FLOWERS Blooming marvellous!

Hans Havercamp was more than happy to answer her somewhat unusual brief. It was bold and refused to ‘play safe’. Just how the Master Florist liked it. The end result? A floral wave of resplendent reds, rich blues and deep purples, golden oranges and lush creams, turning Nick and Christine’s spring wedding in Berkshire into a theatrical work of art. Posies for the bridal party, meanwhile, incorporated unpretentious, handpicked country flowers with not a petal of mediocrity.

"Christine was very specific about what she wanted, which is quite unusual, and the brief was bold and refreshing," said the 40-year-old, who brings his stunning floral creations to life from a row of sheds in the picturesque village of Twyning, near Tewkesbury.

"Brides often feel they have to play safe and it’s my job to show them just how much scope and choice they actually have. They can be a bit more adventurous,radical or extravagant these days if they want to, with spectacular results."

Hans, who was born in Holland and moved to the UK at the age of seven, studied interior landscape at the Welsh College of Horticulture, before going back to Holland to study floristry and then teaching floristry in Japan.

One of two people in the UK who holds the title Master Florist, he is worth his weight in gold to the likes of Lord Lloyd Webber, who regularly calls on the Dutchman for his distinctive masterpieces, crafted from native and exotic flowers from across the globe.

His wedding portfolio is truly different, almost surreal, with a flamboyance and beauty that takes your breath away. Arrangements can be taller than even the tallest guests.

A country hotel reception in Marlow-on-Thames, Buckinghamshire, for example, called for something soft, yet dramatic, to complement pale pink walls, high ceilings and a dazzling line of Russian church dome style chandeliers.

"I created three 6ft displays of orchids intermingled with jasmine and clusters of grapes, which made a real statement,” he said. “It gives me a buzz to do something like that. I also like to work with simple, natural flowers such as peonies and Old Man’s Beard from the hedgerows of Gloucestershire, which are fantastic."

In his static caravan across the yard from his sheds, Hans also keeps the bridal bouquet which won him a gold medal and the Best Floristry Exhibit at the 2007 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, made using a cut-up A4 file and some fishing tackle.

Each and every wedding involves a mountain of work, from ordering hundreds of fresh flowers, cleaning each one, and keeping them in tip top condition until the big day.

"There is a fine line between a beautiful flower and one which has just peaked,” he said. “Each one has to be absolutely perfect and, being a natural, delicate product, that takes love and care."

Once arrangements are ready, they need to be carefully transported and installed with precision. “I always ask for a table plan beforehand so I can visualise what it will look like. If they are for quite a large table, for example, I mix tall arrangements which tower above the guests and low displays for just the right impact, scattering petals as a finishing touch.

"I believe, and the brides I meet believe, that flowers create much of the atmosphere at a wedding. They therefore need to be that little bit special.” Melanie Hall