Easy DIY Centerpieces For Your Wedding Reception

Captured by Aundrea Marie Photography

I think we can all agree that flowers are … expensive. After 13 years in the industry, I’m still shocked at my flower bill after submitting my order. Often, my clients who LOVE flowers seek ways to bring flower magic and use their resources wisely.

In our studio, we believe that flowers are far from fleeting. Because, as an art form, they carry the emotive depth of our love stories that make them worth telling in the present moment and forever after.

As a result, I love pairing designer bouquets and personal flowers created with my years of experience with a custom-built DIY bulk flower order.

I do all the hard work of choosing flowers and foliage to fit your vision and order precisely what you need. You come 1-2 days before your wedding to collect your flowers and make simple but beautiful centerpieces with some of your favorite people before the wedding.

Real wedding: Eaton’s Ranch, Cassie Madden Photography

You don’t have to worry about sourcing or receiving or ordering the right amount. And BONUS - it all matches your designer bouquets for a cohesive look throughout your day. No grocery story roses and and babies breath here.

Curious what this might look like at your event? See real examples below from past Whirly Girl Flower clients who ordered a custom DIY package to go with their floral studio crafted bouquets. My custom and artful approach to creating ensures that no design is the same. Because, we believe that’s how it should be; professional, personal and wildly you. 

Real Wedding!

This late summer collection was created by the bride and friends the day before her wedding hosted at the Brinton Museum near Sheridan, WY. We used glorious late summer dahlias, foxglove, ranunculus, and peachy roses along with several types of eucalyptus to fill their amber glass bottles.

Looking for a simple loose greenery look or a collection of bud vases and bottles? We can make your simple wedding flower dreams come true. I can promise they won’t be boring.

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Real Wedding!

Whether your aesthetic is simple and sophisticated, edgy and artsy, intentional and eco-friendly or a little whirly (that makes two of us!), we promise your every last desire will bloom for you and your partner no matter where you come from or where you’re going.

Your creativity can play here too as you combine personal touches to your table tops. Candles - absolutely. Runners to bring in one of your colors - definitely. Antlers you found while tromping through the woods with your love - love it.

There aren’t restriction here and you can make the day and details as personal as you wish.

See This Wedding

Why I can't make just a bouquet...

1. Roses - Rust, 2. Sweet William, 3. Tuberose, 4. Carnations, 5. Amaranth, 6. Eucalyptus. - seeded, 7. Eucalyptus - Silver Dollar, 8. Grevellia, 9. Calycina

Captured by Dani Jerry Photography

I often receive inquiries for a single bridal bouquet and a boutonniere for a simple wedding. It always breaks my heart a little to turn them down, but as an events-only studio - they don't make financial sense for my business. While I do LOVE flowers, this is also my job and income for our family rather than a hobby. I have set boundaries on availability and an event minimum for Tiny weddings [read more here] as a result. 

Florists that operate with retail can use flowers already on hand for the week and cycle any "extra" unique material ordered for the bride back into their daily orders for delivery. Anything not used or sold to a client for their wedding is a loss for my little studio. Why?

Flowers are expensive! After 14+ years in the floral industry, I’m still shocked at the cost of flowers. Like the rest of us, the flower world was rocked by the pandemic, and we’re still experiencing some fluctuation and significant increases in flower costs across the board. Even traditionally affordable or more cost-effective flowers are 20-30% more than in previous years.

Shipping charges - our closest wholesalers come from the greater Denver area, and overnight freight can run from $45 - $75 per shipment and doesn't include any of those flowers that make the magic happen. 

Wholesale flower bunches - various flowers, filler, or greenery come in a specific "bunch" size. Specialty items come by a single stem, others in quantities of 5, 10, or 25 each. Greenery typically is packaged as a growers bunch or by weight, so it's often a guessing game on how much you'll need vs receive in the shipment. 

Time - prepping for a single bouquet vs bouquets for an entire wedding party takes about the same time. I still need to write recipes, order the goods, process fresh flowers, and make all the magic for your wedding. A single item takes less time to create than making more but the prep time is the same.

