of the white variety, but lily of the valley also comes in a very rare rosy-pink.

3. Calla Lily

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Also known as the arum lily, this elegant, trumpet-shaped blossom originated in Africa and symbolizes "magnificent beauty" in the language of flowers.

photo by SHIPRA PANOSIAN

The calla lily's distinctive form has been depicted in Art Nouveau and Art Deco works, in addition to twentieth-century photography. Two types are commonly available: a large-headed variety with a long, smooth stem and suitable for tall arrangements or presentation-style bouquets, and a miniature version ideal for nosegays and boutonnieres. Creamy ivory is the most popular color, but calla lilies also come in yellow, orange, mauve-pink, and dark purple.

2. Tulip

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Although it's 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. The flowers are grown in a wide range of colors, including white and cream; pastels like pink, yellow, and peach; and vibrant hues like magenta, red, 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 permutation -- from bouquets to 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).

1. Rose

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Long considered a symbol of beauty and love, the rose figures into many myths and fairy tales. Romantic writers and poets have used the flower as a metaphor for emotion, beauty, passion, and true love throughout the ages. An all-star in the world of weddings, the rose is far from boring, particularly when it comes to color -- the rose is available in solid colors and bicolor varieties, and there are striped roses and tipped roses as well. 

More than three thousand varieties of roses are grown commercially, many available year-round and that are surprisingly affordable. And though roses are associated with luxurious fragrance, not every rose is scented. Three main types are likely candidates for your wedding flowers: hybrid tea roses (the classic, uniformly-shaped commercial roses generally seen at your local florist), spray roses (a rose with five to ten small heads on each stem and a "natural, garden-grown" look), and garden roses (expensive, old-fashioned varieties with bushy, open heads and delicious scents).

Monday Tidbits for June 15: The Wedding Leftovers Edition (and Baby News!)

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How's your royal wedding hangover doing? Mondays after royal weddings are the toughest Mondays of them all, and I want you to know that it's okay to have an extra donut in these times of need. If I could buy you that donut, I would. But I'll have to make do by saying a very big and very sincere thank you to all of you that followed along this weekend. Thank you for reading, and to those who comment, thank you for keeping things fun and civil (even with around 4,000 comments on the open post!). I'm truly grateful that you keep stopping by.
Mattias Edwall / Kungahuset.se

Now, a quick update on Jewel Vault happenings, a.k.a. what the British royal family did over the weekend: Trooping the Colour was covered over there and has been updated with more info/photos since its original posting, and I have also posted on yesterday's polo antics of the Windsors (both brooch-wearing and not).

And now we get to the tidbits. We're wrapping up our royal wedding coverage (pending our upcoming tiara analysis, as promised), and these are some wedding leftovers that didn't make it into the other posts. Just stick them in the microwave, they'll be tasty as ever. Crazy after parties, second bridal dresses, dress doubles, and more:

--It's a boy! Princess Madeleine gave birth to a son today, June 15, at 13:45. That's gotta be some kind of record, giving birth just two days after your last tiara appearance. Congrats to Madeleine and Chris! [Kungahuset]

--The party at the palace went until 5:30 in the morning, featuring performances by Avicii and Icona Pop (plus a dancing and singing Queen Silvia, because if you're going to rock out, you might as well do it in a tiara). Also, Princess Sofia changed dresses and ditched her veil at some point. Here's a gallery with glimpses from outside the palace. [Aftonbladet]

--Check out King CG busting a move, and store that image in your brain for the next time you think about calling him grumpy. [Instagram, h/t TheRoyalsandI]

--Links from the site of the royal court (many are PDF links) with speech texts and music details, if you're interested: English translations of the speeches of the King, Erik Hellqvist (father of the bride), and Prince Carl Philip, plus a copy of the wedding program with all the music and readings (in Swedish and English). [Kungahuset]

