Become A Wedding Planner Assistant
Become a wedding planner assistant and learn the ropes on the job.
Most wedding planner assistant jobs are volunteer based think of it as an internship.
Working as a wedding planner assistant is a great way to learn from a professional.
Another added bonus if you do a good job, you may get work sent your way if the planner is unavailable for a job.
How do you become a wedding planner assistant?
Contact planners in your area and offer your services for free. Most wedding planners will be more than happy to have a pair of extra hands to help out.
In exchange for some photos for your portfolio and a recommendation letter this can be a great way to gain some experience.
How To Become A Wedding Coordinator
This is the wedding planning that I enjoyed the most, and found the most lucrative. A wedding day coordinator steps in typically a month before the wedding to make sure everything runs smoothly on the wedding day.
Its the best option if you want to become a part time wedding planner because you only really work on the wedding day and the night of the rehearsal.
The rest of the wedding coordinator tasks can be done by email or telephone.
The wedding coordinator is on hand to make sure the couple is not bothered by the minutiae of the planning as the day draws near.
On the actual wedding day, you are the go-to person for all vendors and family members.
The bride and groom should not be bothered by any issues at all and should leave the wedding thinking that everything went off without a hitch
The Background You May Need
The good news is that you don’t need any specific training to become a wedding planner. However, you should have experience in wedding planning, or at the very least, event planning. Your experience can come from your own wedding or through planning a friend or family member’s wedding. Consider getting experience or apprenticing with another planner. This will give you experience, as well as the opportunity to start building your portfolio and references.
Also, think about taking courses in hospitality or getting certified as a wedding planner to increase your marketability, which can allow you to charge more. Keeping abreast of new wedding trends by reading bridal magazines and attending weddings with a watchful eye is essential.
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More Tools And Resources For Wedding And Event Planning
There are many great tools and resources available online for wedding and event planners. The Planners Lounge is the first place to start. Planners Lounge is a community and resource site for wedding and event planners to relax, talk, learn, and inspire.
Start on the New Here page to sign up for our exclusive Planners Edge newsletter or check out the Tools+Resources page for the latest resources to power your wedding planning career including:
Quick Wedding Planner Employment Facts
Job Title: Wedding PlannerOffice: Various wedding venues in your area, your clients home Description: Help a bride and groom pull off a fantastic wedding by organizing their wedding right from the initial concept to the actual wedding day.Certifications/Education: High school diploma, but you can also get a Bachelor degree in Public Relations, Business or Marketing Necessary Skills: Negotiation, organization, creativity, able to function well under pressure, leadershipPotential Employers: Brides and grooms, hotels who need a wedding coordinator on staff to organize weddings at their venue, and wedding planning or event coordinating companiesPay: A percentage of the wedding budget
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How To Become A Wedding And Event Planner In Simple Steps
Wedding planning courses can be costly and extravagant if you want to strive for a successful career as a wedding planner. In recent years The Wedding School has gained recognition among the best places to provide courses for wedding planners. They provide live online courses in which you can actively participate and learn about the basics while sitting at home. To know more about The Wedding School and how to become a wedding planner instantly, keep up with the blog.
The Best Wedding Planner Certification Programs
Although there are plenty of businesses that offer wedding planning certification, there are only a few that offer an educationally accredited course, which includes the business, design and planning aspects of wedding planning. You may decide to work for/with another wedding planner or an event planning company in the future and you want your wedding planning certification to count for something.
Ill mention two programs that have become popular among wedding planners and have gained the respect of the industry as a whole.
The Wedding Planning Institute offers several certification options and is accredited by the US Government Department of Education. They offer three to four month classroom courses at local universities and colleges across the country. They also offer online courses, self study courses or an exam-only option for experienced wedding planners.
The classroom courses typically include assistance with obtaining an internship, which would be the best way to quickly get referrals and portfolio photos without having to wait several months or a year for your first wedding. The cost of their online course is $995-$1500 depending on your payment option. The Wedding Planning Institute also offers additional courses in wedding and event design, floral design, and green wedding design, among others.
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Build And Strengthen Your Relationship With Wedding Suppliers And Vendors
As a wedding planner, youre only as good as the people you work with.
So make sure to treat them well. Acknowledge their great work and do what you can to make them comfortable.
And once you have a solid line-up, be loyal and prioritize them when youre on your next planning gig.
Having a solid relationship with your suppliers and vendors will help solidify your wedding planning business.
You can also help them build their own business while they help you with yours.
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.
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Why Start A Wedding Planner Business
While starting a business from scratch can be quite daunting, the rewards will more than make up for it.
For people who dont thrive in a 9-to-5 routine, a wedding planners flexible schedule will definitely be attractive.
As long as youre fine working weekends, you can plan out your weekdays as you please. This allows you to squeeze in important personal errands in between vendor and supplier meetings.
And who says you cant earn from your creativity? Being a wedding planner is not all about logistics.
As the main organizer of such a romantic event, you need to oversee the bigger picture on behalf of your clients.
Additionally, as with any big event, last-minute problems can arise. This calls for some creative problem-solving on your part. In short, wedding planning is the ideal job for anyone wanting to develop and earn from both their administrative and creative talents.
Finally, people pay premium charges to their wedding planners.
Note: You can also begin selling wedding related printables on etsy.