When writing a flower recipe for a client, I'm considering shape, color, and form in addition to the overall feel of the day (traditional, boho, relaxed). My typical bouquets include 5-12 varieties of flowers and foliage and nearly 20 varieties for more complex designs. If I ordered a bunch of eight different types of flowers and greenery, there would be more in the studio than could fit into a single bouquet, sometimes with at least 50% unused product. 

For couples in 2024/2025 looking for elopement packages who are flexible on colors and willing to trust me with flower magic, you can learn more about my availability here.

Here are a few of my favorite bouquets and a general list of the flowers and foliage included.

1. Cognac Anthurium, 2. Pieris japonica, 3. Carnations, 4. Tuberose, 5. Lisianthus, 6. White Anthurium

Captured by Kaylie Sirek

1. Roses - Sahara, 2. Lisianthus, 3. Eucalyptus - Silver Dollar, 4. Mint, 5. Scabiosa Pods, 6. Curly Dock, 7-15. Local Grasses x 8 varieties

Captured by Alissa Ferullo Photography

1. White Peonies, 2. Roses - Purple, 3. Roses - Lavender, 4. Hellebores, 5. Freesia

Captured by Alissa Ferullo

1. White Garden Roses, 2. Carnations, 3. Kangaroo Paw, 4. Bay, 5. Eucalyptus - Baby Blue, 6. Eucalyptus Silver Dollar, 7. Bay, 8. Grevellia, 9. Spray roses, 10. Lisianthus

Captured by Cassie Rosch Photographer

1. Roses - Red, 2. Roses - Purple, 3. Blue Thistle, 4. Purple Anemone, 5. Bronze Amaranth, 6. Dahlia, 7. Ranunculus, 8. Bay, 9. Salal, 10. Eucalyptus

Captured by Dani Jerry Photography

1. Peonies in Blush, 2. Garden roses - white, 3. Ranunculus - pink, 4. Ranunculus - white, 5. Waxflower, 6. Eucalyptus Seeded, 7. Italian Pitt

Captured by A.Ribordy Photography

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Ready to start planning your Wyoming wedding or Sheridan Elopement? You can see my 2024 elopement availability here. I’m ready to start flower dreaming with you. Let’s chat.

Valentine's Day 2022

2022 - the year I decided to NOT offer fresh flowers for Valentine’s Day. As I write it I’m feeling a little sad about it but know it’s the right choice for my sanity and little family.

I’ve intentionally built my small business to fit our life which has meant no regular retail and a specific focus on weddings in the Sheridan area. Occasionally, it means bringing you the best flowers-by-the-bunch, classes, and the random plant drop.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday dominated by retail florists and I’m okay with that. So here are my suggestions for those lovers out there looking for some ideas or recommendations for Valentine’s Day gift-giving in 2022. As always - sooner is better in this crazy world of ours so if something sparks your heart, go get it NOW!

And for those of you out there hoping you'll get just what your heart desires as a sign of affection and love - I'm a big fan of speaking our minds. Unless of course, your lover is a mind-reader.

If flowers are what she wants - a few tips when ordering:

• CALL CALL CALL your local florist. If you simply search for “flowers near me” you’ll likely end up with what we call an Order Gatherer. Also known as the bane of every florist’s existence. These gatherers are located somewhere else, take your money, and then try to find an actual local florist to fulfill your order at a significant discount. It’s a lose-lose for whoever is receiving the flowers and the florist. When in doubt, call a local florist first.

• Be Brave - don’t be afraid to get something other than red roses. If she loves them, go for it. If she simply loves flowers, ASK for Designer’s Choice. You’ll get beautiful blooms, I promise. Special request for a specific flower or colors? -go for it!

• Order EARLY. Like today. If you know flowers are a must for your love, cross that item off your list. If you wait until Monday, February 14 you’ll likely miss out.

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Plants! I’m bringing in a special assortment of fresh plants for your honey this year. Pick up at the studio Friday, February 11 - February 14, 2022, by appointment. Options from $14 - $45. Know they have something special on their plant wish list? Drop me an email by February 7 and I’ll try to get it in for you. Pre-orders appreciated!