--Carl Philip's one wish for their wedding cake? To incorporate Pop Rocks into the space-age creation as a surprise for unsuspecting guests. That's right, Pop Rocks, the candy that fizzes when you eat it. I never knew a wedding cake could be cheeky. [Expressen]

--Some have asked questions about the types of dresses seen below, worn by more than one guest. It is not, in fact, an accident that multiple women would select the same midnight velvet gown with a puffed lattice sleeve. It is a court dress, and more like a uniform.
The woman pictured here is Karolin A. Johansson, Marshal of the Court for the Crown Princess' Household, and the same thing is worn by ladies from the Queen's Household. The dress is a variation on the old Swedish court dress, and it is worn by Ladies-in-Waiting and female attendants in similar posts. You can usually spot a couple ladies wearing these dresses (and often tiaras of their own) at any Swedish gala occasion.

--High marks from many of you for the Hellqvist ladies at the wedding, and I concur. Sofia's sisters wore Viktoria Chan dresses (see Lina's here and Sara's here), while her mother, Marie, and grandmother wore dresses from Milagro De Nahrin. [Instagram]

--It's rare we see someone wear the same thing as a princess at a royal wedding, since those outfits are often bespoke. But if you're going to wear H&M - even Victoria's custom H&M - well, accidental twin appearances might happen. Another guest wore the skirt version of Victoria's dress, but at least it was at the pre-wedding dinner and not the ceremony. [h/t AlexandraElizabeth in the comments]

--And finally, there are some extended family members that we didn't cover, but I must include Countess Marianne Bernadotte of Wisborg. She and QEII could have a long chat about fur wrap maintenance. This is some serious old school glam right here:

And that's that! Until tomorrow...

Photos: Kungahuset, SVT, Twitter, and Getty Images as indicated

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia's Wedding: Royal Guests, Part 2

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This is Part 2: Return of the Royal Fashion Awards, covering the royal guests at the Swedish royal wedding. (Here's Part 1.)

Spoiler Alert: This one includes my favorites. So much goodness, I needed TWO bests of the best. 

Miss Congeniality
Princess Hisako of Takamado
Things we learn while watching the wedding broadcast: Our Japanese representative is apparently an utter delight. So chatty, so smiley! I think she and Sophie Wessex are royal BFFs now.
Princess Hisako is wearing a different tiara than the one she wore to Princess Madeleine's wedding, the jeweled bird on her shoulder is a work of art, and her skirt comes with its own cape. Can she come to everything, please?!

Best in Gifts
The Countess of Wessex
Sophie's very flattering dress is by Taťána Kovaříková, and it was an official gift to her during a recent trip to Prague (per the Countess of Wessex Blog). Which, uh, is MUCH better than all the engraved toilet seats and ceremonial croquet mallets and whatnot they usually collect on those jaunts. Other cities need to get on Prague's level.
Sophie gave us another look at the aquamarine and diamond tiara she wears from Collins & Sons jewelers, which I appreciate - we haven't covered this one in depth, and we need to. Understated and elegant all around, this appearance.

Best in Elegant
Queen Mathilde of Belgium
Speaking of understated and elegant, I think Mathilde owns some version of this silhouette in all her favorite colors, and I can see why. This edition is lightly beaded and boosted by some serious diamond power, including the bandeau of the Nine Provinces Tiara and Queen Fabiola's diamond fringe brooch.
Look at that updo. Someone get me a cinnamon roll, I'm having a craving. 

Best of the Best #1
Princess Tatiana of Greece
I'm pleased to report that Tatiana's streak of fabulousness at Scandinavian royal weddings remains unbroken. She's been wearing Greek designer Celia Kritharioti lately, and this couture dream is just another reason she should make that a permanent relationship. I'm swooning over here!
 
Plus, Tatiana gave us another NEW TIARA ALERT! This one's a mystery; we don't know if she borrowed it for the event, or if she owns it. And though it be but little, its sparkle is fierce.

