1. Betsey Mosby and Abby James met and became friends while in school at Ole Miss.
2. The two friends plan to turn their girls' vacation to Palm Springs into an annual trip.
3. In fact, a lot of their inspiration for The Finery came from a trip they took together.
4. This summer, Abby says everyone should try adding a jalapeno to their rose.
5. They both say their different personalities complement each other in business.
From everyday necessities to fine china, deciding which pieces you need on your bridal registry can be a daunting task.
However, The Finery owners Betsey Mosby and Abby James work hard so that each bride can have fun enjoying the process of preparing for her big day.
Mosby and James met at the University of Mississippi, where they became friends. Each earned degrees with plans to pursue other career paths after settling in Jackson.
Mosby brings a background in interior design, with eight years of experience and also having started her own design firm about six years ago. She said she started in a small office before eventually settling in the current space to have the opportunity to expand.
Despite the moves, Mosby said she has only ever operated out of Highland Village. James’ has background in retail and sales.
“Abby joined me as a business partner on the retail side,” Mosby said, and The Finery was born.
The Finery officially opened in December 2019, but they will open the newly expanded 5,000-square-foot space within the next few weeks.
After a prominent business known for its bridal registry closed, James approached Mosby about filling that gap in the wake of the store’s closure. James and Mosby began tossing the idea around of having their own local bridal registry storefront.
“We just really thought it was important for Jackson to have a locally-owned store committed to brides and to carry on the legacy of Batte,” James said. “I know that in Jackson shopping local and supporting local businesses is important to people.”
In fact, Carol Craig and Sarah Ann Perry, who were bridal consultants at Batte, came on board at The Finery to help spearhead the registry aspect of the store.
“We really, especially with our expansion, are wanting to create an experience for the bride, where it’s not overwhelming,” James said. “The thought of registering when I first got engaged was overwhelming, just walking in and not knowing.”
However, she said their goal is to help make that process fun.
When newly engaged couples go to The Finery to begin the registry process, they first go through the details, such as their wedding date and discuss the direction they want to go with their registry.
After that, consultants give suggestions and recommend items as they walk through the store.
“We kind of steer them in the direction based on what they’ve told us they would like and kind of go from there,” James said.
Once they have pulled some options, James said they then go into the bridal room and lay out a place setting to give the couple an idea of what it will look like.
“We can then tweak it until we get to something they really love,” she said. “The registries are online so customers can easily shop, which helps out of town customers.”
As purchases are made and they arrive at the store, the couple can come in and pick up at the store or have them delivered.
James said the store serves as a one-stop shop for most bridal gifting necessities, as they may also purchase gifts for hostesses and bridesmaids at The Finery.
“In the additional space, we are bringing in a lot of fun, new lines,” she said. The space will also allow for more for merchandise to be displayed and to host events and collaborations with other local vendors.
In addition to the bridal registry, they also offer home accessories, linens, baby gifts, jewelry and more. One jewelry line being introduced during the expansion will allow for customizable pieces for the bride and bridal party including sweet accessories for the flower girl.
