I like the bridal bouquet carried by the new Duchess of Cambridge. Kate's simple yet elegant bridal bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly. A petite wired bouquet of the classic English flower lily of the valley combined with white hyacinth pips, white Sweet William and a sprig of myrtle, a symbol of love, friendship and marriage.
The Royal Palace released a statement on the bouquet, explaining the history of the flowers for the new Duchess of Cambridge was carrying:
"The bouquet is a shield-shaped wired bouquet of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly and draws on the traditions of flowers of significance for the Royal Family, the Middleton family and on the Language of Flowers.
The flowers’ meanings in the bouquet are:
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Lily-of-the-valley – Return of happiness
Sweet William – Gallantry
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Hyacinth – Constancy of love
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Ivy: Fidelity; marriage; wedded love; friendship; affection
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Myrtle: the emblem of marriage; love.
The bouquet contains stems from a myrtle planted at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, by Queen Victoria in 1845, and a sprig from a plant grown from the myrtle used in The Queen’s wedding bouquet of 1947.
The tradition of carrying myrtle begun after Queen Victoria was given a nosegay containing myrtle by Prince Albert’s grandmother during a visit to Gotha in Germany. In the same year, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought Osborne House as a family retreat, and a sprig from the posy was planted against the terrace walls, where it continues to thrive today.
The myrtle was first carried by Queen Victoria eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, when she married in 1858, and was used to signify the traditional innocence of a bride."
After the Royal wedding ceremony was completed. As tradition dictates, Kate Middleton's bridal bouquet was laid at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior inside Westminster Abbey The tradition was started in 1923 following the wedding of Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - the future Queen Elizabeth - to the Duke of York, who later became George VI.
Lady Elizabeth, who became the Queen Mother in 1952, left her bouquet at the grave in memory of her brother Fergus, a young officer who was killed on the Western Front in 1915
The grave is one of the most sacred places in the Abbey and is the only part of the floor upon which the congregations are not allowed to walk.
The bridesmaids’ hair wreaths and bouquet were also designed by Shane Connolly. The lily of the valley and ivy hair wreaths worn by the younger bridesmaids were influenced by the Bride’s mother’s own headdress at her wedding in 1981.
And the bouquets carried by the bridesmaids replicated the flowers used in Kate’s bridal bouquet, and they incorporating lily of the valley, sweet william and hyacinth
So overall Kate really did choose seasonal flowers! Lily of the valley is generally only available in the UK in April and May. Sweet William is from April to June. Hyacinths are more readily available – normally from November to May.
I think started from now, Lily of the valley will become famous flower to be use in the bridal bouquet.
