HUNTSVILLE — Nestled in the heart of Madison County, Ledgewood Fine Stationery crafts unique, custom paper suites that are almost too beautiful to hide inside an envelope. Luckily, Ledgewood specializes in the packaging, too.
As a life-long lover of “snail mail,” owner Frances Ledgewood knew from an early age that stationery was her passion. Growing up in Florence, she was the go-to person for many invitation needs.
“I just became known as ‘Frances does invitations’,” Ledgewood said.
It was a friend who approached Ledgewood after college to request she create her wedding invitations.
That one request tumbled into a business license and, in 2015, Ledgewood Fine Stationery was born.
The Ledgewood Fine Stationery team has grown over its 10 years, now includes an in-house team of a calligrapher, a watercolor artist, two production and assembly specialists, a graphic designer, a business manager, and the furry mascots Sparky and Sassy.
The team crafts custom works of art that welcome guests into each client’s special day, because at Ledgewood Fine Stationery, an invitation is much more than an RSVP.
“We specialize in custom wedding invites, stationery, save the dates and day-of details,” she said.
These details may sound like something that is easy to pick from an online retailer, but Ledgewood Fine Stationery offers more than an outline. Each of their pieces are custom made in-house for each unique event and client.
It is not just the design expertise clients pay for, but the experience, Ledgewood said.
“What a lot of people do not realize is that we can design, source, assemble because we have a team that can take care of it all,” she said.
The team at Ledgewood Fine Stationery will even take on the hours required for stamping, stuffing, sealing, and mailing — all necessary steps that brides may not realize takes an extensive period of time to complete.
Who better take the wheel than a team that has completed hundreds of invitation distributions?
“People pick and chose what is important to them on their day,” Ledgewood said. “For some it is the dress, for some the flowers, but those that come to us have that same care for the paper that we do.”
Why does the paper matter?
In short, the opening of the envelope is the welcome to the event, Ledgewood said. It is not just the distribution of information but an introduction to the occasion.
“Weddings have become such an elevated event, the whole package is an important part of weddings,” she said.
That “whole package” includes invitations and accompanying stationery that set the tone for the special occasion. Ledgewood said the designs from invitations influence more than the guests and they often merge into the design of the wedding day.
“We start working with a bride typically a year in advance,” she said. “Since we focus more on quality over quantity, we can pour into each bride.”
The team guides their client through each step of the creation process. This approach leads to a unique paper suite consisting of a variety of custom watercolor images, custom crests, different textures on the paper, varying ribbons and much more.
“We see a mixture of it all and we can do it all,” Ledgewood said.
Ledgewood Fine Stationery pride itself on being southern classic paper that caters to luxury weddings and modern, edgy clientele. Clients are local and range across the country, and even some destination weddings.
No matter the bride, the location or desired style, Ledgewood Fine Stationery wants to make the vision a reality. This drive is thanks to its investment in the people behind the invitations.
“The wedding industry is relationship-based,” Ledgewood said. “That is what sets a small business apart from an online provider.”
Ledgewood Fine Stationery’s investment in relationship goes beyond the day the couple says “I do.” The business stays in touch with couples, from weddings to anniversary to children and more life celebrations. Couples leave Ledgewood Fine Stationery with custom invitations and a life-long friend.
Ledgewood shared an inside look at wedding trends for this year: Keep on the lookout for uniquely shaped cards, letterpress, mix-and-match stamps, watercolor venues, classic black and white, ribbons galore, gold bevels and, of course, more dusty blue.
She said that no matter how that special day looks, Ledgewood Fine Stationery is sure to bring imagination to life.
“With (Ledgewood Fine Stationery),” she said. “It is going to be done right and done beautifully.”
For information, visit Ledgewood Fine Stationery.
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