World Traveler's Destination Wedding in Wyoming

That happy, just married glow.

When I initially spoke with Amina, they lived in Chicago and were prepping for a big move to South Africa. It was a dream come true and something they’d both worked hard for.

In the meantime, they had a wedding to plan in Wyoming - a place she’d never even been. Matthew grew up spending summers at the Historic Eaton’s Ranch just outside of Sheridan, WY and it was the perfect place to host their families for a simple destination wedding in Wyoming. We planned all her florals over email with a quick call before they left.

She wanted her custom gown from Alexandra Grecco to provide a canvas for her flowers. A bouquet of whites with lots of green and brown textures. I used white garden roses, dried poppy pods from my garden, green millet for texture and a variety of foliages including grevelia, eucalyptus, and ferns. We don’t have many local flowers but a single perfect love in a puff vine added the perfect finishing touch.

All of the gorgeous details and emotions of the day captured by Cassie Madden Photography

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You can find their wedding featured by Alexandra Grecco here. When I asked Amina about her dress, she said it was simple and elegant and without embellishment. She wanted to the flowers to add stand out and shine. A bride after my own heart.

A Cowboy Wedding in September

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All the beautiful details captured here by Aundrea Marie Photography.

All the pretty details. You spend months planning and carefully choosing each item for your wedding. Pick a photographer who can capture them all and preserve the moment for you!

Congratulations!!

Mountaintop wedding at Meadowlark Ski Lodge

When your wedding starts with a ride to the top a mountain on a ski lift, it’s going to be a good day.

Back in March, I met the mother-of-the-bride during a styled shoot at Meadowlark Ski Lodge with a team from Rocky Mountain Bride. She was helping her daughter plan an elegant mountaintop wedding above the lodge in June and asked if I could provide bouquets. I couldn’t be more excited.

These lovebirds currently live in Boston and came home to Wyoming for their summer wedding with a view. During a phone call with the bride, we chatted about my favorite places to eat in Boston, the worlds best croissants and her flower dreams for the day. We planned lush and green bouquets with flowers in white to compliment the neutrals planned for the rest of the day. Anemones, ranunculus, veronica and white roses were the stars of the show.

Captured here by Edgcomb+ Russell Photography

Who wants to plan an intimate wedding with a stunning view?

Congratulations!

Mountain Elopement Styled Shoot with Rocky Mountain Bride

Last March I loaded up my car with boxes of greens, buckets of flowers, so many snacks and a tiny baby for a day playing with some friends and making something special for the 2019 Wyoming edition of Rocky Mountain Bride. The drive was foggy and a little scary but when I made it over the mountain - sunshine was waiting for me at Meadowlark Ski Lodge.

With a roaring fire keeping us warm inside the lodge we all got to work. Hair and makeup on our models by Bonita Beauty Studio and Gypsy Soul Salon, our editor Chelsea moving furniture and setting a magnificent table while Kayla from Foxtails Photography captured all the magic. I started off working on the fireplace to create a sweeping green piece made with huck, soft ferns and golden leucodendron.

This amazing shoot was carried off by the following vendor team.

Bridal Boutique - BHLDN | Floral - Whirly Girl Flowers | Hair - Gypsy Soul Salon - Brittini | Hats - Stetson | Jewelry - Archetype Collective | Linens - La Tavola Fine Linen Rental | Makeup - Bonita Beauty Makeup | Menswear - Banana Republic | Models - Bret & Haley Paper - Before Noon Paperie | Photography Foxtails Photography | RentalsYonder Floral + Decor House | Sweets - Red Velvet Bakery Venue Meadowlark Ski Lodge |

You can see the full feature in the 2019 Wyoming edition of Rocky Mountain Bride available now. Here are a few of my favorite shots of the day!

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The Problem Solver

In my experience, most jobs require a certain amount of problem solving - no matter the field or area of expertise. Before jumping into floristry I worked in a variety of settings - jack of all trades here, master of none. These included a retail job slinging pre-made bouquets and flowers by the bunch at Wilson Farm in Lexington, MA, working the teller line at a credit union, waking up before the crack of dawn to brew coffee for commuters in California and finally as an administrator for my beloved community and church (Highrock) in Arlington, MA and at Volunteers of America Northern Rockies here in Sheridan, WY.

Some problems were easy - like adding ribbon to a bouquet or making a latte over to satisfy a picky (& never satisfied) customer. Others were hard - like finding a venue for 1,500 people in Metro Boston with parking + space for kids to play + the ability to serve coffee with breakfast for a reasonable price. Maybe it required figuring out complicated insurance problems. Or that one time I messed up payroll for 3 staff members - that one was awful. I’ve solved tricky finance situations, mopped up two gallons of sticky milk spilled in one epic fail and handled my fair share of flower related problems over the last 10 years.

Making flower magic for events this year has been a test in problem solving. Not completely unexpected but has certainly required some creativity to pull things off without my clients worrying and delivering what’s promised. It’s why you hire a professional - to figure it out when none of the foliage arrives and the wedding is in 2 days. You’ve paid me to handle it, make it perfect and deliver the magic all while you’re carefree and soaking up the love with your friends and soon to be spouse. Chances are you’ll never know there was a problem at all.

Some of these tests simply come as a result human error. Lots of them come as a result of being in beautiful Sheridan, WY and far from pretty much any floral resource. The majority of my supplies and 98% all flowers are shipped here from great distances, pulled by a trusted provider and put into the hands of mostly reliable shipping agents. Sometimes the flowers on my wishlist aren’t available, or they don’t get put into my box or they get held up in customs in Maimi, FL for 2 extra days and never arrive. Sometimes they don’t survive the travel and go straight to the compost bin. On a few occasions special vases I ordered came in with one broken - oops, should have ordered an extra. Or that time I ordered the extra “just in case” and found two broken upon arrival at my studio. Ack! It never seems to end.

While my clients are traveling to WY and welcoming family and friends to celebrate their wedding, I’m hustling over the phone and email with my sources to get replacement product shipped if there’s time. Occasionally it means heading out with my clippers and a bucket to forage in a few known and trusted (I’ve asked for permission) spots for something that didn’t arrive - hello office park landscaping, and buying new plants at the local garden center. Sometimes it’s a last-ditch desperate trip to the grocery store and a hope that there will be just one bunch of perfect filler to make up for something that came in damaged or completely the wrong color.

You’re trusting me with something beautiful and important on your wedding day and I’m so honored by that gift. I want you to know I’ll handle the the missing product, broken vases and anything else that comes up before I deliver your flowers. I’m good at solving problems and making the flower magic happen - no matter what comes my way.

All images captured by Lizbeth’s Lens.