Is Becoming a Wedding Planner Right for You?

If you’re interested in becoming a wedding planner, there are a few steps to take before you launch your business Instagram account and start pulling in clients.

• You’ll need to study. While not always required, having formal education in wedding and event planning can make a difference when you’re building your business or hoping to work for another bridal consultant company. To kick off your journey as a wedding planner, you'll want to dive into fun and essential topics like wedding etiquette, multimedia marketing, entrepreneurship, and even a bit of accounting. These courses can help you build the skills and confidence you need to plan unforgettable celebrations and run a successful business in the wedding world!
• Every aspect of your business is in your hands. As a wedding planner, you own and operate your own business. You must know how to structure your day, create and manage budgets (both yours and your clients’), write up contracts, market and price your services, build a network of vendors, collect your dues, report your earnings, and hire people you can trust. In many cases, you’ll be working long hours and weekends. If you’re passionate about it and are willing to work hard, then you’ll find this career to be truly rewarding.
• You’ll need to adapt. Wedding planners must have strong people skills, a high tolerance for stress, and, most importantly, the ability to adapt to clients’ needs and unexpected events. You must be able to read into family dynamics, provide clients with reassurance, and create backup plans in case something goes awry. Having a vast network of vendors can mean the difference between a disaster and a brand-building success. Your clients see you as an expert, and it’s up to you to prove them right.
• It’s all about the details. From your client’s budget to the number of chairs to the bride’s second cousin’s allergy to shrimp, you must have an eye for every detail and be able to reconcile every variable (including those that may pop up by surprise). The larger the wedding, the more details you’ll have to iron out. Make sure you’re up to the challenge and have staff members you can trust to shoulder the load.
• Learning is ongoing. Wedding planners learn a great deal outside of the classroom. To truly succeed in the fast-paced wedding industry, you’ll need to study the latest trends and stay up to date with hot fashions, design inspirations, catering tips, seasonal wedding themes, and more. Successful wedding planners network aggressively with professionals in these fields to build support and reputation. Since you’ll be running your own business, you must make sure you have the proper licenses, insurance, and other legal considerations taken care of.

Like all worthwhile endeavors, becoming a wedding planner takes time, effort, and passion. For more information or to enroll in a wedding planner program, contact Penn Foster today.