Open Fields and Motorcycles: The story Shelbi & Zach’s Gansberg Ranch Wedding
As a blanket of snow covers our field and we are planning out our family’s adventure to Hope Valley to cut down our Christmas tree next week… I remember the story of one of our wedding couples.
Shelbi and Zach.
Why?
Well, Zach actually proposed to Shelbi while they were cutting down a Christmas Tree out in Hope Valley, nearly two years ago. This season, they get to go cut down their first Christmas tree together as a married couple. For some reason, it really makes my heart happy that I know this about their love story!
On this wintery-like day, on the brink of the holiday season, I wanted to share their wedding day through the eyes of their farmer and florist.
Photo Credit: Sierra Flower Farm
Shelbi & Zach’s Wedding Floral Vision
As with each of our weddings, it begins with a filled out inquiry coming into my inbox.
It was late January when I received the notification of Shelbi and Zach’s inquiry. Soon after, I was able to “meet” Shelbi through a phone call.
Shelbi is an incredibly sweet person who was laid back but also knew what she loved and didn’t love: she loved ranunculus and dahlias but did not love roses. They wanted “simple” flowers with underlying “boho vibes” that were “beautiful” to go with the charming rustic beauty of their venue, Gansberg Ranch. There was mention of the Groom and the Groomsmen riding in on motorcycles to the ceremony aisle entrance and overall, a big celebration with friends and family!
Their four Bridesmaids were going to be wearing Champagne dresses and the Groom and his Groomsmen were to be looking quite dapper in white dress shirts, suspenders and bowties.
To compliment the wedding parties attire and desired vibes of the wedding, the couple wanted mainly white and green with pops of terracotta, apricot, and peach but were also open to the colors that worked with that particular palette. A twist on the normal spring color weddings with incorporating some “fall” tones. They wanted fresh colors, staying away from the dried ingredients of beige and brown that is normally seen with the bohemian aesthetic.
Once I heard the color palette: I instantly started geeking out over the challenge!
Shelbi and I began dreaming of her spring wedding to come. My head began buzzing with ideas of what we could custom grow for them and what we already had in the that would go wonderfully with their floral vision. I am such a sucker for peach tones!
Shelbi and Zach wanted to use their wedding day as an opportunity to support a local business and loved the idea of having flowers grown in their hometown, as an extra touch of specialness. I am incredibly thankful for their decision in supporting us!
As a farmer-florist in Northern Nevada, I just had to hope that our normally brutal springs played nice with us.
Couples wanting a field to centerpiece experience… well it takes a fairly laid back couple.
We work in color palettes rather than promising actual varieties. It takes a level of trust in us that no matter what: we will pull together beautiful blooms especially for you. Yes, this means even purchasing outside flowers if we face a crop delay or failure. Small weddings, medium weddings or large weddings, we love curating your wedding floral designs. No two couples are alike, their wedding flowers shouldn’t be either. Taking the time to talk and collaborate with our couples is one of my favorite parts as a designer which is deepened by growing the blooms as well.
Photo Credit: Sierra Flower Farm
the farmer-florist experience
For Shelbi and Zach’s wedding, it was really touch and go, at least from the farming side.
We had incredibly cold temperatures in late winter that continued into spring. Normally, in early June we begin to see a steady rise in temperatures but that was not the case this past spring. We even had a good freeze three days before the summer solstice, a good two to three weeks after their wedding! It was a fairly cold June, to say the least.
We lost many of our peonies from those harsh spring freezes except for a handful that I was able to save. Mornings were spent uncovering beds of ranunculus and anemones, evenings covering them again to protect from frigid temps. Right when I thought ranunculus and anemones weren’t happening: they all went into full bloom just in time for their wedding!
The beautiful Cloni Grand Pastel and the Charis butterfly ranunculus really brought in the colors that were most important to Shelbi. The Sfumato ranunculus with it’s apricot and vintage-colored hues bridged all the colors together throughout the wedding florals. I was even able to save the most perfect Blushing Bride peony, I knew it needed to go into Shelbi’s Bridal bouquet as soon as I saw it in the field! The clove-like scent of the stock laced with the delicate honey scent of the German chamomile, will hopefully bring back the beautiful memories of their wedding day anytime they come across the scent of those flowers. For interest and to add more white to the palette, we used black centered anemones that were being fussy with the cool temps. The anemones wanted to stay closed but opened right in time for Shelbi to walk down the aisle!
