With the wedding of Princess Victoria of Sweden on the horizon, German Television Channel ZDF is preparing a documentary on Royal Weddings (due out in Germany in July 2010). They approached Longmans, and subsequently Capel Manor College as the venue, to request that they film the making of replicas of both Lady Diana’s and Her Majesty the Queen’s wedding bouquets.

It has been a long established privilege for the Worshipful Company of Gardeners to present the Royal family with bouquets of flowers on state occasions and for weddings. Back in 1947 the Company appointed Longmans to design and prepare the bouquet for the wedding of Her Majesty the Queen and the marriage of HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.

A tradition has continued whereby on key Wedding Anniversaries, the Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners presents Her Majesty the Queen with a replica of her wedding bouquet.

On Wednesday 17th March, after hours of preparation filming took place at Capel Manor College. Margaret Davis, a former Head Florist of Longmans, a relationship that lasted for 42 years, spent the whole day recreating the beautiful bouquets in detail. Both bouquets were finished off with the all important sprig of Myrtle which is a sign of love and immortality.

This project provided a unique opportunity for Capel’s Floristry students to see such complex work up close in a post-filming master class with Margaret. Margaret it seems has followed in her father’s footsteps after all by passing on her knowledge and experience to Capel students as Margaret’s father lectured at Capel Manor 40 years ago when in the early days of the college.

Chief Executive Steve Dowbiggin said; “This is another example where the opportunities given to our students to be involved at the very forefront of the industry they are interested in give them the opportunity to add something unique to their cv and gain recognition for the skills and knowledge the acquire when they are with us. We are indebted to David Longman, Margaret and the Worshipful Company of Gardeners for giving us this opportunity and involving us in this way.”

If you’re interested in full-time, part-time or evening courses in Floristry visit www.capel.ac.uk.