From NFL stars to royals, Ash Fox found success helping men and women plan one of the most important milestones in their lives, asking their partner to marry them! Starting out as a photographer in the rock n’ roll club scene, she never imagined creating dream engagements would be her life path. Since becoming a “proposal specialist” she’s planned over 3,000 marriage proposals for couples around the world.
“We organize helicopters, private chefs, private rooftops, and over-the-top decorations.”
In addition to her work as a proposal planner and photographer, Ash hosts The Proposal Podcast, where she provides tips, advice, and inspiration to couples looking to get engaged. Her mission is to help people create unforgettable moments that they will cherish for a lifetime.
Tell us your story! We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’m Ash Fox and I help people get engaged! No, I am not a matchmaker, I am a proposal planner and advisor. I work closely with people who are planning to propose and I guide them on the best ways to do it, and how to ensure their partner is unsuspecting and ends up being surprised. I also orchestrate all the elements from the location, to decorations, live musical performances, and of course the photography and videography. My clients all have different desires for their proposals and so I work with them to figure out what would suit them and their partner best.
I come from a background in the arts, I am an artist at heart and I bring that sensibility to my work. I actually began my career as a photographer in NYC nightlife and music scene. I thought I would work in music forever, but one day I was asked to photograph a proposal. It was at the very beginning of Instagram and people were getting more interested in having the proposal moment captured on camera. At one time people only really had their weddings photographed! So it really surprised me! I ended up photographing many proposals and learning so much about what went into a really great proposal. I started getting known for photographing surprise proposals for people from all over the world visiting NYC. More than photography I realized I was able to really help guide and strategize with my clients applying all the knowledge I had gained from seeing so many proposals firsthand.
Most people only propose one time, so knowing how to propose is something people mainly learn how to do from watching movies or asking their friends and family. From experiencing so many proposals first hand I learned the nuances around what works well and what doesn’t, especially if you want to surprise your partner and make your proposal meaningful. Eventually, I grew my business to full-service proposal planning helping my clients with all aspects of their proposal including helping them find incredible locations like private rooftops, gorgeous proposal decorations, private dinners, champagne, live musicians performing their favorite songs, and more.
What are the three most important habits to be a successful entrepreneur?
You have to believe in yourself as cheesy as it may sound, but it’s true. You have to believe you are capable even if you feel unsure of yourself at first. You also need tenacity, you need to be willing to take risks and take the messy actions to move forward towards your dream.
Every entrepreneur has a goal and problem they’re trying to solve. What was the inspiration that started your journey?
Proposing marriage to the love of your life happens to be one of the most vulnerable movements of a person’s life and it can be nerve-racking. My clients are amazing people who love their partners deeply and care about making the moment of proposing special. They want to do it right so there definitely can be stress and emotions involved, that’s where I come in. My goal is to alleviate all of their stress and help guide them on how they can propose in a way that feels special and unique to them, and also help with all the logistics, strategy, and orchestration so that all they need to do is show up and propose!
What would you consider your biggest accomplishment and why?
My biggest accomplishment I am going to frame in perspective to what I dreamed of as a little girl. I always was creative and a romantic at heart but I had no idea where life would take me. I just wanted to be able to support myself by doing something creative, and so I am very thankful that I was led to do this beautiful work. I never set out to do this, I followed signs, signals, and feedback and felt led in this direction and here I am in my 13th year of this work.
What advice would you give to a new business owner? Or to your younger self?
If you are looking to find success you have to follow the positive cues you are getting from life. When I was fresh out of college graduating as a fine art major from NYU I was scared. I had no idea where I would land. So, I just tried a lot of different things and I kept getting feedback, signs, and cues that photography was my calling. Eventually, I got the signs and felt the inertia that proposals were my next path. It was not all logical, a lot of it was gut and trusting the signs and feedback. Eventually, I got the signs that it was time to grow my team and it was one of the hardest things I had to do but it was the right thing to do. Recently, I have had a gut instinct around deepening my work in other ways, I have more to share about cultivating deeper intimacy and romance in relationships so it will be something I will offer in the near future.
How do you set your business apart from others in your industry?
Our core values at Ash Fox Proposals are love and artistry. I really care about the couples we work with. During my planning session with my client, I get to know them and we brainstorm what would be the best possible experience for them and their future fiancé. Everyone has different needs for their proposal. Some people are looking to do something bombastic and really make a statement! Other clients are looking to do something understated and sentimental. This is an extremely significant moment in their lives and so it’s really important to me that everything is meticulous. I want to create an experience they will look back on with joy for the rest of their lives! I want the entire experience to be beautiful, from the location to the decor to the quality of the surprise proposal photography. For years I shot every proposal myself but now I have my two lead photographers who are trained by me and understand my eye for detail and the way I want our couple’s story to be captured. They are incredible. I am so lucky to have such an incredible team who understand my ethos and bring their best to every proposal we do.
Which female leader do you admire, and why?
Norma Kamali is one of my idols. She is almost 80 and has an amazing business creating beautiful functional clothing for women but what I love most about Norma is her lifelong commitment to growing and evolving. She has a “beginner’s mind” she’s not afraid to try new technology and adapt her business to the times. Norma is also extremely health and wellness-focused and I believe her commitment to nourishing her mind body and spirit with healthy nutrition practices and meditation to fuel her a foundation as a human to be able to succeed at achieving her goals.
What would be your dream marriage proposal?
If you are planning to propose or you know a friend or family member who is thinking of getting engaged soon Ash Fox can help you with all your proposal needs whether it’s thinking of an idea, helping get it all set up, and also having it documented in gorgeous photography and videography.
Find out more: Ash Fox Photography, Instagram and podcast.
Also be sure to check out:
The Proposal Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for proposal advice!
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Melissa Stewart is the founder of SheOwnsIt.com. She is a Purveyor of Possibility, Entrepreneur Advocate and Coffee Addict. She believes that behind every successful woman is her story. What’s your story?
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