Best of the Best #2
Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
Hey hey! Not a culotte in sight! *praise hands emoji* This Jan Taminiau gown, worn the evening of Wax's inauguration, gives me chills. CHILLS, I say. And I can't object to a smattering of rubies, here in the form of the Mellerio Ruby Parure.
Now that we know that she intends to reuse the inauguration gowns, is it possible to require that they be used at least once a month? Asking for a friend.

And with those two mic drops, the Royal Fashion Awards for the guests are complete. See you tomorrow for some Tidbits fun (with some wedding moments we haven't yet discussed, because this is the last tiarafest wedding for a long time, probably, so it is imperative that we soak it up, people).

Who do you crown the Best Dressed Wedding Guest?

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, SVT video, Jan Taminiau

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia's Wedding: Royal Guests, Part 1

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Hello again! As we reconvene after a day of royal wedding watching to continue our coverage of the Swedish wedding, don't forget to scroll down for the bride, groom, Swedish royal family, and how to see it again. Check back as official photos have since been added. (And if you're looking for the Windsors and Trooping the Colour, click here.)

Mattias Edwall / Kungahuset.se

We've got royal guests to tackle today. This is Part 1 of the Royal Fashion Awards: Guest Division, and we're hanging out with the other Nordic royals in attendance, from Norway and Denmark, plus a couple friends from Germany.

Biggest Tiara Double Take
Princess Ursula of Bavaria
Princess Ursula has a baby Spencer Tiara! It's always interesting to see what jewels the Bavarians turn up in, because they've sold some of their major pieces in recent years. This one gave me Diana déjà vu, big time.

Biggest in Hair
Princess Anna of Bavaria
I feel like none of the photos convey how big this updo was, but it certainly caught my eye on the broadcast. It almost disappeared her petite diamond fringe variation tiara, which comes from Anna's own family (the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburgs).

Most Predictable Repeat
Queen Margrethe of Denmark
Hello again, birthday dress, your skirt is looking particularly dashing in this shot. Daisy also gets a Most Predictable Tiara award, because she does love the Baden Palmette Tiara for weddings. Hearts and all, you know.

Worst in Repeats
Queen Sonja of Norway
Oh look, it's the Big Bird gown, back for the trillionth time in its millionth year. It bums me out, wearing such a workhorse dress for such a special occasion. No amount of diamonds and pearls can save it, not even Queen Maud's Pearl and Diamond Tiara.

Most in Need of a Different Tiara
Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
Well, I've been spoiled. The Norwegian princesses gave us some tiara shake ups at the last two Swedish royal weddings, and now they've gone and worn their regular small tiaras (the Diamond Daisy and King Olav's Gift Tiara), and...pffft.
Mette-Marit's skirt was from Temperley London, and her top from Nina Skarra
We do have some interesting additional gems - you just knew Mette-Marit would be the one with a heart pin on the back of her sash, didn't you? - and I do like the idea of a ball gown skirt with different tops. But the men are leading the pack here.

Nearest Miss
Princess Marie of Denmark
I was on board with this right away. Great color! Her great diamond floral tiara! And then I saw that her stomach had gills.
Dress by Alberta Ferretti

Most Undecided
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
On the one hand, this is my favorite of the three outfits she's worn to Swedish royal weddings. On the other hand, that's not saying much, as I don't think they've been among her top appearances. This I just find curious.
I love the big skirt and the way the colors of the sash and the pearls (her wedding tiara with added pearls, and her wedding earrings) go with it, but the fact that it is heavily embellished down the front with embellishment that you can't really see is kinda weird. Perhaps a remix is in the future. (Bonus points for extra sparkle in the updo, though.)

Later today, we'll take a look at the remaining royal guests. Until then...

Who's your best dressed of this lot?

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, SVT video, Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia's Wedding: Ways to Rewatch

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Did you miss the broadcast of today's wedding, or would you like to watch again?


Around here, we've covered Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, and the main Swedish royal family so far. Coverage of the guests begins tomorrow (at your usual Tidbits time), so stick around!

