About Me

Hi, I'm Jo, I live in Yatton, North Somerset with my husband John and our two small children, Tom & Lucy. I design beautiful wedding stationery, bespoke to your individual specification. I became passionate about designing wedding stationery in 2002 when I designed and made my own, but it wasn't until Tom arrived in 2007 that I started planning my career change, from graphic designer to stationery designer. 

After graduating in 2003 with a BA (hons) textiles & surface pattern, I started work for a local printing & embroidery company. In 2007 I took leave to have my son Tom and thought it was the perfect time to take what I had learnt and set up my own business, designing in the sector I love.

In June 2007 I was honored when my sister-in-law asked me to design & make her wedding table plan, I loved every aspect of the project and knew this was the new direction I wanted to go into. I concentrated the rest of 2007 enjoying my biggest challenge to date, becoming a Mum. In 2008 I was very excited to be asked again to design wedding stationery for friends & family. Again I loved designing the stationery and being involved in the excitement of the wedding preparations, so I spent the next year working hard to design a range of printed stationery, research current trends & suppliers. And just before Lucy arrived in June 2009, Jo Ashman Weddings was launched. 

Since the launch, I have designed bespoke stationery for friends & family, built the website, promoted the business and exhibited at the Mendip Spring wedding fayre. In my spare time I have also started designing a new range of hand crafted stationery, taking influences from my textile & surface pattern background. My new designs will be available on the website soon. 

Background & Training 

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved anything art & design related. I always knew I wanted to work in the industry, at 3 I wanted to be an artist but by the time I was 7 I wanted to be an art teacher. It wasn't until I was studying for my GCSE's that I decided I wanted to be a designer. I was over the moon when I was awarded an A* for my Art & Design Textiles GCSE, and later being given the exciting news that I'd passed with 100%.

I went on to study 'A' levels at Backwell School Sixth Form, it was while I was there that I became Chairperson of the Sixth Form Committee, a position I greatly enjoyed. I had the role of organising social and charitable events, developing my communication and organisational skills.

In 2000, I went on to study for my degree in Design Textiles & Surface Pattern. I designed textiles and surface patterns ranging from soft furnishings to flooring, lighting to stationery. I developed new and innovative techniques in both design and production. Academically I studied subjects such as the study of non-western culture, early twentieth century fashion and my final year dissertation 'The Ultimate Flat Pack' was a study of self-build, self design housing. I received a bursary award from Taunton Deane Borough Council allowing me to travel to Scandinavia to research my dissertation. I was also nominated for an award from Dalsouple, for the 'Most Creative Use of Materials', for my printed sand lengths.

It was while at University that John & I started planning our wedding, and its safe to say I became a little bit obsessed. I used my degree to design & make most aspects of our wedding, I designed my dress, the bridesmaid dresses, I made the napkins, favors, table plan & of course the stationery. After 20 months of planning, John & I got married in 2003, (3 months after I graduated). It was a fantastic day and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make our day so special. (You can find links to the contacts I made in my Wedding Directory.)

After graduating I started work as the in house graphic designer for a local printing & embroidery company, I really enjoyed working in a busy environment, learning new computer programmes and working to client briefs and deadlines. In my spare time I was commissioned to do many different design projects, I sold on e-bay, bespoke hand painted canvases, personalised teddy bears, t-shirts & Christmas stockings. I also designed and made nursery artwork & furnishings for Tom & Lucy as well as family & friends. I turned local children's artwork into teddy bears & t-shirts (and other gifts), I've also made stag & hen do t-shirts and of course I designed & made Wedding Stationery. Today I am concentrating on the Wedding Stationery but I can still be commissioned to do other products, in my spare time.