Ashley Fox
Ashley Fox Designs
Bio images by Marit Williams Photography
Opened in 2008, Ashley Fox Designs uses the créme de la créme of fresh, local blooms and beyond to create the most beautiful designs inspired by nature. Ashley Fox Designs is a full-service floral studio specializing in luxurious styling and fresh floral designs for weddings, events, editorials and breathtaking installations in Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota and is available for travel. She is known for her extraordinary use of color and unforgettable selection of flowers for her clients.
Ashley believes collaboration is the key to a cohesive event. Timeless memories are made when attention to detail meets seamless and thoughtful logistics. Essentially, she loves her job and throws herself all in for your day.
Inspired by a sophisticated, garden aesthetic and the natural world around her, Ashley creates spaces for clients that are, by nature, one-of-a-kind. With 25 years of experience as a designer and an education in horticulture and the arts, she hand-selects blooms from local growers and sources from around the world, providing each event with the most sought-after flowers in the design trade.
Ashley’s work has been seen in VOGUE.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, BRIDES, People Magazine, Minnesota Bride Magazine, Minneapolis / St. Paul Weddings, Nebraska Wedding Day, Flower Magazine, Once Wed, Style Me Pretty and many other respected publications and blogs.
Show Notes
When creating a design, it is important to ensure that the combinations of flowers, foliage, textures, and colors complement rather than clash with one another. This is one of the reasons Ashley enjoys working on editorial designs, as they provide her with insights into how these elements harmoniously work together.
Ashley emphasizes the significance of taking time to observe nature and landscapes to understand why certain combinations succeed. By learning from these natural pairings, she connects the dots for her own designs.
Promoting the Most Valuable Product (MVP) is crucial, as it informs clients that their special day is not just a cookie-cutter event but something truly unique, tailored to be at its best during that specific week. This approach helps create a distinctive touch and prevents monotony in the design process.
She also utilizes Canva to create design boards, which assist in creating a visual representation of the event.
For sourcing locally grown flowers, Ashley likes to utilize Rooted Farmers.( Click Here to receive a special offer from Rooted Farmers, a partner of The Flower Podcast.
I appreciated how Ashley reframed her perspective on a wedding she didn't get to do, recognizing that not every potential client is the right fit and that missing out on a difficult client can be a blessing.
Using Pinterest is an effective tool for understanding a client's preferences. It's beneficial to ask them to articulate what they like about the photos they share.
Sometimes, it's necessary to say no to a client after the initial phone call. If you feel you aren't the right fit, it's best to connect them with a more suitable florist.
Setting goals can help prioritize decisions, creating space for those goals to be realized. Saying no to good opportunities may open doors for exceptional ones.
Do not feel obligated to share every aspect of your business on Instagram; instead, focus on sharing weddings and events that align with the type of work you want to pursue more often.
Utilize the flowers returned from an event to practice creating different designs. This can help expand your portfolio.
Make sure to photograph flowers before they leave your studio to ensure you have the desired images for your records.
Make the most of the local products available to you. If growers cannot provide certain flowers, use those you do have in prominent locations during the wedding.
Lastly, it's essential to recognize that there will be moments when we need to take a step back and remind ourselves that our work will be beautiful, and clients will love it.
