Ashley is a flower lover like me and a friend of Anastasia - a 2017 bride. She planned a simple family wedding in Dayton, WY and wanted lush greenery with a touch of blush which I was more than happy to oblige! You’d never guess from these pictures but it was one of the hottest days of the summer and well over 100*’s at ceremony time.
Thankful for these photos captured by Braidyn Looper Photography.
When I met my husband he lived in Wyoming and I lived in Massachusetts. It was 6 weeks before Valentine’s day. Weeks went by, hours were logged on the phone and as things progressed I told him he wasn’t allowed under any circumstances to send me flowers. You see, I was going to be buried in gorgeous blooms ordered by some discerning men for their lady loves in Boston and I knew anything he might be able order online would’t make my heart flutter. He’s a smart guy and sent me a box of the most incredible hand crafted chocolates from the very best little sweet shop in Sheridan, WY - The Chocolate Tree.
But sometimes a girl just needs flowers for her own table that aren’t leftovers or the stems that didn’t make the cut for a wedding. There are days I want to try a new product, or visit with an old favorite. A few times a year I add a bunch or two of beauties to an order to enjoy - just for me.
Poppies are a family favorite and we’ve got a big wild patch of deep orange oriental poppies in our front yard. For two glorious weeks they are a riot of color and people stop while driving/walking by to admire.
I don’t often use them in design work but sometimes they are irresistible.
I was excited when Antonia from Bonafide called to talk flowers and one of the biggest events of the summer in Sheridan - The WYO Rodeo and Gold Buckle Club family dinner. They were planning to showcase local food and vendors and knock the socks of the first night of Rodeo.
We planned simple centerpieces for the guests to enjoy and take home with lots of green textures and pops of yellow. Stemless wineglasses provided the perfect vessel and are multipurpose once you get home!
I used feathery grasses to create height without blocking the view, full spirea greenery (with a little baby bump sneaking in) as my base and cute succulents for cocktail tables.
These simple arrangements provided a pop of color, tied into the gold decor already present in the building and were undeniably Wyoming!
When I relaunched Whirly Girl Flowers in Sheridan, WY last year, I started looking for resources on growing my business and a community of fellow flower professions. Along the way I found Team Flower - a group of likeminded souls who encourage one another and provide numerous resources - professional training, workshops, free videos and an extensive blog.
Over the last year I’ve learned from the delightful Kelly Perry, participated in their growing online community and attended the first ever Team Flower Conference in Orlando, Florida last Spring.
During the conference we learned from industry professionals like the funny and talented ladies at Sweetroot Village in Washington D.C., watched demonstrations and I even got to meet a flower hero. One morning I sat down across from a face that seemed familiar but couldn’t place. When we introduced ourselves I just about jumped across to smother Susanne with a hug. We’ve been following each other on Instagram for years and it was a lovely surprise to meet her in person. Her little garden studio, called The Blue Carrot, is an inspiration and style instantly recognizable.
So much happiness meeting Susanne!
I made several new flowers friends from around the country during those few short days. Women who are funny and brilliant and doing amazing things with flowers in their community.
Katie from Posh Petals in Tuscon, AZ. We met before the conference even started when a group of us decided to hit the local grocery store for supplies and she was the only one with wheels. We were pretty much inseparable for the rest of the conference and even had a chance for a quick visit this summer.
The conference ended with a cocktail party under the palm trees and dinner surrounded by flowers. We laughed and learned more about our new friends and celebrated the thing that brought all of us together - FLOWERS! (Captured by Laura Foote Photography below! You can see more here.)
Following my time in Florida I connected online with a few other flower friends that I met but didn’t get to know very well at the conference. Kalin lives in Northern Michigan with her husband and two giant dogs on a lavender farm and rocks an incredible wedding season every summer on the lake. She’s become a favorite on my daily Instagram check for her wit and honesty.
This year I’ve invested more in my flower community by participating in a Team Flower Podcast and writting a few guest blog posts which you can find here. While most of these dear women are spread across the country we take advantage of modern technology and the occasional old fashioned card to encourage one another and learn new techniques.
Ginger and Todd love Wyoming and after years of vacationing here, they made the leap and moved last year. They decided to tie the knot at the historic Eaton’s Ranch with a weekend long celebration surrounded by family and friends. We planned on a long farm table decorated with a flower studded garland and a traditional round bouquet full of ruffled peonies and roses in shades of purple for the ladies.
Images captured by Alissa Ferullo Photography
I made a few cuff corsages with deep purple ranunculus and a traditional white rose boutonniere for the groom with a touch of lavender - a nod to their long time home in the midwest near a lavender farm.
Ginger requested traditional round bouquets in shades of white, lavender and purple with minimal greenery. It was a fun change from my wild and loose greenery bouquets and I LOVED them. For the bride I used pure white peonies grown in Colorado, white freesia, lavender roses and hellebores.
For their dinner in Howard Hall we lined the long table with garland and studded it with roses for dinner. The Cake Chix brought a gorgeous naked cake that we added greenery and a few flowers to along with their custom made spurs! We draped the old rock mantle with more greenery and a few small rose arrangements for a pop of color.
Planning a Wyoming Wedding? I can't wait to dream with you about flowers for your big day! We believe that flowers evoke emotion and use texture, color and thoughtful design to translate feelings into the present moment - providing spectacular bouquets, lush ceremony back drops, centerpieces and unique personal flowers. Use the connect form to start a conversation today.