The most beautiful day deserves a very special look. And anyone who has ever planned a wedding knows that the day itself is the culmination of an incredible amount of planning and creativity that can take months.
Marlena Sigman has built her business, Redbud Lane Studio, by using her strengths to help couples showcase their style in a way that’s all their own, with invitations, stationery and other paper goods that mark the beginning of their future together. No detail is too small to personalize and make it memorable.
“I grew up on Redbud Lane in Mississippi and am the daughter of an artist and an engineer, so combining creativity and precision has always been part of my DNA. I developed an appreciation for thoughtful and creative design, whether it was building Barbie furniture or creating artwork in high school,” says Sigman.
Since graduating from Auburn University with a degree in graphic design, she has been pursuing her passion for creativity for 15 years.
“I started in marketing and advertising and slowly worked my way up to where I am today,” she says. “I think I’ve always done wedding invitations, even for college roommates, because I just loved it so much. I enjoy adding a unique touch to everything I do for these couples that captures their love story.”
When planning a wedding, choosing an invitation may not seem like such a complicated task, but couples need to consider time, postage, and the theme and style of their celebration. Sigman’s talent as an engineer and artist has always proven perfect for bringing these things together.
But becoming an entrepreneur was a new and exciting step.
“In 2020, I was working for an event agency that had hired me for this kind of thing and then they closed their doors for a while,” she says. “After that, I realized there was kind of a gap in the local market when it came to really creating something bespoke and guiding couples through the whole process, because it can be a little overwhelming.”
With over a decade of experience in marketing, Sigman approaches a wedding very much like a brand—and she means that in the most romantic way possible: she brings personalized, cohesive elements, from scheduling to the wedding to the getaway.
Sigman also works with businesses to help them create a look that is effortless and appealing to their audience.
“I really believe in creating a form that makes sense, that is thoughtful, but also local. So I try to combine all of that to really support the mission and vision of a company, just like Redbud Lane’s mission and vision,” she says.
In addition to event and business design, Sigman devotes herself to her artistic side and her love of illustration, which she is currently implementing in a children’s Bible project.
Although she works with calligraphers, Sigman has been able to put her hands – quite literally – into every detail of their work. That’s a particularly fulfilling aspect of being an entrepreneur. In an agency or similar setting, Sigman says her role would focus on one element of a project, supporting a brand rather than building it.
“I can really get a handle on every little piece of the projects I’m working on, even children’s books, and just do the creative things I love,” she says.
Others who are looking for their own path, Sigman says, can learn from something that she herself took a while to understand.
“A few years ago I would have said, ‘I can’t do that,’ but my friends would have said I can,” she says. “Just believe in yourself and let your creativity flow. Let your passion guide you. And surround yourself with supportive people who really encourage you as a person, as an entrepreneur and as a creative person.”
For more information, visit redbudlanestudio.com.
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