Today we’d like to introduce you to Frances Ledgewood.

Hi Frances, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

Ledgewood Fine Stationery didn’t start in a boardroom or with a grand business plan—it started with a love for beautiful paper, a passion for meaningful celebrations, and a little nudge from a dear friend.

My journey with stationery began long before Ledgewood had a name. In high school, I worked at a local party shop in my hometown of Florence, Alabama. The store sold wedding invitations out of albums, and I found myself drawn to the artistry, the elegance, and the significance of those carefully chosen words on paper. I loved watching brides flip through the pages, dreaming about their perfect wedding day.

That love for design and paper followed me through college, where I studied design and marketing at the University of North Alabama. But it wasn’t until after I married my husband, Brent, and moved to Huntsville that the seeds of Ledgewood Fine Stationery were truly planted.

It all started with a simple request. My friend Brittany was getting married and asked me to design her wedding invitations. She knew I had an eye for design and insisted I give it a try. I said yes, not knowing that this one project would become the foundation of a business I would build with my whole heart.

Word spread quickly, and soon other friends were asking me to create their invitations. I fell in love with the process—helping brides bring their vision to life, guiding them through etiquette, and creating paper goods that would become cherished keepsakes.

In 2015, I officially launched Ledgewood Fine Stationery. At the time, my office was a small corner in our house, but my dreams were anything but small. I wanted to create timeless, elegant invitations that celebrated the beauty of marriage, not just the wedding day.

Over the years, the business grew, and so did our family. I balanced motherhood and entrepreneurship, taking client calls while rocking a baby, packing orders during nap time, and pushing through the late nights to bring each bride’s vision to life.

What started as a one-woman operation has now blossomed into a team of talented creatives, each dedicated to making the wedding invitation process seamless and special. We’ve grown from serving local brides to working with clients across the country, and our designs have graced weddings from coast to coast.

Ledgewood Fine Stationery has always been more than just a business to me—it’s a reflection of my love for beautiful details, my passion for relationships, and my unwavering belief that wedding invitations should be as timeless as the vows they represent.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Overcoming Obstacles on the Journey to Ledgewood Fine Stationery
Every business story has its challenges, and mine is no different. While Ledgewood Fine Stationery has grown into a brand I’m incredibly proud of, the journey hasn’t always been smooth. From balancing motherhood and business to navigating a global pandemic, each obstacle has shaped both me and my company.

Starting From Scratch
When I officially launched Ledgewood Fine Stationery in 2015, I had no roadmap. I didn’t have a team, a marketing strategy, or an established client base. I was simply a designer with a deep love for weddings and beautiful paper. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to turn that passion into a sustainable business.

💡 How I Overcame It: I immersed myself in learning everything I could—design, etiquette, pricing, client communication, and business operations. I connected with others in the industry, observed what worked, and refined my process with every project. Most importantly, I relied on consistent communication, excellent service, and a dedication to creating invitations that felt timeless and personal.

Balancing Motherhood and Business
In 2017, when I had my first child, Sadie, I quickly learned that running a business while being a mom was no small feat. A few years later, in 2019, we welcomed Wesley, and I had to move my office into our bedroom because the nursery took over my original workspace. The challenge was clear—how could I grow a business while raising little ones?

💡 How I Overcame It: I learned to embrace structure and flexibility at the same time. I worked during nap times, late at night, and whenever I had a moment of quiet. I also leaned on my husband, Brent, for support and kept my goals realistic. As the business grew, I brought on team members like Haley and Ruth-Anne, who became invaluable in allowing me to focus on growth while maintaining a balance at home.

Navigating the Pandemic in 2020
The wedding industry was hit hard in 2020, and for Ledgewood Fine Stationery, it was a year of uncertainty. More than 20 of our weddings were rescheduled, postponed, or canceled. There were moments of doubt, wondering if the business would make it through such an unpredictable time.

💡 How I Overcame It: I focused on serving my clients with empathy and grace. I adapted quickly, offering flexible solutions and staying in close contact with my couples. Despite the challenges, that year reinforced the importance of relationships in my business. I also used the downtime to refine my branding, improve my processes, and prepare for the wedding boom that followed in 2021.

Expanding Beyond Local Clients
For years, my business primarily served brides in my local area. While I loved working with them, I knew Ledgewood Fine Stationery had the potential to reach brides across the country. The challenge was figuring out how to scale without losing the personalized touch that made my work special.

💡 How I Overcame It: I invested in professional branding, a more polished website, and strong client communication strategies. I also became more active in industry communities, attending a stationery mastermind retreat in Charleston and working with business coach Candice Coppola to refine my approach. These efforts helped Ledgewood Fine Stationery expand to over 20 states, making it a recognized name in the wedding industry.

Growing the Team and Letting Go
As the business expanded, I reached a turning point where I simply couldn’t do it all. I had to bring on help, but as someone who poured my heart into every detail, learning to delegate was a challenge.

💡 How I Overcame It: I hired the right people—people I trusted, like Haley, Ruth-Anne, Holly, and Marcie. Instead of seeing delegation as losing control, I saw it as an opportunity to make the business stronger. Having a team not only allowed Ledgewood Fine Stationery to scale but also gave me the freedom to focus on my passion: creating timeless, elegant designs.

Elevating the Brand in 2025
Now, as Ledgewood Fine Stationery enters its tenth year, my goal is to refine the brand even further, focusing on luxury, upscale weddings. The challenge is making sure that every decision—every material, every printing technique, every client experience—aligns with that vision.

💡 How I’m Overcoming It: I’m investing in a brand and website refresh, refining my offerings, and focusing on gold bevels, engraving, letterpress, and foil printing. More than anything, I’m staying true to what makes Ledgewood Fine Stationery special: exquisite craftsmanship, personalized service, and a deep love for celebrating marriages.

Through every obstacle, my faith and determination have kept me going. I believe that challenges aren’t roadblocks—they’re just part of the journey to something greater. And looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

Ledgewood Fine Stationery is renowned for its classic, Southern, and traditional wedding invitations and paper goods. With a deep appreciation for timeless design, impeccable etiquette, and luxurious printing methods like letterpress, engraving, and gold foil, we create heirloom-quality pieces that beautifully set the tone for a couple’s wedding day. Our passion lies in crafting invitations that reflect both Southern grace and refined elegance, ensuring each suite is as meaningful as the marriage it celebrates.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?

One surprising thing that most people don’t know about me is that my love for stationery and beautiful paper started long before I ever worked in the industry—it began with writing letters to my cousin when we were kids.

We lived in different towns, and in an age before texting was the norm, we stayed connected the old-fashioned way: through handwritten letters. I loved choosing the prettiest stationery, carefully writing out each letter, and even decorating the envelopes to make them feel extra special. There was something magical about sending and receiving mail, knowing that a little piece of me was traveling miles away to brighten someone’s day.

That love for snail mail grew into an appreciation for the art of paper, design, and meaningful communication. Little did I know that those childhood letters would one day lead me to create Ledgewood Fine Stationery, where I now help couples announce one of the most important days of their lives—with timeless, elegant invitations that feel just as personal as those letters once did.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ledgewoodfinestationery.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ledgewoodfinestatinonery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ledgewoodfinestatinonery
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ledgewoodfinestatinonery

Image Credits

@madisonmartinphotography
@mary.pugh.photography