Choosing the right professionals for your wedding is a personal decision and tends to lean on far more than just their portfolios alone. On a wedding day you spend so much time with your vendors, so having a connection with them makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. We want you to have a chance to get to know your vendors a little better before you make that tough decision on who to choose. We reached out to our wedding professionals on your behalf so you can become better acquainted with them.

Meet Ashley - A Georgian Bay Wedding and Event Floral Designer

Ashley is a florist who loves colour and flowers maybe more than anything. She brings a touch of elegance to everything she makes, whether it be a floral arrangement, gift wrapping, or just an afternoon lunch. Ashley has traveled and lived all over the world, but now resides in a small town right on Georgian Bay. She loves the tranquility of being able to walk to the water and the community she surrounds herself with. She spends her days off in the garden, or tending to her many beautiful house plants and does not go a day without coffee. She is a far better singer than she will ever let you believe, but if you spend enough time with her you’ll get to hear it for yourself. Ashley has been a full time florist for 5 years and specializes in weddings. Her style is unique and draws heavily on inspiration from nature itself, with wild lines, textures and pops of colour. Ashley believes in creating something unique for each of her clients.

You can find Ashley’s website here: www.ashleyelaine.ca
Make friends with her on social media: @ashleyelaineflorals

What's a wedding trend you would like to see?

I'd love to see people plan more brunch weddings. I just think its such a lovely idea to be able to enjoy the day with your friends and family. Also, mimosas and coffee!

What is your wind down ritual after a wedding day?

Glass of wine or a cocktail, something yummy to eat and falling asleep on the couch.

If we were to come into your office, what would we see? (be honest)

Depends on the time of year or how I’m feeling. I have a home studio so in the winter I can be found answering emails and doing admin (taxes ugh!) from my desk, the sofa or even my bed and usually surrounded by papers and notebooks that I’ve scrawled my ideas and to do items on. In the summer I'll be in the studio and there will be beautiful flowers but also stacks of buckets that need washing and bags of green waste that haven't yet been taken away. It’s not always as glamorous as it sounds but I love it, mess and all.

What would your theme song be?

Not sure I have a theme song but one that I love is The Joke by Brandi Carlile. Actually, her most recent album has been on repeat for me for a while. She’s an incredible songwriter with such a powerful voice that you just can’t help but feel everything she’s singing.

What is your current obsession?

Plants. I want all the plants in my house. I also love trying to propagate some of them to make my space more green. I have a couple little vases with pothos cuttings in the house right now waiting to be planted.

What is your current favourite local business in Georgian Bay?

Hmmm, pretty hard to choose just one there are tons of great businesses here. Casero's Kitchen Table for tacos, Cherchez La Femme, Good Grief Coffee and The Georgian Artisan Shop in Thornbury, Seed in Collingwood, just to name a few! Seriously, so many great businesses.

What is the best present you have ever received? Why?

It's so hard to choose, I've been given some really lovely gifts in the past and I just truly appreciate the gesture of a gift more than anything. One that comes to mind is a beautiful print from a current favourite artist of mine was given to me by friends and it makes me smile every time I look at it. Another one that is really special to me is a pair of diamond earrings that my parent’s gave me for my birthday last year. The diamonds came from my grandmother’s wedding and engagement ring that my mom had split apart and remade. It’s like having a piece of her with me always.

Tell us about a creative piece you worked on that you're extremely proud of.

I recently worked on a styled shoot for the blog that centred around one colour. It was really fun to flex some styling muscles and tie in all sorts of different materials, including flowers, that were all in slightly different tones of blue. I really loved the way it turned out and would love doing something similar with other colours.

Favourite ice cream flavour?

Mint chocolate chip forever!

What is your superhero power?

I have a great ability to neglect my plants and the rate of survival is still pretty high.

What is something strange or interesting people would never know just by looking at you?

This is a great question, would you have guessed that I won a spelling bee at school once (a long time ago)? I was also a figure skater. I loved ice dancing especially and was also into synchro skating into my teens.

Tell us about your all time favourite wedding

I don't know if I can say I have a favourite wedding but there was a Saturday last year when I had the pleasure of delivering two weddings on the same day. They were extremely different colour palettes, one was full of rich, juicy reds and peaches and the other a softer peach and pink with a hint of mauve. The thing they both had in common was both couples were just so lovely to work with and they really trusted me to take their initial ideas and transform them. I feel like I produced some of my best work that day and the week leading up to it. Also, it didn't hurt that I had some of the most amazing locally grown flowers and foliage to work with!

What was the biggest blooper you've ever experienced at a wedding?

I was setting up the reception space and all of the tables had these big arrangements that sat on tall glass vases. Unfortunately one of the vases accidentally tipped over and broke so I had to find a solution since I didn't have a replacement with me. Thankfully the florist network came to the rescue and I was able to borrow a replacement from another florist. Everything got set up in time and it looked beautiful! I now always pack an extra just in case!

Favourite snack on a wedding day?

Hmm. I think the better question is whether or not I remember to pack a snack. If I do, it’s probably something I can eat with one hand, like carrot sticks or a piece of fruit or a granola bar.

What is the most common compliment you get from your couples after working with you?

I've been grateful to all of my clients for being so trusting and I find many of them come back and are just so happy with the choices I made with the flowers to get the right mix of colours and overall feeling and style for their wedding. It’s truly an honour to be trusted with that.

Who would win in a fight - Taco or Pizza?

Taco

Pineapple on pizza - OMG Yes or EW?

omg YES

The Office - British or American?

American

What is currently inspiring you?

Flower farmers inspire me. I'm a mediocre gardener at best and I'm constantly amazed and inspired by what flower farmers are able to nurture and grow. It just makes me appreciate flowers so much more to have even a small understanding of what they do. It makes it so much more fun to create designs when I know where and who the flowers came from.

What creative project are you working on right now?

I’ve got a few on the go right now but one I enjoy doing in the evenings is making these cute mini wreaths with a bunch of my leftover dried flowers. I'm working on designing a bunch to sell soon. Each one is unique and they are so fun to make!