Photo Credit: Sierra Flower Farm
Gansberg Ranch is such a delight!
Shelbi and Zach’s wedding was also the first wedding we had the privilege of flowering at the gorgeous Gansberg Ranch located in our hometown of Gardnerville, Nevada. A place we have driven by for many years but to have feet on the ground was a whole other experience.
A family-run wedding venue where they balance ranching and being a school teacher with hosting weddings on their family’s beautiful historical ranch during the summer months. Job’s Peak hovering in the background of their open fields, there are no words to describe the rich beauty! The sound of the bustling highway goes away and is replaced with the neighs of the horses and the quiet sounds of the field. It is peaceful. It is enjoyable. A wonderful place for a wedding!
One of the unique aspects of Gansberg Ranch as a venue is they open their charming home up for the couple and their wedding party to be able to get ready onsite. Their bright sunroom is my absolute favorite room! The house is a bit of a trek to where the ceremony and reception sites are, which Shelbi and Zach fixed with some classic motorcycles and an old truck!
The real showstopper though, is the old stone building which is the heart of the venue. In the middle of the open field lies this marvelous building. On on side, is the ceremony site where upper windows open to show an exquisite chandelier. On the other side of the building is where there are fire pits, a dance floor, a tent for the reception area and let’s not forget the watering hole which serves drinks! It is amazing how they really pack it in and within a few steps you have transitioned from formal wedding ceremony to a fun, relaxed celebration site!
Typically, as wedding florists, we are like sneaky ninjas that come before seeing the whole wedding get to be pulled together. This was especially true for Shelbi and Zach’s wedding as it was too windy for us to set out the reception table bud vases and ceremony designs. Thankfully, the venue’s team took great care of the flowers on our behalf!
As florists, we are one of the few wedding vendors who are not there for the festivities of the day. This is why we are incredibly thankful to the amazing couples and their photographers who share the photos with us so we can see all the magic!
Photo Credit: Mckenna Payne Photo
Their day was beautifully captured
Mckenna Payne Photo did a beautiful job capturing all the details along with the small and big moments of Shelbi and Zach’s special day. I love seeing the creativity of the photographer and their style in editing of the day! Something many don’t realize is one of the first things I do as a designer is I take a look at the editing style of the couple’s hired photographer. Once I saw Mckenna’s previous work, I knew she would do a marvelous job capturing the couple’s color palette, which she did not disappoint!
Mckenna definitely stayed busy which resulted in an immersive experience when looking through the photo gallery.
I’m sure the couple love to be able to go through all the images and relive their wedding day all over again, we certainly did!
Photo Credit: Mckenna Payne Photo
Repurposing ceremony flowers done right!
Shelbi and Zach wanted to be able to repurpose ceremony flowers along with Shelbi’s bouquet for their sweetheart table. This was to eliminate additional waste along with controlling their floral budget. I think this is a great example of how to have multi-purpose use of the various floral designs! They took the two compote designs that sat atop wine barrels at the ceremony site then placed them at the feet of their sweetheart table along with Shelbi’s bouquet and a couple bud vases tucked in between candles. Some greenery foraged from the wedding venue property and voilà!
The result, I think turned out quite perfect! Not over the top but just special enough for the newlyweds to enjoy their first meal together as a married couple.
Photo Credit: Mckenna Payne Photo
Shelbi and Zach were a dream couple to work with: absolutely sweet, down to earth and unquestionably in love with each other! A bit of an unexpected blustery June day but nothing that some coats and fur blankets by the fire pit couldn’t fix.
A beautiful couple inside and out!
Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs Beach!
Thank you for the honor of allowing us to be your wedding farmer-florists. It was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with you to bring your wedding day floral vision to life!
Photo Credit: Sierra Flower Farm
If you or someone you know is interested in us being your wedding farmer florist in the Northern Nevada, Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes areas, start the process by clicking the button below!
Photo Credit: Mckenna Payne Photo
Be sure to check out the amazing vendors that helped make Shelbi and Zach’s wedding day magical!
Venue: Gansberg Ranch
Photographer: Mckenna Payne Photos
Catering: The Bus Boy Mobile Cuisine
Rentals: Tahoe Elevated Events
Music: Amplified Entertainment
Dress: Swoon Bridal
Rings: DeVons Jewelers
Makeup & Hair: Makeup Mamaa