Prince Harry and Megan Markle have been the talk of the town, since the announcement of their engagement. Vogue Netherlands published a gorgeous commemorative limited edition coffee table book, to celebrate this wedding of the ‘Wildest Windsor’ and his American Actress fiancé.
A.P Bloem was invited by Vogue to create six glorious floral scenes, based on the love Meghan has for flowers, which would be published immediately following the wedding. And to stay in line with the current Royal Wedding mood surrounding us, of course our answer was... "Yes!".
It was also the perfect opportunity to break in our new greenhouse, which we use for our large events. Almost every inch if the 240sq. metres was bursting at the seams, with endless flower crates, mock car constructions, moss, flowers, almost all our staff... and naturally, lots and lots of coffee!
Meghan has expressed that these gorgeous blooms make her "endlessly happy", and we simply have to agree with her! Therefore the peony played a very big role in the shoot, creating almost the entirety of the wall. The flower is also a symbol for love, happiness and health.
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. The DAF Daffodil seemed like the obvious automobile choice to play host, in my kind of repair job.
The book also features iconic marriages throughout history, including the weddings of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Priscilla and Elvis Presley, and of course our very own Máxima and Willem-Alexander, and other beautiful stories about love.
The shoot was photographed in the Dutch countryside, in a beautiful house and garden situated in the town of Egmond-Binnen.
Our floral team went a little wild, using the most romantic florals possible; truckloads of peonies and romantic antique roses, delphinium, asparagus fern, rhododendron, allium, hosta, hortensia, viper dianthus and anthriscus sylvestris, just to name a few!
The six shots were prepared weeks in advance, with handmade constructions of wood, screws, mesh wire and floral foam, to be made for the Peony wall. The Oasis itself was a giant Tetris puzzle that seemed to stretch on for miles. All the right pieces had to line up perfectly against the corners of the room, keep the flowers well-watered for a full day of shooting... and stay upright!
I think the world now views the Royal Family with very different eyes, given their acceptance of the unity of two people from very different upbringings. This was a marriage that would have been previously strictly forbidden. And to be honest, with the turbulent state of the world, everybody just needed to be part of a truly fairytale love story with a happy ending.
Thanks for having us play a part in your lovestory, Vogue!
Photography behind the scenes A.P Bloem
Photo Karin Swerink Reinier RVDA
Vogue shoot Photographer Paul Bellaart
Interior Stylist Valerie van der Werff
Fashion Stylist Linda Gumus Gerritsen
Hair & Makeup Kimm Bakkers
In association with Mooi Wat Bloemen Doen & Bloemen Bureau Holland