Whether consulting with a newly engaged couple, designing a full suite, working with our trusted vendors, quality checking a completed piece, or shipping a final product, The Empress Team is constantly striving to provide the very best experience in our industry.
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.
As she grew, she decided to name her business. Marrying her obsession with the monarchy and her love for letterpress, she chose Empress. In 2013, she took the leap to full-time stationer, designing suites, correspondence, social invitations, and everything in between. In 2015, she moved into her own studio space and began expanding the Empress Stationery team.
In 2017, she launched the wedding collection with a stunning array of customizable suites, and the business rocketed to a new level, appealing to clients in all fifty states, and even around the world. With features in such publications as Brides, 100 Layer Cake, Carats and Cake and Style Me Pretty, Empress has made a place in the wedding industry as a go-to for semi-custom suites.
These days, the Empress team delights in working closely with their brides-turned-loyal-clients—whether it’s the saving of their date, ensuring loved ones line the wedding aisle, or pretty paper for the reception—to bring their bespoke vision to life. And while the business has grown, one thing remains the same. Jessica and her team are in love with marking life’s moments, from the saying yes, to the wedding and beyond.
A lawyer by trade, Tyler’s love for legal work and 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. After a first date with Jessica in 2016, he was fascinated in the business she had built. They said I Do in 2018, and Tyler closed his legal practice to come on board at Empress as general counsel and business manager.
Since joining Empress, Tyler has enhanced the client experience to ensure our brides have the smoothest sailing from ordering to proofing to receiving their paper. His work in the production, quality control, and packaging of our suites guarantees our clients the best service possible. He also manages our contracts, terms and conditions, copyrights, and trademarks.
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. But most importantly, he’s a husband to Jessica and father to their three year old son Samuel, who keeps Tyler busy playing baseball in the backyard.
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 Collection Suites, spent many years fulfilling orders for our lovely brides, and has now moved into a design and systems management role. She has loved being with Empress through so many seasons! Her love for beautiful, thoughtful design, as well as excel sheets and solid systems has merged the creative and logistical sides of our team.
After a day of color coding and sending lovely suites to our brides, she goes home to her husband (Austin), toddler (Owen), and mini Aussie (Leo). After dinner with the family, you can find her winding down with a cozy blanket, watching either New Girl or Schitt’s Creek (although you’re just as likely to hear the sounds of Wheels on the Bus!). Her listening rotation includes Dermot Kennedy, MisterWives, and lots of Bachelor podcasts. In the fall (her favorite season), she’s probably tailgating for Auburn football games with her family and friends. War Eagle!
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.