On July 29 and on an incredible and much more summery day over 38 years ago – the world was ‘lost’ in a sea of enthusiastic flag waving, military parades, dubious hats, the soaring strains of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance, swathes of ivory taffeta and unbridled patriotic fever to celebrate the wedding of the Prince of Wales to the Lady Diana Spencer.
As a young teenager and naive monarchist who would happily spend hours sketching designs for wedding flowers on the odd bit of paper; I remember being the first to claim the best seat in front of the television at the home of my grandparents to watch this ‘real’ fairy tale wedding.
When some years later we heard the chatter about mistresses, dubious telephone calls, obsessive bahaviour and emotional turmoil; I and the other 750 million who tuned in to watch this unique and frothy spectacle would soon come to learn that this fairy tale had NOT ended on a happily ever after!
But what of this wedding?
Even though I had been excitedly anticipating seeing THE dress; my excitement soon faded when I finally saw that huge crumpled frock and even as I write this, I can only think of that wonderful quip from Fiona in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral:
‘Scarlett, you’re blind, she looks like a big meringue.’
Five years later on another sunny July day, I watched Sarah Ferguson promising to ‘love, honour AND obey’ the Duke of York at Westminster Abbey and even though she couldn’t even find the City of York on a map during a US television interview – she really was a beautiful bride.
Although I had been a florist for some time before the union of the fun-loving Fergie to the boorish Duke in July 1986, I can only remember one or two commissions from brides who wished to emulate her S-shaped bouquet of gardenias, yellow roses, cream lilies and the obligatory sprig of myrtle grown from a cutting of Queen Victoria’s bouquet.
Diana’s bouquet, however was quite a different thing altogether and although it isn’t one of my personal favourites – I remain just as impressed by this betrothal extravagance of flora and fauna even now!
Even three years after this wedding and as an eager trainee florist I would be wiring lily of the valley, stephanotis, gardenias, yellow roses and endless ivy leaves every Friday afternoon as the’Diana Bouquet’ was the fashionable choice for every aspiring fairy tale bride and even thirteen years later; a mock-up of this bouquet in silk flowers displayed in my design room would still attract admirers with a request of:
‘Ooo! Could I just hold this please?’
And so it was that one summer with time of my hands and the need for a challenge, I created a bouquet designed as a ‘shower’ in 12th scale inspired by the one carried by Lady Diana Spencer.
And, yes, it really was a challenge!
For not only did it take several attempts with varying degrees of success to manipulate the individual flowers into place with a combination of strong wire and determination; I also had to curb my enthusiasm for adding more ivy leaves and risk a creation suitable for my niece’s Barbie doll!
Yesterday and running the risk of an inquisitive peck from one of my resident chickens, I ventured to the bottom of my garden to capture an image of this bouquet on top of the old corbel which has often served as a useful photographic prop for my creations, 12th scale or otherwise.
And as I was firing off these images, I couldn’t help musing on my recollection of how much easier it had been to create the ‘Diana Bouquet’ in ‘real’ fauna and flora!
That's SO Tee Bylo! 