Weddings can be stressful. It is the juggling of all the individual components that are supposed to make the „most beautiful day in your life“ even more beautiful. Ina, a goldsmith, Nicole, a wedding photographer and Eva, a wedding dress designer, know all about this. Together they are “Hochzeitsgewerke”. The three work together in their cozy studio which is located in the heart of Hamburg, in St. Pauli.
(Click here for the German version of the article)
When Ina, Nicole and Eva sit next to each other on their bright orange retro couch and talk about their business , you can feel the chemistry between them right away. You could be forgiven for thinking that three best friends spontaneously came up with this business idea over drinks one night.
In fact, the story behind Hochzeitsgewerke is completely different.
Brought together by chance
The three ladies aren’t new to the world of self-employment. Nicole has been self-employed for the past seven years. From the very beginning, she specialized in wedding photography. Ina and Eva have both freelanced for ten years. It took them some time before they decided to dedicate themselves to wedding rings made of sustainable materials and wedding dresses made of tulle, lace and chiffon.
Even though the three of them were a part of the Hamburg wedding scene, they didn’t know each other. But then, by chance, they were all looking for a new home for their creative work at the same time.
They found it in a shared studio in St. Pauli: two former apartments with three separate work spaces, a shared kitchen and bathroom. With the layout of the studio it was inevitable that the three women would meet at some point.
And they did. Over time, they got to know each other better and better. And they discovered that all three shared similar styles and values when it came to their crafts. The attention to detail, the handmade production and the simple, yet special style: for Ina’s jewelry, Eva’s designs and Nicole’s photography, there is no need for pompous diamonds, excessive trains or posed poses.
The three realized how, in many ways, they worked and thought in a very similar way. Eventually, this laid the foundation for Hochzeitsgewerke.
Together, yet still independent
At Hochzeitsgewerke you can find the most important elements for the most important day of your life. All under one roof – and all on one Jimdo website as well. Because all three crafts have such a similar style, many people who plan to get married often place not just one, but three orders at once.
The girls are always particularly happy when this happens. They are proud to be able to offer everything from a single source. But at the same time it’s just as important to them to remain independent. The studio community offers them „the best of both worlds”: All three work completely independently and autonomously. But they can always count on the support of the two others.
If a soon-to-be married couple comes to pick up their forged wedding rings and Ina is not in the studio at the moment, Eva or Nicole can spontaneously step in for the handover. When Eva has finished designing a new collection of wedding dresses, Nicole is the one to take the pictures of it. The models, of course, wear Ina’s handmade jewelry. The three complement each other perfectly.
“Every now and then we get these crazy ideas”
When the three call it a day and the lights in the studio get turned off – this perfect collective still remains the same. All these years of close work have made Ina, Nicole and Eva not only business partners and colleagues, but also best friends in their private lives.
A set of fortunate circumstances brought the three business women together. When asked if they could imagine starting something together again from scratch, they replied: „We always have a few ideas in our heads. Something could definitely come up again!“. We remain curious.
Learn more about Hochzeitsgewerke on their website!