What Is The Typical Cost Of A Wedding Planner
On average, a wedding planner costs $1,800 for a range of service packages. Higher-end estimates are over $4,000 while low ranges with minimal assistance can run several hundred dollars. Some wedding planners offer different levels of coordination to match both your budget and desired level of service.
How To Become A Certified Wedding Planner A Complete Guide
Facts, Figures and Labor Market Situation for Wedding Planning Professionals
United States
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics lumps wedding planners together with event planners. As at 2012, there were 94,000 people involved in event planning.
- Job growth projection is at 22% and above between 2012 and 2022. 44,200 planners will be employed between 2012 and 2022. 48% of people in this field have a bachelor degree, 29% has an Associate degree, and 15% has a college or no degree at all.
- The average cost for a wedding in the United States is $25,631
- The marriage rate is 6.8 per 1,000 populations.
- Nevada has the highest number of marriages
- 16% of weddings occur in June
- 47% of couples spent 1 to 9 hours a week on wedding planning.
- 18% of couples hired a day only wedding coordinator
- 8% hired a wedding planner from the beginning
united kingdom
- 74% of wedding planners work full time, while 10% worked part time, with 16% being self-employed. 44% of the wedding planners in UK are males.
- There is no set entry route for wedding planners, as most become one after organizing their wedding and that of their friends.
- Working long hours like 12 hours or more, are usually during peak periods between May and September.
- UK wedding industry generates over £10 billion.
- Only 2% of the total weddings in a year take place in January
- Average age to get married is between 30 and 31 for women and 33 to 34 for men.
- Average cost for a wedding is £22,236
Australia
Canada
The Positives
The Negative
Australia
What Will You Learn From The Virtual Course
- How to set-up your business
- Documenting and running your business
- Understand the terminology and concepts behind wedding and event planning
- The fundamentals of planning and coordinating wedding and events
- Your role as a wedding and event planner
- How to charge for your service
- Formula for designing wedding and events
- How to create a timeline and musical score
This certification is right for you if:
- You are ready to launch you very own wedding and event business
- You currently have your own business but is looking to gain more knowledge and develop some new skill-sets
- Youve spent years doing it as a hobby or a side hustle and you’re now ready to go legit
- You are currently working in event planning with another company and is looking to advance your career
- You want freedom in your business and personal life and youre looking to level-up
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Q How Much Does It Cost To Become A Wedding Planner
If you want to earn an education to become a Wedding Planner, it can cost you a bit of money.
The average Wedding Planner certificate program online costs anywhere from $150-$400.
If you choose to earn an Associates degree, this can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the school that you attend.
Most certifications for Wedding Planners cost around $100 as well.
It can cost anywhere from $150-$15,000 or more to become a Wedding Planner.
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With todays global situation and time-starved lifestyles, couples are realizing the importance of working with a Professional Wedding Planner and Coordinator. A certified wedding planner can help conserve a couples time, understands the industry, can protect their investment, liaise with other wedding professionals, bring their vision to fruition, and manage their expectations.
Wedding Coordinator, Wedding Planner, Wedding Consultant, Wedding Designer whatever you want to call yourself, couples need properly trained, regulated and certified Professional Wedding Coordinators!
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How Do I Want To Structure My Pricing
Before you begin to think about the specifics of pricing, you should start by understanding how you want to structure those prices. There are a few different ways you can structure things:
Completely Custom
This is where you speak to a couple and then develop a completely custom, from-scratch quote based on their distinct needs. The main pro with completely custom pricing is that it allows you to account for every single thing a couple will need. Thus, you can ensure youre not undervaluing yourself, which can sometimes happen with set-package pricing. One of the cons, however, is that custom pricing makes it difficult to let potential leads know how much you charge. In turn, this could mean having phone calls with clients, only to find out they arent actually able to afford your services.
Set Packages
Set package pricing means youre associating a very clear, set price-tag with each of the services you offer. Coordination costs X. Wedding planning costs Y. Wedding Planning and Design costs Z.
Base Rate with Add-Ons and Upgrades
This option allows you to set base starting at rates for each of your services. At the same time, it also requires clients to pay for additional planning hours, tasks, or upgrades that fall outside of this base rate. I tend to like this option because its a very happy medium between the 2 other options mentioned above.
Why I Decided To Become A Certified Event Planner
Growing up, I would watch movies like The Wedding Planner and TV shows like Platinum Weddings. They planted the seed of me wanting to become an event planner. Back then, I thought that this desire was just a dream that I wouldnt be able to actually achieve this career.
But a few years later, while I was enrolled in a Hospitality and Travel program, I realized that event planning fell within the hospitality industry. So, I did my internship at a local museum. I was SO excited when it was finally time for me to work with the Special Events team! I continued to work at the local museum after graduation so that I could learn more about the behind-the-scene work that goes into event planning.
