Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie Hendrock.
Hi Mackenzie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hendrock Handmade Calligraphy is a wedding signage and custom gifts business – but more importantly, it’s a sister-run business! My name is Mackenzie and I am based in Houston, while my sister, Corinne, is based in Dallas.
Our company is inspired by our mom, who owns her own graphic design business. The strong appreciation for design and cohesive creativity that we grew up with has become the central pillar to our calligraphy business today. We believe the design is in the details, and those details are essential in “wowing” your guests to create a truly special and unique moment.
Hendrock Handmade initially started in a one-bedroom apartment making handmade greeting cards for friends and family. Today, we have reach Houston and Dallas and work with a consistent roster of wedding clients and special events of all sizes and backgrounds. While our products and services have evolved, we hold true to the handmade mentality that our business was founded on. Handmade products weave a story through purposeful craftsmanship, creative elegance and a unique design that can’t be found anywhere else.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Opening our business at the beginning of COVID certainly put us on an unorthodox pathway. Looking back, the timing seems like the silliest thing, but the unique challenges that it presented us have been invaluable. We’ve always believed in the “live in the uncomfortable,” mindset to truly test yourself and go after what you want.
As a COVID bride myself, I feel that I can truly empathize with the modern-day bride struggling with the environment that COVID presents. The constantly evolving protocols and timelines lead to a rollercoaster of emotions that can feel overwhelming. Therefore, we strive to make the process as simple, timely, and client-focused as possible in order to truly be “one less thing to worry about.” These lessons carry beyond a COVID world and we undoubtedly see the value in collaboratively working WITH our clients, rather than FOR them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in day-of wedding signage and custom gifts. My love language is words of affirmation, so it’s fitting that I’m most passionate about delivering words that are designed with a purpose.
We create everything from welcome signs, seating charts and table numbers to place cards, bar signage, vow books and more.
Each couple has a budget, and a calligraphy budget is also important. Just like a florist, event decor or a photo booth vendor — event signage is crucial to the flow of your day and delivering details that are impactful and immersive for your guests.
Signs educate and inform guests of the experience you’re creating for them: unplugged signs tell guests to keep their phones and cameras away, so they don’t ruin the moments your (wonderful, but pricey) photographer is capturing. A seating chart and place cards at the reception is probably the most crucial time saver when transitioning to cocktail hour, and if you want your guests to stay on the dance floor all night, make sure there’s a bar menu and signature cocktail sign on display so the line moves as quickly as possible.
In addition to our customizable packages, we also have a small rental collection that helps our couples display their dream details while staying within their budget. We work with all of our brides and grooms to make sure what’s most important to them is executed, but we’re here to share our expertise as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Seeing others experience joy is truly what keeps me going. That moment of passing over signage or delicate paper accents to my couples has me beaming with gratitude. I love creating and designing, but being able to help my couples’ accents and memorialize such a special moment is the most rewarding feeling.
Outside of work, I love spending time with friends and family, attending concerts and traveling. Putting all of that on pause during COVID has been disappointing, but I’ve focused on other hobbies like playing tennis and learning Italian!
Pricing:
- Small signs start at $15
- Large signs start at $125
- Custom cards start at $5
- Custom gifts start at $8
- Paper accents start at $2
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@hendrockhandmade.com
- Website: www.hendrockhandmade.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hendrockhandmade
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hendrockhandmade
Image Credits
Houston Studio
Pixel Studio Productions
Boulevard Photography
Jujuu Photography
Ashlynn Marie Photography
