Let's talk about "wildflower" weddings
These precious flowers from our mountains and prairies aren’t meant to be picked and used in commercial work. They often drop their petals within hours of being picked and droop shortly after. Commercially grown flowers from local and international farms are bred to withstand travel, processing, and designing. Flowers grown on a farm generally have longer stems, making designing easier and larger pieces possible.
While farmed flowers are subject to the whims of mother nature and changes in the season, the sheer number of farms and different types of flowers ensures we can deliver something close to your vision - even if our mountain meadows are weeks ahead, or still buried in snow, come your summer wedding. There’s also a common misconception that wildflower weddings are less expensive than other styles. In my experience, I find they can actually cost more due to the fine and small nature of the flowers needed to achieve the effortless look of a wild meadow. A single rose can fill in as much space in an arrangement as 3-5 stems of more delicate, wildflower looking flowers.
While we may love the deep purple wild delphiniums, Lupines in shades of blue, bright and cheery balsamroot, and the Wyoming state flower - Indian Paintbrush, we actually need to leave them on the mountain and use this love to inform our design. You can read more about wildflower ethics and protection here.
Our wedding day in June, surrounded by wildflowers in the Big Horn Mountains. Captured by Christian Gideon.
If you love wildflowers and want to use them as your inspiration, I’m here for it. And while I won’t be tromping through mountain meadows to collect flowers for you bouquet, I will be choosing the best wildflower-like items I can from my wholesalers and growers. We can use things like delphinium and larkspur, asters, locally grown rudbeckia or echinacea, spray roses, scented geranium leaves and fragrant mint among many other items.
Delphiniums and asters for a September wildflower feel. Captured by A. Ribordy Photography.
Here are a few weddings inspired by wildflowers that use commercially and locally grown flowers to bring this dream to life. I love their vibrancy and uniqueness. No two weddings are alike!
AnaFinn Photography captured this spectacular day in the Big Horn Mountains above Hyattsville, WY, so perfectly that I still get a little heart flutter looking at the love and beauty. Their early September wedding day was perfect for using locally grown zinnias, snapdragons, and delicate textures from my favorite wholesaler. You can see all fun and someone snacking on a bouquet here.
A wildflower wedding at Paradise Ranch near Buffalo, WY, captured by Cassie Madden Photography See more here. This wedding had a focus on blue with pops of yellow and coral. I used Craspedia, bachelor buttons, larkspur, and local grasses to add texture. Feathers provided by the groom added a personalized touch and a little bit of extra whimsy.
This wildflower day was packed with every color imaginable set against pale green dresses. Their June wedding day meant no local flowers but loads of beauty from my wholesaler. Wandering J Photography captured all the beauty in Big Horn, WY. The bride made her own custom bouquet wrap of tooled leather.
Sometimes it’s more the prairie that provides inspiration rather than a mountain meadow. The wide open spaces are filled with different types of grasses, sagebrush, and the occasional wet spot with gifts like horsetail weeds and sedges. This wedding took place in August at the Big Horn Equestrian Center. The family hosting this wedding told me they envisioned the day to look like the place where the prairie and mountains meet - very much like our little spot in Sheridan nestled against the Big Horn Mountains. With soft lavender tones, deep purple accents, and local grasses collected from their family property, these bouquets hit the mark. See more from this day captured by Alissa Ferullo Photography here.
If you have dreams of a wildflowers wedding or an event inspired by our breathtaking Wyoming open spaces, I’d love to make them come to life.
Lupine, balsamroot, bluebells, forget-me-nots, wild delphinium and a dozen other varieties I can’t identify in my favorite meadow of all time.
