Our second Vendor Spotlight features Moxie Floral Design Studio. Their studio is located at 116-A Princess Street, and reflects their fun and funky style. Entering their studio, one can instantly see the personality infused into every detail: Moxie’s logo, the lily, is a drawing by Djenana’s son Teo. The cement floors are engraved with the name “Moxie” and the girls’ initials. Friends and clients alike have written personal notes on the floors; thank you letters adorn the office. The space positively exudes cheer and style.
Owners:
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| Cynthia Lee Owner & Manager Years of Experience: 7 Years |
Djenana Ninković Owner & Designer Years of Experience: 26 Years |
IS: Tell us how Moxie got its start.
Moxie: We had been working together in the floral business for some time, and we decided it was time to open our own studio so we could do things our way! We knew that we wanted to be located downtown to reflect our more contemporary design style. Moxie opened on January 13, 2009 – on Serbian New Year! We booked 72 weddings in our first year, and have continued to grow ever since. We also do special events such as the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Founders’ Gala, as well as daily orders like birthdays, anniversaries, et cetera. We service the entire Wilmington area, from Hampstead to Fort Fisher, and from Wrightsville Beach to Leland. Our delivery van gets a lot of miles!
IS: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.” The name Moxie obviously has a story behind it.
Moxie: The definition of the word “moxie” is “bravery, courage, and nerve; knowledge, skill, and experience”. My (Cynthia) grandmother always said I had it. We were looking for a unique name for our business, and it just fit. Our corporation name is actually NTK, LLC doing business as Moxie Floral Design Studio; the NTK is our kids’ initials: Nino, Teo, and Kirby. Moxie describes our flowers as well — Our design style is very organic, fluid, and spontaneous… we don’t work from a “recipe”. No two of our arrangements are the same.
IS: What advice can you offer to brides-to-be who are looking for the right florist?
Moxie: A few things always help the first time we meet with a bride. She needs to know her color theme, the size of her bridal party, basic details. She also needs to research and create a budget that reflects what she is looking for, whether it be just bouquets and bouts for the bridal party, or something more elaborate including centerpieces and room decor. From there, it helps if she has a vision: she can bring photos of bouquets she likes and even those she doesn’t like, paying attention to things like the shape of the bouquet, the type of wrap used, even specific flowers. Of course, look at your florist’s previous work, and follow up on word-of-mouth referrals from other brides.
Most importantly, though, is personality. It’s really important for the bride and her florist to “click”. So many of our brides say, “You just get my vision!” Our clients don’t want cookie-cutter or traditional designs; they want unique. We pay special attention to the groom and ask what he wants to wear. As a result, our grooms are just as excited about their florals as our brides! Don’t worry too much about being perfectly matchy-matchy; allow your florist to express the creativity for which you chose them. Too much control takes away the fun! Our clients trust us to make their vision a reality.
Visit Moxie Floral Design Studio at www.moxiefloralstudio.com or give Cynthia and Djenana a call at (888)55-MOXIE!
