102
April 13, 2010
By using native elements, the designs of Coarsegold Flower Shop echo the beauty of Yosemite. Over the past few years, I have had the chance to see their work firsthand at many weddings, but I wanted to get a better idea of what they are all about and where they draw their inspiration from for their designs.
Recently I had the chance to sit down with Beth Alberta, the talented designer and owner behind Coarsegold Flower Shop to talk with her about her wedding arrangements.
PP
What drew you to working with flowers?
BA
While away for school in Oregan, I took a job as a delivery driver at a local flower shop. My boss there loved her job, and I was blessed to be taught by someone who loves what they are doing. While learning the techniques of floral design, I started to design arrangements for weddings. I found that I really enjoyed weddings because of the creative freedom.
When I returned to this area, I took a job with a local shop here working with all of their weddings. I loved it and grew while developing my own style. But most of all I found out that it was fun.
PP
When did you open up this location?
BA
I opened my own flower shop in Coarsegold in May of 2002 and I didn't open solely for weddings. I figured if I couldn't do it here, where everyone knows my name, it won't work. The weddings just started coming in on their own, I didn't even advertise. I started with local girls and it grew from there.
PP
When it comes to weddings, what makes you stand apart from other wedding floral designers?
BA
Since we are a full service flower shop and open six days a week, I know the freshness of the product. I am able to test it out the week before the wedding instead of just getting the flowers right before the wedding.
PP
I have noticed in the past that your designs are very unique. Where do you draw your inspiration from?
BA
That's hard to say because I only work with my designs, I don't copy others. I usually take my inspiration from the couple. When I talk with a couple I don't ask them what type of flowers they want, I ask them what feeling they want from their wedding and I play off of that. I know the flower world, so I ask them do they want it to be warm and romantic, or a vintage feel and I take those words that they say and then bring the flowers into it.
My favorite clients trust me with their ideas and concepts. They don't come to me with specific flowers, they come to me with a specific feeling. Once I get the idea from the couple, I start to look at what flowers go together color wise.
PP
Everyone is different in their creative approach, do you approach new client with a set idea or template in mind?
BA
Everything is custom and most of the girls who go with me have seen what they like, they like me, and trust me. When clients ask me exactly how many roses are in each bouquet, I don't know the answers to those questions. I won't know until it is done. That's where they have to trust me.
PP
One thing I have noticed is that your designs are very indicative of this area, they blend very well with Yosemite.
BA
To use your environment around you is going to match the feeling of your wedding; the girls that are coming here want the feeling of nature and Yosemite. Yosemite itself is such a beautiful spot, I feel like I will never be able to upstage it with flowers, I just want to accent it a bit and bring in the local elements.
I was a bit surprised to see some of these same designs on shows like Platinum Weddings when I realized those are the same plants in my backyard!
PP
You mentioned shows like Platinum Weddings, do you follow up on floral trends?
BA
The biggest trend that I have noticed, are that girls are doing what they want. Do what you want, your colors, what you like, follow whats in your heart and true to you.
As my work evolves, I am using more of the natural elements around me. As I look forward, I want to bring in more of the hanging candles, the manzanita trees, and using the elements while keeping it simple and staying true to what the bride wants. These manzanitas done up as a centerpiece are breathtaking, their massive. Then we do these flower balls that hang off of them with lights, they're gorgeous!
PP
What do you see as being unique with wedding in Yosemite from your standpoint.
BA
To me Yosemite is so Yosemite, that there is no way to upstage it. The Ahwahnee to me is already so well done, I feel like you don't need a whole lot to have the perfect wedding. Instead I focus on the details and make the arrangements fit within Yosemite.
So much in Yosemite depends on the time of year, especially for your color pallet. Spring is fair game for anything; there are colors all over. There is the mixture of the dogwoods in the white and green. You've got the shooting stars that are blooming that are pink. You can still use the red roses and the reds pop so well outside for photos.
With summer time I would probably go with primary colors and brighter colors. To me, in the summertime in the valley the hues are not as intense as in the spring and fall. The grasses start to fade a little bit so I think the flowers need to be bright and vibrant. I would go with bold colors, stick with your primary colors, hot pinks, really really bright eye popping flowers. There is a circus rose that we use all of the time that is a gorgeous rose that photographs awesome.
Fall is one of my favorite times, and what is great about fall in Yosemite compared to your typical fall colors that are reds, yellows and oranges, you have the Dogwoods that bring in the pink and the purple hues. So you can still do the fall colors using the pinks and the purples and the yellows with a little bit of the oranges and you get a whole different feeling than the harsh yellow-red-orange.
Winter is classic for red. Deep deep red rose and lots of snow is gorgeous.
Coarsegold Flower Shop
35300 Highway 41
Coarsegold, CA
(559) 641-2384
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Yeah she is an artist! Love her work too.
We really are blessed to have so much amazing artistic talent up here!