Josie Helmstetter – CEO/Creative Director

I was born in Scotland, where I enjoyed my first few years in serene and welcoming Inverness. Friends were family and the Highlands were my playground. Though I was still a wee bairn when my family moved to the United States, I treasure my Scottish roots.
I attended college in Southeastern Minnesota and also Oxford University in South East England, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Winona State University.

Eager to expand my horizons, I explored the world in my twenties, absorbing the beauty and culture of Europe and Asia while falling ever deeper in love with design.

Eventually settling in Southern California, I found work in the fast-paced world of advertising, employed by agencies in San Diego and then Los Angeles.

My design work took a personal turn after I fell in love and started planning my wedding. I adored the process of designing timeless stationery, knowing that each piece would be held and read by the people I cared about the most. Soon after, friends planning their own weddings asked that I create their stationery, and what began as a heartfelt favor for friends soon blossomed into a creatively fulfilling custom business of my own.

One decade and two kids later, life couldn’t be sweeter. Today I work with people from all over the world, incorporating different cultures in my designs and printing in languages as diverse as French and Bosnian. Variety keeps me fresh and engaged. It’s a big part of why I’m so in love with what I do.

There are no small jobs. Every order I take, every design I put my hand to, is part of the most important day in a couple’s lives. Every second that I spend making something, I keep that in mind. Attention to detail, quality production and my personal touch ensure that everything I create perfectly compliments your special day.

I’m thrilled that you’ve found Ivory Isle Designs, and honored to be entrusted with such an important duty.