Pros Of A Wedding Planner Home Business
There are several great benefits to becoming a wedding planner, including
- Weddings continue to be a pivotal event in a couple’s life, and as a result, people are willing to spend a good deal of money to have it done right.
- No education, training or certification is required to be a wedding planner.
- Celebrating romance can be a fun way to make a living.
- You can get started for little investment.
- You can run the business from home.
- If you pull off a good wedding, attendees will remember you for their weddings.
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Q What Does A Wedding Planner Do
A Wedding Planner talks to engaged couples about what types of things they would like on their wedding day.
This goes for the venue, the type of flowers, the style of dress, colors, basically any little detail that will make the special day even more special.
Then, the Wedding Planner gets all of that organized and makes sure everyone is where they need to be on the wedding day.
The job can be stressful, but its often a very fun and exciting time for everyone.
Should Wedding Planners Get A Degree Or Certificate
You definitely dont need a college degree to become a wedding planner, but majors like business, communications, public relations, marketing or event planning could give you a helpful foundation.
And while certificates might make you more appealing to potential clients, they also arent necessary.
If youd like to pursue one, Orwat hears the most positive feedback about North American Wedding Academy.
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What You Need To Get Started
While there’s no specific education or experience you need to get started as a party planner, there are a few skills and to-dos that are involved, such as:
If you have trouble getting your business off the ground or want more experience before going on your own, consider getting an event planning job.
Heather Hoesch And Lindsay Ferguson
Hoesch and Ferguson own LVL Weddings & Events, known for producing one-of-a-kind weddings in California, Hawaii, and Colorado. They are also co-owners of Planner Life Academy, which offers workshops and virtual training programs to prepare leaders to open their own wedding planning businesses.
Ferguson worked part-time for a wedding planner in Chicago as a young professional. I always had a love for hospitality and customer service-focused careers, she says. I grew up with an entrepreneurial mom who really encouraged me to find something that I loved and was passionate about.
I grew up with an entrepreneurial mom who really encouraged me to find something that I loved and was passionate about.
In high school, Hoesch worked for a family friend who owned the local bridal salon. She hired me to clean, hang, and steam dresses, she recalls. In college Hoesch worked for a catering company that primarily did weddings. It was a crash course in weddings, she continues. I learned a ton about food, service, timelines, flow, logistics, guest experience, and catering to couples’ needs for their special day. Five years later she was ready to start her own company.
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Take A Few Friends Or Family To A Wedding For Free Or At A Low Cost
One of the greatest methods to grow your company and cultivate a solid customer base as a new wedding planner is to provide your services for free or at a low cost to friends, family, and other local clients.
This will enable you to obtain immediate real-world experience arranging weddings while also assisting you in developing positive connections with future customers.
Furthermore, having these early engagements under your belt will make you feel more secure and competent when working with bigger, paying customers.
If youre just getting started as a home wedding planner, dont be hesitant to ask your trusted network if they know anybody who would benefit from your services volunteering to organize their big day is a win-win scenario for both sides!
After all, what better way to get the word out about your new company than by making absolutely unforgettable moments for the people who matter most to you?
Physical And Mental Hard Work
Working on the wedding day is HARD work. I remember my first wedding so well. I was beyond excited to work with my first clients but had no idea I would be so completely exhausted at the end of the night.
Spending 10-15 hours on your feet and being mentally on is exhausting no matter how good of shape you are in. And it gets harder as you get older.
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Consider Higher Education Or Training
Though higher education isn’t required, an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree in Event Planning could be greatly beneficial to your role as a wedding planner. Also, a business or communications degree could help.
Coursework for an event planning degree, for example, could include event promotion, hospitality marketing strategies, organizational behavior and food preparation for various events and ceremoniesall of which would pertain to your role as wedding planner.
Weekend And Evening Work
Weekend events and evening client meetings take time away from family and friends. Being a wedding planner means having a work schedule that doesnt match the standard 9-5 weekday gig.
If you own your business, you can set boundaries to help with this and plan other types of events to balance your schedule. However, the reality is that 95% of weddings happen on Saturdays and many of your clients need to meet after work for planning meetings.
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What Are The Benefits Of Starting A Wedding Planning Business
While establishing a company from the ground up might be intimidating, the benefits will far outweigh the risks.
A wedding planners flexible schedule will appeal to those who do not flourish in a 9-to-5 environment.
You may schedule your weekdays whatever you like as long as you dont mind working weekends. This gives you the flexibility to fit in crucial personal tasks between vendor and supplier appointments.
And who says you cant make money from your imagination? Its not all about logistics when youre a wedding planner.
As the events chief organizer, you must keep an eye on the broader picture on behalf of your customers.
Furthermore, like with any large event, complications might develop at the last minute. This will need some problem-solving ingenuity on your side. In summary, wedding planning is the perfect career for anybody who wants to hone both their administrative and artistic skills while also earning money.
Finally, individuals pay their wedding planners a premium.
Note that you may start selling wedding-related printables on Etsy as well.
How To Become A Wedding Planner In 6 Steps
Many people dream of what their wedding day will look like, and a wedding planner has the capability to make those dreams come to fruition. A wedding planner’s goal is to create an unforgettable celebration that the couple will remember for a lifetime through intensive planning, organization, scheduling and coordination.
In this article, we explain what a wedding planner does, their average salary, how to become one and answer frequently asked questions to help you decide if this is the career for you.
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