Get to know us

Led by husband-and-wife duo, Tyler and Jessica Hinton, the Empress team is constantly striving to provide the very best in the wedding paper industry. Whether we're consulting, designing, painting, proofing, printing, or shipping, the client experience is always being refined and perfected.

Scroll below to read about each team member and what we do!

Jessica Hinton
Founder and Chief Creative

Jessica has a passion for creating invitation suites that make an impression. While working in the magazine industry after graduating from Auburn University, she stumbled upon the enchanting world of stationery, falling in love with the different typefaces and treatments, blending antiquity with modernity.

A love of letterform, flourish and embellishments led to invitation designs for her friends and coworkers. Soon, wedding invitation requests began, and connections were made with fellow wedding vendors as well as nationally known planners. After celebrating her work being published for the first time in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, Jessica started to think a little more seriously about this growing business of hers.

Tyler Hinton
Owner & Chief of Operations

A lawyer by trade, Tyler’s love for business planning (and his wife Jessica!) made him a perfect fit for the Empress team. After finishing undergrad at Auburn University and graduating from Cumberland School of Law, Tyler began working for a local Birmingham law firm, and then opened his own firm. As Empress grew, he decided to come aboard to systemize and grow operations.

Tyler works to enhance and streamline the client experience, ensuring our couples have only the best from ordering to proofing to receiving their paper. His work in the production, quality control, and packaging of our suites guarantees the best service possible.

When he’s not in the office, Tyler devotes his time to his community through his involvement with Rotaract of Birmingham as well as the Junior Boards of Ascension St. Vincents and Vulcan Park and Museum. He loves the Braves, Auburn football, and enjoying it with his son Samuel.

Sarah Moore
Director of Operations

After growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Sarah attended and graduated from Auburn University in 2015 with a degree in Graphic Design. After her wedding that fall, she began working with Empress, becoming the first team member. She began by assisting Jessica with daily design tasks, was a part of the development of the Empress Semi-Custom Suites, spent many years fulfilling orders for our lovely brides, and has now moved into operational and systems management. Her love for thoughtful design, as well as excel sheets and systems has merged the creative and logistical sides of our team.

After a day at the studio, she goes home to her husband (Austin), four year old (Owen), and mini Aussie (Leo). Her listening rotation includes Dermot Kennedy, MisterWives, and lots of Bachelor podcasts. In the fall, she’s tailgating for Auburn football games with her family and friends. War Eagle!

Kathryn Stalnaker
Lead Designer & In-House Artist

Kathryn is a multi-talented designer and illustrator from Birmingham as well as an alumna of Auburn University. At a young age, she sketched and painted as she honed in on her skill of watercolor. Kathryn and Jessica have collaborated for over a decade to merge beautiful venue paintings and florals with well-designed wedding invitations—nowadays the sister duo gets to work together full-time. In addition to painting, Kathryn is the lead designer for the collection suites, bringing every order (and Jessica's vision) to fruition with a keen eye for typography.

Her love of design and illustration comes second only to her two adorable cats—a love that undoubtedly stemmed from her childhood obsession with Disney's Aristocats. A self proclaimed introvert, she thrives on tea, kitten cuddles, and a good reality TV show to recharge for the creative day ahead.

Zoe Portis
Director of Social Media

After graduating from Samford University, Zoe knew she wanted to dive into the world of Social Media Marketing. She joined Empress Stationery in September 2023 and now serves as our Director of Social Media Marketing. Zoe has a true passion for storytelling and loves bringing our brand to life online. From crafting creative strategies to curating content that truly connects, she ensures every post reflects the heart of Empress.Outside the digital world, Zoe is all about making memories. Whether she’s soaking up the sun at the beach, traveling to new places, or exploring Birmingham, she’s always on the move. You’ll often find her shopping around town, hitting her 10K steps on Jemison Trail, or enjoying brunch with friends.

Sidney Nomberg
Client Ambassador

After graduating from Birmingham-Southern College in 2018 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art, Sidney has spent the last seven years working as a wedding planner here in Birmingham. Her love for weddings and paper actually started earlier, during college, when she interned for Empress Stationery and completely fell in love with the process of creating thoughtful, meaningful wedding details. It feels like such a full-circle moment to now be back with the Empress team 9 years later, serving our incredible clients! As Empress Stationery’s Client Ambassador, she gets to be a warm and steady guide throughout the paper process, helping brides, mothers of the bride, and families feel seen, celebrated, and confident every step of the way. Whether it’s choosing the perfect suite or simply offering a listening ear, she’s here to make this season even more joyful.When not in the studio, you’ll probably find her exploring Birmingham’s newest restaurants and coffee shops with friends, antique shopping on the weekends, and spending time with her sweet pup, Winnie.