Read more: Irish designer set to knock off Kate Middleton’s dress- VIDEO
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Although there are several Irish big names on the guest list there will also be some in the credits for Kate Middleton and Prince William's Royal Wedding spectacular. Shane Connolly from Northern Ireland has been chosen as the couple's florist while an Irish Guard, David Rodgers, from Maghera, County Derry, has been handpicked to play the pipes at the couple's reception in Buckingham Palace.
Kate and William chose Connolly as the floral director for the event because he is known as a "green" florist. He uses a sustainable approach to floristry and uses growing rather than cut plants and trees as well as using seasonal, natural and organic flowers.
Connolly said the flowers will reflect the couple and that he's treating this global event like any other wedding. Speaking to the BBC he said "The pressure from the world isn't important, it's what they think that's important…. I just want to do my best for her, and for Prince William, and that's all I want to do."
Having supplied the flowers for Prince Charles’ wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles he was awarded the Royal Warrant. This means that he is an official supplier of flowers to royal events.
The flowers for the wedding will include blossoms, azaleas, rhododendron, euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac. Inside Westminister Abbey there will be six 20ft-high English Field Maple and two Hornbeam trees all growing in planters made by craftsmen at Highgrove, the Prince of Wales's residence in Gloucestershire.
As well as Connolly's input into the wedding David Rodgers was hand selected to play the bagpipes at the event. The Derry man served with the Irish Guards in Bosnia, Kosovo and spent six months in Iraq in 2010.
Speaking to Ulster TV (UTV) his mother, Elma, said "David was never one for school but he certainly has found his niche playing the bagpipes…"He is pretty laid back because he has piped at lots of functions in Buckingham Palace before. He seems pretty happy about it"
She continued "There will be some Irish tunes and some tunes picked by the Prince." In preparation for the event Rodgers submitted a list of music to be approved by the Prince.
Rodgers will play to hundreds of guest as well as Kate and Prince William as they make their way from Westminister Abbey to Buckingham Palace. The ceremony and procession is expected to be viewed by at least 2 billion on TV worldwide as well as the thousands in the streets of London.
Read more: Irish designer set to knock off Kate Middleton’s dress- VIDEO
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