We had the good fortune of connecting with Frannie Priley and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Frannie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Building and maintaining strong relationships! From my clients to the local flower growers, my wholesale reps, fellow vendors and florist friends– those relationships make my business go round. Most of my business is attributed to word of mouth and that comes from all the wonderful planners and clients I’ve had the opportunity to work with. Clients have to put a lot of trust into the vendors they hire and making sure from start to finish my clients know they’re in good hands is a top priority for me.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I would describe my design style as romantic, timeless, garden-style with a *little* modern twist. I think flowers are a tangible expression of emotion and design— they bring life and emotive moments into a space. Flowers feel nostalgic and I get to be part of making these memories. It’s so special to me when I get to make an anniversary arrangement for past wedding clients and incorporate blooms from their day. To quote those iconic SAF ads of the 1960s, “They speak the language of love and cheer. Yet say more in times of sympathy”. I’m a sucker for locally grown flowers and it’s so important to me that I use them as much as I possibly can. Not only are local flowers fresher and all around better imo, but you’re supporting these local growers who pour themselves into everything they grow!
I’ve been working with flowers in one way or another since 2014. I started working at a flower shop in my hometown as a shop girl– taking orders, doing deliveries, etc. until working my way to making bouts for prom and eventually moving onto hand tied bouquets. My degree was in entrepreneurship and I always knew I wanted to own a business, but felt like I needed more life experience before I was ready to take the plunge. I feel like every job I had in my 20s ended up prepping me for business ownership in more ways than I realized. Eventually, the stars aligned and the moment came where I felt like I had grown into my design style and was ready to go for it.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The first thing that comes to mind is all the food and bevs– pizza from Cart Driver, Safta for the best hummus and fries, Frozen margs with chips and salsa from Bellota, brunch at Quality Italian, bagels from Rosenberg’s, an espresso martini from The Wild. In between all the food and drinks, I’d take them to Alchemy for facials, stop by my favorite shops like Meek and Miller Lane. Then, we’d finish off the day at the art museum, ideally on Tuesday when they’re open til 9pm– feels like you have the whole place to yourself!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband / family– they’re the first I go to for feedback and to bounce ideas off of. My biggest cheerleaders and my sounding boards when I’m thinking through a design or new idea.
Website: figmentfloral.com
Instagram: @figment_floral
Image Credits
J. Olson Weddings https://jolsonweddings.com/
Haley Hawn Photo https://haleyhawn.co/
Jill Houser Photography https://www.jillhouser.com/
Lauren Leyba Photography https://www.laurenleybaphotography.com/