Getting to Know - Anna Jayne Designs

Company Name: Anna Jayne Designs

Interview With: Anna Moores

Location / Coverage: National

What Does Anna Jayne Designs Do?

I am a watercolour artist based in Buckinghamshire. I create floral fabrics and stationery focusing on the flowers and colour palettes in the wedding industry. I have a background in Textiles and Print Design and continue to build that passion though my business. I draw all artwork by hand using paints and pencils in my garden studio in a little village called Steeple Claydon.

Who works at Anna Jayne Designs and what are your roles?

I am the face behind Anna Jayne Designs. It is only myself in my business, so I am the one emailing customers, creating the artwork, marketing my products and sorting my accounts. My favourite role is creating bespoke artwork for couples making the invites unique to them.

How did Anna Jayne Designs come about and how long has the company been running?

I have been running my business for nearly 18 months now. I decided in 2016 that I needed to create a career that I loved and was passionate about, so I handed in my notice to begin Anna Jayne Designs.

During that year I was a bridesmaid for my good friend, Hannah. I created a printed design to use on her wedding day for jam jars and bunting. With that artwork, I then created table numbers and other bits of decorations to bring the whole theme together. This is where the idea of Anna Jayne Designs began. I loved that with my textiles degree and ability to draw I could help so much on a special day like a wedding. Hannah’s wedding stationery is the ‘Franklin Floral’ design.

Describe your studio

I work from my studio based in my parents back garden in Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire. I decided quite early on with running my own business that I needed to separate work and home life. It can be a little chilly through the winter, but it easily warms up with the heaters full blast.

Have you always been creative?

All I have ever known is being creative! To keep me quiet as a child I would get a tub of pencils and some paper and I would be happy for hours. My mum actually found a few of my drawings from when I was at school recently. I was already drawing flowers at the age of 7!

Do you have a favourite stationery collection that Anna Jayne Designs has made?

My favourite collection is the Franklin Floral, mainly because this design was my first set of wedding stationery, and how it all started. Also, it seems very popular with other brides, especially having a green/botanical theme.

What wedding stationery can Anna Jayne Designs create?

I can create save the dates, wedding invites and RSVPs, plus on the day stationery like table plans and place settings. I have a selection of designs available and I can create custom invites too. I can also add little touches with printed fabric like floral bow ties and bunting to continue your theme.

What inspires your designs?

The wedding bouquets created by talented florists inspire a lot of my designs. I follow a few companies in my local area on social media, and this is normally where the colour combinations and flower arrangements come from. I also look into what’s trending each year to give new ideas to couples.

Tell us more about your bespoke wedding stationery service

I have a few collections available on my website but most of my orders are bespoke. It is lovely working with engaged couples creating an invite unique to them. It normally starts with discussing all the papers and options of layouts, then discussing colours combinations and floral artwork. I recently did a venue illustration for a couple which they loved so much they wanted it included on their invite. I draw all artwork myself so I can create exactly what is needed.

With creating bespoke stationery, I normally start with a chat face to face over a coffee and a slice of cake. If they are not in the Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire area I arrange a Skype session. I like to go through all the different papers/textures and a selection of invites I have already designed. This helps give couples ideas if they haven’t already got something in mind, and work together on the perfect combination that works for them. I then go away with lots of ideas to create the first draft of their wedding invitation.

On average how long does it take to create bespoke wedding stationery?

The whole process for a bespoke invite takes around 4-6 weeks if all goes smoothly. This includes meeting with the couple to them receiving their invites printed and packaged.

Do you have a favourite bespoke wedding collection that your have created?

My favourite collection at the moment is a recent design I have created for a couple marrying in September. On the back of the invite I have drawn the venue, Stratton Court Barn. I love the combination of floral on the front and an illustration on the back. This venue is also special to me because it is where I am getting married next year! It was lovely to work on an invite for a couple who love the venue as much as I do.

Describe Anna Jayne Designs in three words

Floral, bespoke, personal.

What products and services does Anna Jayne Designs offer other than wedding stationery?

Wedding stationery is one half of my business, and then the other side would be print design/fabrics. All the floral artwork I create for invites I then make into a floral print fabric (which I name after the couple). With that design I can then make bespoke bunting, bow ties and even a waistcoat. My background is Textile Design so I really enjoy creating my own floral prints and being creative with the fabrics.

What’s your typical day like?

No two days are the same, but I always start my day with a cup of tea then a walk around our village with our boxer dog, Kizzy. She does feature on my Instagram page quite a bit. I then head over to my studio to start my work.

At the beginning of the week I write a list of what I need to achieve so I have a kind of schedule to stick to each day. I’m also trying to get into a habit of only check my emails a certain time in the day, otherwise I seem to get distracted.

What are your top tips for choosing wedding stationery?

My main tip is to look into the stationer’s existing/bespoke designs to make sure you like their style before you commit. I would want people to come to me because they like my style/artwork more so than the price.

I love working on new ideas with couples, but I would be honest if it isn’t something I feel comfortable working with from the beginning. For example, my artwork is hand drawn, floral with a watercolours style. I would not want a couple to come to me expecting a graphic/computer design.