Photo: via Getty Images

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia’s Wedding: The Swedish Royal Family

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The Swedish royal family has a history of turning up the sartorial volume significantly when it comes to big events. Did they succeed at their prince’s wedding? Well…yes and no. Let’s give out some awards and discuss:

(Hint: Click the tiara names to go to their individual entries!)

Best in Predictable
Queen Silvia
I predicted she would wear the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara, most of us predicted she would wear the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara, she wore the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Tiara. And HUZZAH for that, because it is and remains a sparkly wall of diamonds with gorgeous blue at the top, and you can’t go wrong with that.
She added it to a dress in light lilac silk satin with embroidery of lace, sequins, and stones, all of which was a little bit on the shiny side for me. (Silvia in anything embellished and shiny: also predictable.)
With Sofia's parents. Photo: Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se
The King wore the mess dress model 1878 uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet with insignia from the Order of the Seraphim, the Order of Vasa, and the Order of the Sword. His medals are Gustav V's Jubilee Medal II, Gustav VI Adolf's Commemorative Medal, the Order of the Polar Star, and the Order of Vasa.

Best in Surprises
Crown Princess Victoria
I asked for some tiara switcheroos, and BEHOLD: the Connaught Tiara, worn for the first time by Victoria. I wanted to see that one on the bride, but I’ll settle for it on anyone!
With Sofia's sisters. Photo: Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se
Victoria wore a custom dress from the H&M Conscious Collection – also a surprise because, well, H&M at a royal wedding?! Victoria’s a big supporter of the company but even at that, this one surprised me.
Was it a good surprise? It’s growing on me, I’ll say that. It has the grand scale we’ve come to expect, even if it does appear to be covered in tire tracks. Both Victoria and Prince Daniel were wearing the Order of the Seraphim, and Daniel also wore the Order of the Polar Star.

Best of the Family
Princess Madeleine
I could give this to Madeleine just for getting all dolled up when she’s about to pop, but this isn’t a sympathy best; this is a WOW under any circumstances. This soft apricot pink Elie Saab was smoothly adapted for her maternity needs and her diamonds had all the necessary sparkle. As expected, she stuck with her Modern Fringe Tiara, which I'm guessing is the one she finds most comfortable. She added the Vasa Earrings, huge diamond numbers that date all the way back to the Vasa dynasty, and which are probably anything but comfortable.
Madeleine wore the Order of the Seraphim and Chris O’Neill wore the Order of the Polar Star. They brought Princess Leonore with them, and she topped today’s heirloom baby clothing stakes by wearing a dress that goes all the way back to King Gustaf VI Adolf, her great-great-grandfather. (Leonore seemed fascinated by the tiaras during the ceremony. I think this kid and I would get along.)

Best in Honeybadgers
The Haga Princesses
Princess Christina (in the mulberry dress) and Princess Désirée (in hot pink)
Listen, I think I’m a bit in love with the Haga Princesses, a.k.a. the four sisters of the King. Princess Margaretha is the best dressed here, in her fabulous Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara, but the rest of them could clearly care less what we think, and I just can’t help but love ‘em a bit for that attitude. Honeybadgers don’t care, man! Princess Christina doesn’t care that I’m tired of her picking the Six Button Tiara over and over again. Princess Désirée doesn’t care that she’s sporting the Cut Steel Tiara with what is basically a hot pink caftan.
Princess Birgitta (in the trousers) and Princess Margaretha
And Princess Birgitta REALLY doesn’t care that she’s not, in fact, headed to a beach soirée around her Mallorca home. She’s gonna wear her palazzo pants with a fur tossed on top as the only concession to her northern location, and she doesn't care what you think! I mean, this is basically a jumpsuit with the Baden Fringe Tiara. Don’t you have to love it, just a little bit, at least?? Come on. The absurdity, it’s delicious.

Coming up later: the international guests. Until then…

Who was your best dressed Swedish royal family member?

