Meet Bouavon Vongpanya of Tangled Lotus

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bouavon Vongpanya.

Bouavon, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My journey as a floral designer began as a teenager, creating corsages and boutonnieres for school dances as a creative outlet. Although I followed my desire to teach in college, I continued to gain knowledge of floral design freelancing with a local florist and creating floral pieces for friends and family. I enjoyed working with children and teaching, but my first love was utilizing my creativity.

My passion for art and design led to the birth of Tangled Lotus. Not to mention, a ton of encouragement and support from my husband. The beginning of Tangled Lotus was slow with so much to learn and many unknowns.

Being mom of two young children and starting a small business had its challenges. I was determined and wanted to be a positive role model for my children, so I pushed on. I attended floral classes, asked a ton of questions, and continued to freelance while booking small weddings via ad’s my husband posted on Craigslist.

Tangled Lotus really started to make a shift in 2015 after my second wedding feature on a popular wedding blog. I was overwhelmed by the positive feedback and was in shock at how newly engaged couples looked to my designs for inspiration for their own weddings. At that moment, I knew I made the right choice when I started Tangled Lotus in 2011.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
How can owning a business ever be smooth? Tangled Lotus grew slowly but steadily, nonetheless. One struggle was finding balance between home life and life as an entrepreneur. I’m a perfectionist, and I seek perfection in what I’m involved in. Growing as a designer meant spending time away from my little ones. I constantly reflect on my designs and seek ways to make it better. I’ve been told I’m my own worse critic.

Aside from struggling as a perfectionist seeking balance, my fear of failure is always prevalent. Tangled Lotus is thriving at this time, but I’m constantly pushing myself to think outside the box creatively resulting in failed attempts. Luckily, I’m able to experiment with new designs before utilizing the design in real weddings.

I’m working with live product which means trusting growers to delivery fresh cut top notch product. It’s obvious that nature plays a bigger role and sometimes the unexpected rain can ruin an entire crop. When this occurs, it’s important to understand the best ways to substitute for the lost product.

Tangled Lotus – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Tangled Lotus is a boutique floral design studio specializing in wedding and event floral. The birth of my company stemmed from passion, but I also believe that each person deserves beautiful flowers on their special day.

As a result, I keep pricing competitive but attainable. I design floral pieces to reflect each client’s floral vision while being mindful of seasonal and local product. I’m a designer and an artist at heart. During my slow season, I dive into creative projects allowing me to design not only flowers but be in charge of the entire design of the project.

From the biggest detail of picking the venue to the smallest detail such as ribbon material and color, I’m given creative freedom without boundaries and the opportunity to work alongside the most talented people in my industry. The results are my proudest moments. The ability to design beyond flowers sets me apart from many floral designers as I see the entire vision before it’s even executed.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Seeing growth in Tangled Lotus means success. Most importantly, my client’s positive feedback also plays a key role. It’s the look on a bride’s face when I walk in her room with a cart of bouquets or a groom’s kind words when I’m pinning his boutonniere.

It’s seeing the vision that is now tangible. Although I never intend to pass up an opportunity to design, having to refer a potential client to a colleague because I’m booked also means success.

I love what I do, and I hope it reflects in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tangledlotus.com
• Phone: 805.218.2092
• Email: tangledlotusfloraldesigns@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tangledlotus/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tangledlotusfloraldesigns/
• Other: https://www.stylemepretty.com/portfolio/tangled-lotus

Image Credit:
Michelle Ramirez Photography

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