Salary For Wedding Planners
According to Payscale, the average base salary for wedding planners is $41,653. A further breakdown shows that entry-level wedding planners earn an average of $40,113. Wedding planners with 1-4 years of experience earn around $41,201, while those with at least 5-9 years of experience can expect an average of $42,988. At the top of the food chain are wedding planners with 10-19 years of experience who earn about $43,233. Finally, wedding planners who have been in the industry for 20 years or more can make up to $44,000.
The Bureau of Labor Services projects that meeting, convention, and event planners will see an 18% shoot in employment rates, which is much faster than the average occupation. Between 2020 and 2030, the prediction is that there will be around 16,400 new openings each year. The BLS further states that the rapid growth is tied to recovery from the pandemic that hit the world in 2020. In the future, the services of event planners in general and wedding planners in particular should be in high demand.
Be Organized And Attentive To Details
Wedding planning requires you to be uber-organized and attentive to details. After all, so many components go into the event from schedules to menus to playlists. These skills or traits can be built on as you grow into your role, says Dorman. They are muscles that can get stronger as they are flexed. If you dont have these traits naturally, consider an internship or entry-level job to help you develop them.
Is There Demand For Wedding Planners
ABSOLUTELY!
Not to mention, theres also the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to consider. Throughout 2020, thanks to what felt like endless lockdowns, couples all across the globe had no choice but to postpone their special day. Now that life is finally starting to return to normal, all of these people are only too eager to get their weddings back on track.
Whats more even couples who did tie the knot in 2020 are now wanting to have the lavish, legitimate wedding celebration they werent able to have.
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Two: Intern With Some Wedding Planning Companies Or Wedding Venues
As you’re taking an online course or after you’ve finishedgo and intern with a wedding planning company or wedding venue.
It’s important that you get a taste of what it’s like to really be a wedding planner . By interning , you’ll get a feel for the job. And you’ll be able to tell quickly if you really LOVE IT or if it’s not for you.
And trust me when I tell you, you need to *LOVE* it .
So, why a wedding planning company OR a wedding venue? Let me explain
Why You Might Not Need Wedding Planner School
If you already have a background in floral design, photography, videography or another vendor related wedding field, then you have a big reason to smile: you have come into the wedding planning business with a huge advantage over your competitors. The more weddings you have attended as a vendor, regardless of what your role was, then the more deeply you understand the wedding industry. The truth is that all vendorsfrom the florist to the DJhave learned how to manage their clients, who are in a situation they have probably never practiced for and will probably never encounter again.
If you already have prior experience as a business-owner, you already have a huge advantage.
We all learn from our mistakes as well as the mistakes of others, so if you have some experience attending weddings, you have seen plenty of vendor mistakes or at least some situations you now know to handle differently because you witnessed someone elses experience.
On top of that, the more weddings you have attended the more variations youve seendifferent styles of ceremonies, décor, room layouts, food, music, etc. Right off the bat, this gives you a wider breadth of information to draw from and share with your brides, even with no prior wedding planning experience. It makes you ready to address problems when they occur and more familiar with all the details that need to be handled on the day of a wedding.
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Find The Tools You Need To Be A Successful Wedding Planner
For this section, lets take a look at a hypothetical scenario. Imagine that two people order the same dresser from an online furniture company. It arrives at their houses in three boxes, and there are about a dozen bags of screws, nuts, and bolts. Person A has a toolbox with a hammer, screwdriver, drill, and much more. Person B has nothing but their hands and some super glue. Which person is going to be more efficient in putting together the dresser?
When it comes to growing a business, it isnt much different. Thats where Social Tables comes in. Our software can help grow your business in a variety of ways, and its used by professional wedding planners and DIY brides alike all across the world. Get started by checking out our free 3D wedding design software.
We researched several companies that offer similar services, and ultimately found Social Tables to be the best fit for us, wrote Kate Turner of Kate & Company. At any given time we could be working on over 100 different layouts. Social Tables offerings and customer service are second to none and thats why they are the best fit for Kate & Company and our family of businesses.
Additional useful wedding planning tools and software include Wedding Spot, Joy, WeddingWire, Carats & Cake, and Zola.
How To Get Wedding Planner Jobs
Most wedding planners are self-employed, and you can set up private practice early on. Notwithstanding, many event planning firms hire wedding planners. Job boards often advertise these wedding planner jobs. The alternative is to send an application for an assistant wedding planner role. Offering your services to a wedding venue or a local wedding planner is also a great option, as it prepares you for a permanent position.
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Determine What You Need To Do To Operate Lawfully
If you plan on starting your own wedding planning company, find out what you need to do from a legal standpoint. Some wedding planners operate as sole proprietors, but this doesnt provide your personal assets with any protection if a couple takes issue with the planning you did for them. If you plan on hiring employees, you need to have a different business structure, such as a limited liability company. This also provides your personal assets some protection. You will also need an employer identification number from the Internal Revenue Service if you will hire employees.
You Dont Need A Degree At All
Unlike being a cosmetologist or an electrician, there is no formal education requirement if you would like to open your very own wedding planning business. There is no wedding planner degree required.
In fact, the only requirement for starting your own wedding planning business is that you pay whatever local business fees are applicable and get a business license . Sounds simple, doesnt it?
However, because you can begin your very own wedding planning business, that doesnt mean doing so is a good idea. Without experience or knowledge, youre not likely to be able to attract clients. If youve yet to plan a wedding, it is not likely to find yourself doing so without any practice or knowledge to be a simple thing.