Photos: via Getty Images and SVT video, Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia’s Wedding: The Bride, Groom, and Bridesmaids

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There are a lot of things you could say about the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Sofia Hellqvist (now H.R.H. Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland), but you couldn’t say that they didn’t stay true to themselves or – take cover, horrible cliché coming your way – that they weren’t absolutely over the moon on their wedding day.

From pop music to a new tiara, this was their wedding, done their way, and I can’t hate on that. Besides, I now know that the couple are ardent fans of the classic film, Sister Act 2 (I will accept no other possible explanation for the arrangement of “The Hymn of Joy/Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” that followed them out of the chapel), so I am obliged to LOVE THEM.


Let’s start with the groom. Prince Carl Philip wore the mess dress model 1878 uniform of the Swedish Amphibious Corps, where he holds the rank of major. He also wore the sash and star of the Order of the Seraphim, with the cross of the Order of the Polar Star around his neck.

Mattias Edwall / Kungahuset.se

His medals include King Carl XVI Gustaf’s Jubilee Commemorative Medals I and II, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s commemorative wedding medal, the gold Fredsbaskrarnas Service Medal, and the Swedish Defence University commemorative medal.


Led by Princess Estelle, the bridesmaids were Tiara Larsson, Anaïs Sommerlath, and Chloé Sommerlath. They wore dresses by Ida Sjöstedt in pure silk and Italian silk organza. (And don’t forget the hair bows. Never, ever, forget the bows.)

Mattias Edwall / Kungahuset.se

Like the bride, the bridesmaids carried bouquets of cream and coral garden roses. Sofia’s bouquet and hairdo also included sprigs of myrtle from the bush brought to Sweden by Princess Margaret of Connaught, who married the future Gustaf VI Adolf in 1905. Sprigs of myrtle from that plant have been used by Swedish royal brides since 1935, and a cutting from the same bush was taken to Denmark by Princess Ingrid of Sweden.


The myrtle turned out to be the part of Sofia’s wedding ensemble that was the most closely tied to family tradition, as she wore neither a family tiara nor the family veil. As was speculated and tentatively confirmed several times over, Princess Sofia chose Swedish designer Ida Sjöstedt to make her wedding gown. Created in shades of white, the gown has a strapless base of silk crepe with a flowing train and a long-sleeved Italian silk organza overlay with applied lace made by José María Ruiz.


The lace created flattering lines down the front of the dress and train and was concentrated on the sleeves and the wide neckline. Hand-embroidered cotton lace also adorned her sheer tulle veil.


I’m sure this one will draw comparisons to any number of other royal wedding gowns, and any number of non-royal wedding gowns also. It’s basically a running list of classical bridal traditions put to work, with really only the train length marking it as the dress of a royal bride (well, and the tiara, but we’ll get to that in a minute).


Sofia’s made some very safe sartorial choices of late, and I suppose you could say this is the safest of them all. I wouldn’t call it memorable, as royal wedding gowns go, but despite that, it was lovely on her and she looked comfortable in it. And it allowed the most intriguing part of her ensemble to take center stage…


Sofia got a NEW TIARA! A present to her from the King and Queen, according to the Royal Court, it has a diamond base of palmette or honeysuckle motifs and is topped by emeralds or other green stones. I was hoping to see her in a tiara from the family collection, but this is also a lovely gesture. Most of the Swedish princesses have a tiara to call their own in addition to the family tiaras available to them, and it only seems right that the newest Swedish princess should have that luxury too. It’s not too big, it’s not too small, it is very sparkly, and it’s a beautiful way to welcome a new family member. (Obviously, we’ll be giving it the full Tiara Thursday treatment later on.)


Coming up in a bit, we’ll talk about other members of the Swedish royal family and all of their guests. For now:

What did you think of Princess Sofia’s wedding gown?

Photos: via Getty Images, Kungahuset.se, SVT video screencaps, Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se

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