Eventually, I moved on to become the Event Sales Manager for a few different hotel chains. During my time in this role, I knew that I would eventually start my own company and become a certified event planner. This path worked out perfectly for me! I now have many contacts in every aspect of the event planning industry. Plus, Ive already made a name for myself. My previous experience also gave me a leg-up on other planners in my area, since Ive already worked in pretty much every role that you can think of when it comes to events.
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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.
What Qualifications Do You Need For Event Planning
Although you dont need a specific degree subject to become an event manager, a degree or HND in event management, hotel or catering management, leisure and tourism, marketing or business may be useful. Employers are much more interested in your skills, personal qualities and experience in the industry.
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Beware Of Quick Wedding Planning Certifications
There are many different organizations promising to offer online learning, e-books, and certification. These organizations frequently promise certification and a quick path to the profession. How can someone determine if they are looking at a legitimate program for wedding planning?
A quick path to certification is dangerous for the public and a disgrace to legitimately certified wedding planners, Johns warns. It takes years to hone the skills of a wedding planner and the initial education is only the first step in a fairly long process. For someone who is looking for a legitimate course in wedding planning, check references, read all the materials offered and be sure there is a hand on mentorship program available.
Johns has been planning weddings in the Dallas/Fort Worth wedding market since 2001 and is a Master Certified Wedding Planner. Her philosophy is to create a day “as you wish.”
Event Planner Work Environment
These professionals must work according to the schedules of their clients and those of the large team of other professionals with whom they will be interacting caterers, florists, furniture suppliers, DJs, photographers, audiovisual technicians, servers and performers. They may also be required to be on-site during their events, which might call for some degree of travel. Unless they work for a venue, planners must also be prepared to travel to scout sites for events for their clients.
Event planning requires a high degree of creativity, attention to detail, excellent organizational and communication skills and the ability to stay calm under pressure. Event planners must be able to quickly find creative solutions and handle the challenges of last-minute changes. They must also be able to manage a range of clients, from those who expect the planner to do the bulk of the research and idea generation to others who control the information and are looking for a planner to execute details.
Whether they work for themselves, an event planning company or a corporation, an event planner must have the business acumen required to negotiate with vendors, create reasonable estimates and keep track of expenses. They also need good computer skills to research and put together presentations for clients, as well as expertise with event planning software.
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How To Become A Wedding Planner In 8 Simple Steps
Wedding planning is one of the toughest jobs in the events industry. Its also one of the most important, as well as one of the most rewarding. Planners oversee almost every aspect of the wedding timeline. Theyre in charge of doing everything they can to ensure that a couples wedding is everything they expect it to be and more.
Being in the wedding and event industry has its challenges, but there is nothing better than seeing months and months of hard work come together to create the most perfect wedding day, wrote Denise Ferdinand of the Fairy Godmother Wedding & Event Planning Company in a post on their website. Watching all the hard work unfold is one of the most rewarding experiences that this business has to offer. In this business you continuously get closer to your clients and that is what makes their wedding so special and unique, watching your work bring your clients dreams to life is such a magical feeling.
Want to learn how to become a wedding planner? Keep reading! In this post, we go over the steps you can take to get started, as well as things you can do once you get your feet off the ground. We also answer a handful of frequently asked questions about wedding planning.
Breaking Into The Industry
You dont necessarily have to wait until youve graduated or obtained a wedding planning certificate to start making strides in the bridal industry. At the very least, make a plan and start networking.
Getting Hired
Unfortunately, obtaining a certificate or degree doesnt guarantee youll land your dream job or any job, for that matter. As is the case in most industries, youll likely have to work your way up at a wedding planning company. Dont be afraid to complete an internship or take an assistant position the work will be grueling but itll allow you to learn a lot more than if you were just delegating. Youll also be able to learn the ropes alongside a seasoned professional.
Lisa Gorjestani, founder and event planner at Details Event Planning, told the muse that while starting out, wedding planning newcomers should network and get to know as many venues and vendors as possible.
Interning is a valuable experience. This is one of those businesses in which it just takes experience, she said. Even if you are very creative, you need to understand the business side and logistics involved.
If you dont want to start at the bottom of the totem pole, aim for an on-site coordinator position. Youll be able to work with a variety of wedding vendors while learning the ins and outs of weddings and other events.
Starting Your Own Business
Make sure to also take advantage of free and affordable tools, like the Wedding Planners Toolbox from Planners Lounge.
The Statistics
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Average Training Program Duration: 0
Most of the programs for Wedding Planner certification are online.
There are several certification courses that are anywhere from 4-6 weeks.
There are also some that are self-paced, which means it can take as little time, or as long as you need in order to become certified.
Whether or not you become certified is up to you, however, a credential looks great to clients and employers.
Other certifications for Wedding Planners can be found at community colleges or universities and can take about 6-12 weeks to finish.
Getting Certified And Working As An Event Planner
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