So, in theory at least, you dont need a degree to become a wedding planner. But while there are no wedding planner education requirements, learning the ropes of event planning and other aspects of the wedding industry will enable you to become a skillful wedding planner.
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Best Online Courses For Wedding Planners
Sometimes things are just better when you get to stay in your pajamas all day. That includes school. We found top courses for Wedding Planners from Udemy, Coursera, EDX, and ed2go that will help you advance in your career. Here are essential skills you need to be a Wedding Planner:
- Vendor Contracts
Learn exactly how to become a wedding photographer, start a photo business of your own, and shoot better wedding photos…
A guide to making emotional cinematic wedding films that will take you to the next level as a filmmaker…
In this course, the context is hosting an event and finding an appropriate venue for it. You will learn language and strategies for successful negotiations culminating in a written announcement for an event. Course Learning Objectives Negotiate strategically in formal and informal settings Identify and resolve customer issues after a negotiation has taken place Evaluate and compare services and features of two venues Plan a business event using negotiation skills Write an announcement for a busi…
Step by step instructions on how to build and create fabulous decor using balloons. Impress your friends with new skills…
Innovative approach for writing a winning offline and digital marketing plan …
How Much Do Wedding Planners Make
Your wedding planner salary will depend greatly on your location and experience but Payscale reports the national median is $41,418 per year.
According to Orwat, here are some annual salary ranges wedding planners can expect:
- As a side gig: $5,000-$10,000
- As an experienced full-time planner in a major city: $75,000-$200,000
- As a full-time planner in a rural area: $25,000-$75,000
When she was new to the game, Colhouer determined her rates by speaking with established wedding planners in her area. They charged $3,000-$5,000 per wedding, so she decided to charge $2,000 for her first one. Once she had a few under her belt, she charged $2,500.
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Wedding Planner Career Outcomes
Our online ABC® Certified Wedding Planner Courses can help students prepare to take the first steps toward a career as a wedding planner or owning their own wedding planner business. After completing your courses and passing the final exam, you’ll become a Certified Wedding Planner through ABC.
State Licensing Requirements
Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in certain fields are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered by your Penn Foster Program. You should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state where you plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in your program. See the State Licensing page for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.Penn Foster College is not approved or regulated as a school by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
But You Should Have Some Education
Just because you CAN open your own wedding planning business without any wedding planner schooling, it does not mean that you should.
A lack of basic education in wedding planning is not going to be an asset to you or to your clients. Its going to hinder you as you attempt to grow your business and follow business regulations and taxes.
It can also hinder you as you attempt to interface with other businesses to arrange the wedding.
Luckily, you can earn this kind of education easier than you might think. Community colleges and distance learning programs offer flexible ways to obtain this knowledge. Further, expert wedding planners will often share some of their secrets and take on interns who want to learn the ins and outs of wedding planning.
Our recommendation? Start with some basic wedding planner education before launching your career.
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Who Is A Wedding Planner
A wedding planner is a trained individual who plans, designs, and manages weddings. Many couples are willing to spend vast sums of money to realize their dream weddings. A wedding planners job is to interpret that dream and bring it to reality. This career might involve long hours of planning and getting the best out of available resources. A wedding planner must be a well-organized individual who can influence others to achieve set goals.
Building Your Social Media Presence
Sit down and make a list of the main social media platforms youd like to promote your business on. Thats always a solid place to start!
From there, you can get some inspiration to help you decide what youd want your social media presence to look like. Theres no harm in checking out what other wedding planners are doing on social media, so long as you dont plagiarize any of their ideas. You never know their strategies could wind up inspiring something completely new and fresh out of you.
Just remember to also keep your businesss brand in mind! You dont want the vibe on your website to completely clash with the vibe your social media pages are giving off. Rather, everything should stay consistent and complement one another. And if your brand has certain colors or moods associated with it, dont hesitate to work those into your social media platforms, too.
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Be Empathetic While Remaining Professional
Anyone can learn the systems and standard operating procedures of event planning, but what makes a planner really great at their job are characteristics like problem-solving, empathy, professionalism, and high attention to detail, says Dorman. Someone who likes to feel purposeful, and strives to make others feel important and cared for are two factors for success in this unique industry.
Education Training & Certification
While a college degree is not required for this job, many employers prefer candidates to have one or have applicable work experience, which can be from a similar or related field. Education and training preferences are as follows:
- Education: Many wedding planners train to become event planners who then specialize in wedding planning. To prepare for this career, some people earn a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or a related field.
- Training: Not all wedding planners participate in formal training. Many planners learn their skills on-the-job.
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Seek Out Learning Opportunities
The best wedding planners have a never stop learning mindset, says Hoesch. They read, they watch webinars and social media lives, they collaborate and listen to podcasts. They take courses, attend workshops and conferences. Many of these resources are available online, so you can start your education in your free time. As Rago puts it, If I have learned anything over the last 20 years, its the importance of constantly learning and keeping up with what is tried-and-true.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Wedding Planner
Weddings can be stressful for brides and grooms. Not only are they about to enter into a new phase in their lives, but they are also about to throw a party that’s likely larger and more lavish than any they’ve thrown before. They and many of their guests will remember the wedding celebration forever.
As a wedding planner, you must be sensitive to others’ needs and have empathy and understanding of the amount of pressure some couples place themselves under during wedding planning.
You’ll need to be able to remain calm in the face of adversity, like when the DJ cancels at the last minute, and soothe nerves when things don’t go as planned such as the bride’s dress getting ruined just before the ceremony has started. Preparation, quick thinking, expert problem-solving, and excellent interpersonal skills are essential in this line of work.
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