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Citrus - I fell in love with The Sister’s Market last year and every box of oranges that arrived on our doorstep has been divine. These boxes are my go-to gift for all occasions when oranges are in season. This family owned farm picks each orange to order, I promise they won’t disappoint. (No kick backs here, I just love supporting other small businesses)

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Poppy & Pout - My absolute favorite lip balm - they come in eco-friendly cardboard tubes, are 100% natural, and are untinted! There are so many amazing flavors and the gift bundles are packaged perfectly for gifting. What’s better for Valentine’s Day than soft lips! You can find some flavors locally at Jackalope Ranch - call Pam to see what’s in stock. (No kick backs here, I just love supporting other small businesses)

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Treats - My two personal favorites for local chocolates include The Chocolate Tree downtown and a new option call the Sweet Spot Depot -candied nuts, dried fruit, and my personal favorite - Almond toffee or sea salt caramels. Locals - he’ll deliver for free!

When should you book your wedding florist?

Congratulations! You’re getting married and planning the beginning of a new life together. It can be exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. Now, onto the fun and challenging part. Who will be there? Where will you host them? How much money do you have to spend on a wedding? Do you have colors or a theme? What should everyone wear? Flowers and invitations and food and linens and photography - the list is endless.

Naturally, we’re all more excited about some parts of planning than others. Maybe it’s the food you’ll get to share. Or the music you’ll dance the night away to. Or maybe, it’s the flowers that set the tone for the entire day and bring all the pieces together.

Now, I’m not a wedding planner, but I talk to many couples about planning and have compiled a few resources to help you get started.

Rocky Mountain Bride - “I do checklist”

Brides.com The Ultimate Wedding-Planning Checklist and Timeline

Zola - Your Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist & Timeline!

As a general rule of thumb - you should have your date and venue locked in before booking additional vendors, including your florist. This way, we can ensure availability for your date and typically happens 6-12 months before your wedding. Now if you have your heart set on a specific, vendor, checking their availability before setting a date can’t hurt. (Just know we might not provide a full proposal before you’re booked.)

The basics Whirly Girl requires for booking your date is a confirmed (under contract) venue to ensure your date and a few inspiration pictures to get an idea of what you’re dreaming of. If you have an idea of your colors or style (classic, rustic, elegant, wild) and a general idea of your guest list it’ll help.

Things you don’t need to book your florist: final numbers of pretty much anything (flower girls, boutonnieres, even guest tables). A general idea is helpful but we understand these specific details will come together as your planning continues and will be finalized 4-6 weeks ahead of your wedding.

Want to learn more about working with Whirly Girl Flowers and planning your wedding flowers for an event in or near Sheridan, WY? Click here.

The 100 Yard Bouquet

When Braidyn reached out about a last minute elopement styled-shoot in the Big Horn Mountains, I was excited to participate and jumped at the chance to test my ingenuity. I’ve found that floristry is 50% cleaning and planning, 40% problem solving and 10% making the beautiful things it seems. We didn’t have a flower budget for the shoot and so I proposed a wild and 100% foraged bouquet. Since they were adventuring into the National Forest, I had to consider what things I could include that would be weed-free and wouldn’t introduce non-native plants into the wild. I originally envisioned lots of tall grass heads and textural bits but these were excluded as a result of the location.

Everything in this bouquet was collected (with permission) from my block. Chokecherry, aspen, and spirea branches with perennial sweet pea tendrils, flowering linden, dried poppy pods and a few big iris seed heads.

Our team for the day included the following rockstars:

Photography - Braidyn Looper Photography

Makeup - Bonita Beauty Studio

Attire - Once Upon a Story

Models: Cheyenne and Titus

You can see more in the Northern Wyoming Regional Guide from Rocky Mountain Bride.

While this was a fun exercise for testing my design skills and creating something for an editorial setting, it’s not practical for an actual wedding. In most cases I can’t rely on my neighbors to provide all the goods for making something gorgeous and I use a variety of farms and wholesalers to bring in all the flower magic to pull off an event.

Hire your wedding florist in Sheridan, WY

Getting married in Wyoming? I can't wait to dream with you about flowers for your big day! I believe that flowers evoke emotion and use texture, color, and thoughtful design to translate feelings into the present moment. I can’t wait to start dreaming about your wedding flowers! Use the connect form to start a conversation today.