We were excited to see our 10 year vow renewal in the first Savvy.mn Magazine Bride issue!  Back in October we had our little, DIY bash with our kids, 2 friends and Tasha from Red Bird Hills to capture the morning “I do’s”.  Thank you to Melissa for including us in this issue which has so many top notch vendors from the Twin Cities.  We are honored and so grateful!

The vow renewal was also recently featured on the much loved blog Style Me Pretty, see the post here.

See the Red Bird Hills blog post of the vow renewal here

See Ashley Fox Designs blog post of the event here

This photo shoot was brought to you by all of the beautiful (and frozen) ladies seen above.  Also, by some that are not pictured and, of course, Jeff and Jessica, who were behind the cameras.  I always admire the passion and talent it takes to do a successful photo shoot and these people were and always are, on their game.  It was an absolute joy working with all of them.  Even though we were cold, it was smiles all day.

This photo shoot was featured on The Wedding Chicks!

Photographer: Jeff Loves Jessica
Event Designer: Elizabeth Anne Weddings
Venue: Cindyrella Wedding Garden
Makeup: Julie Swenson
Hair: Julie Swenson
Cake: Cocoa & Fig
Flowers: Ashley Fox Designs  (the perfect, pink McCoy vases are from Mustard Moon)
Stationery: redshoes26 design
Prop or Furniture Rentals: Lime CanaryVintage Rentals
Models: Angel Gunderson & Nik Rowell (engaged in real life)
Wardrobe: ModCloth

Emily, the very sweet and wonderful editor at Middle of the Map Weddings blog, asked me to be a featured vendor this month.  I was so honored!

I had to answer a few questions about myself and how I got started in the floral business.  and now, “Let’s all go back to a simpler, quieter, no iPhone kind of time, back in 1999…”  Read the full post here.

image by Studio Laguna

What a nice surprise to open my February issue of Southwest Metro Magazine and see one of my May 2011 couples, Abby and Dane, featured in a wedding article.  Thank you, SW Metro Magazine!

Looking at these apple blossoms, dewy grass and peony images makes me miss spring.  a lot.  Good thing is, spring is getting closer everyday…

Thank you to Clewell Photography for the beautiful images from their day!

(last three images are my own candids)

See more of Abby and Dane’s wedding here in a previous blog entry.

See the full article here.

Are you feelin’ the love here?

When I saw these photos for the first time, tears came to my eyes.  You see, 2-3 weeks before the wedding the bride was in a severe car accident and was in the hospital up until a week or less before the wedding.  I remember when Jason called me and told me about the accident and her injuries, which, by the way, you would never know by looking at these photos were very, very severe.

They were going to have their 1.1.12 wedding as planned. I was so happy they did.  You will never meet a sweeter pair than these two.  No offense to my other brides and grooms out there, you all are awesome too, but the love and strength I was witness to here was–well, there are no words for it.  Just these photos.

Dani, you are so beautiful and strong and I will admire you always.  I still don’t know how you did it.  You rocked that dress, those earrings, and where did you find those cute, blue boots?!

Jason, you are the epitome of what a partner should be.  What you did for Dani to prepare her and your guests for the wedding is no less than remarkable and I feel so happy to have been a part of this day.

I also want to give a very special thank you to my friends/team of Carol, Kevin and Amy for making time on New Year’s Day to help create, deliver and take care of business on this day for Dani and Jason.  I will always be grateful for your warm hearts.

Photography  |  Semper Fi Photography

Venue  |  St. Paul College Club

ring, ring…ring, ring…

“Hello, Ashley Fox Designs.”

“Hi Ashley, I’m a stylist for Minnesota Bride Magazine.  We were wondering if you would like to design some flowers for an upcoming fashion shoot at a Wisconsin farm for our fashion feature Spring/Summer 2012 issue?”

“Hmmm, let me think–YES!”

Flowers I designed in a photo with killer fashion and chickens; my dream has come true.

no lie.

Thank you MN Bride Magazine!

(Vandella roses were used for bouquet and headband)

Here is a wonderful message/review I received from the bride recently:

“Ashley Fox Designs blew me away with the floral for our wedding! The vision I had for flowers, arrangements and centerpieces were only enhanced by what Ashley created. She took the vision and made it more grand than I could ever have envisioned myself. Her blend of garden flowers and cut flowers made everything cheery without losing the classy touch. Everything was beautiful and blended with our theme. Looking at the bouquets, centerpieces, and pew flowers made you say “Wow”. That’s the reaction I wanted to hear and I heard it many times throughout our wedding day. I love flowers and she understood the passion I have for them. She shares the same passion and it’s very evident in her work, her professionalism and her designs. Ashley creates one of a kind floral to enhance the most wonderful day of your life.

I rave about her still, and want to have another event just so Ashley can be a part of it. She respected our budget, kept in close contact with me prior to the event, was available for my questions and was a delightful person to work with. She has ideas galore and takes your likes into consideration heavily. I wanted to love the flowers the day of our wedding and I wanted others to love them as well and they most certainly did. The flowers enhanced our wedding day in a way that I believe only Ashley could have created. I would recommend her to any bride. You’ll brag about her from rooftops just like I do!

Also, someone took photos of the girls bouquets that had those little picks in the vase with their name on them. I LOVED that simple, classy touch. I know many people don’t see that or may not even appreciate it, but I did and thought it was a delightful touch and just shows how you take the entire floral experience into play. You could have used post it notes! Instead, you even made the names beautiful. I want you to know I noticed.”

Dianne and Andrew, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your incredible day!

And to the Bride:

Dianne, thank you for the heart warming review.  You pretty much hit on every note of the goals and mission of my business: to seamlessly create beautiful flower designs that people will love and enjoy.

Photography  |  Jamie Rau Photography

Wedding Coordinator  |  Elizabeth Anne Weddings

Graphic Design  |  The Groom

First Look  |  MN Landscape Arboretum

Ceremony  |  Excelsior Covenant Church

Reception  |  Hazeltine National Golf Club

A wedding from one of the warm and beautiful fall days last October.

This bride found me through the Independent Wedding Association.  If you want some of the best vendors in the business, check out this group.  At these fairs the vendors are always prêts à éduquer (ready to educate) with a twist.  Here’s what they did at their last fair.

For the reception, German Statice pomanders from the chandeliers.  word.

Venue  |  Little Log House Village in Hastings, MN

Photographer  |  Andy Blenkush

Favors  |  The Traveling Photo Booth  (easily, one of my favorite vendors in the universe)

My friend Carrie and I tested the photo booth before we left that afternoon and we chose the ‘retro’ color setting.  One of the best things–the booth prints out 2 strips.  We each got one to take home.  And for the wedding reception: one strip for the bride and groom, one for the guest.  cool.

I have to say, I am really enjoying this time of year when I can slow down.  No weeds to pull, no weddings knocking at my door every weekend.  The family and I can go to WI to visit this 40 acre heaven, where Tom grew up.  His parents planted those spruce and pine trees you see in the distance.  I love watching the sun come up over this area from the second floor window (only when the kids wake me too early, that is).

A sense of place.

Of course, as it is in my nature to forage, I went under those trees with bags and filled them with cones for an upcoming wedding.

For me, winter plans include cleaning all of those vases and buckets sitting down there in the studio, watch more episodes of No Reservations, do something with all those baby food jars I saved from when the kids were little and either recycle the jars or make some sort of strange wire and glass chandelier object to put candles in (doesn’t sound so great when I type it out) and go to NY in late winter for a class with my floral idol, Saipua.

2012 is going to be off-the-charts, good.

Photos above courtesy of the Little Flower School website.