How To Become A Wedding Planner
As a wedding planner, you get to help couples design the perfect wedding. Many people dream of this day for much of their lives. It is an exciting time and you get to be part of it. You will assist with details such as arranging venues, vendors and decoration ideas. You must be outgoing and enjoy event planning. Experience is the most important aspect in becoming a wedding planner.
Why Become A Wedding Planner
Weddings are very important to couples. Couples spend an average of $27,000 on their wedding, everything from the venue, to the food, to the decorations. This is more than just a party: it is a ceremony and a celebration of people’s love and commitment to each other. People want their weddings to be memorable. It is difficult work planning a wedding by yourself. Often people hire a wedding planner to help them.
Wedding planners are people who help couples plan their dream wedding. There is a lot that goes into planning a wedding. A planner meets with a couple and listens to their vision for the wedding, helping them outline the goal. Then, they get to work conceiving the event. A wedding planner helps with finding a perfect venue for the ceremony and reception, creating a food menu, finding vendors, decorating ideas, and more. A wedding planner can help with the major components of the event, allowing the bride and groom to enjoy their engagement and wedding and not stress as much about planning everything themselves.
As a wedding planner, you will get to be a major part of a couple’s special day. You will help them plan their dream wedding and make their fantasies comes true. This is a great career for people who enjoys planning events, who know how to actively listen, who are good at setting goals and achieving them, and who are responsible and organized.
Wedding Planners should possess the following qualities and skills:
- Organized
- Good Communicator
- Active Listener
- Problem Solver
- Event Planning
- Attention to Detail
- Deadline-Oriented
- Negotiator
Wedding Planner Work Environment
Wedding planners meet with clients to discuss their wedding details. These meetings may be in the homes of the clients, or in the office of the wedding planner. Wedding planners meet with many stakeholders to pull together the look of the wedding, such as florists, cake decorators, officiants, bands, and more. All of this involves traveling back and forth between many locations. The wedding planner must be on location for the ceremony and reception. Because most weddings in the United States occur on a Saturday, this is the day a wedding planner is the busiest. Wedding planners are expected to work long days.
Wedding Planner Salary
Wedding planners earned a median salary of $47,000 in May 2015, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There are many things that can affect salary. Most wedding planners are self-employed, and as such set their own salaries. Their rates are determined by themselves. They make more money based on the number of clients they see, the number of weddings they plan, and the higher the rates they charge. Wedding planners may choose higher fees if they live in a large city, or if they are especially reputable.
Wedding Planner Career Outlook
Employment of wedding planners is expected to grow by 10 percent from 2014 to 2024, which is slightly more than the average growth of all occupations in the United States.
Weddings are one of the most revered ceremonies in society. Both religious and non-religious people hold weddings in high esteem as a symbol of love and commitment. Because of the importance of weddings, people are spending more money than ever on weddings. They are also willing to spend money on wedding planners, who will help with the wedding from beginning to end.
Wedding Planner Degree
Read below to learn how to become an amazing wedding planner.
Step 1: Undergraduate education. There are many excellent programs to choose from, including event planning, hospitality management, communications, business administration, public relations, or other programs. Choose an undergraduate program that you are passionate about. Enroll in an undergraduate university. It takes four years to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Step 2: Do an internship. College is a great time to do an internship at the company of your choice. You may decide to intern with a local wedding planner, following them around for a summer and seeing how they work. Or you may intern at a similar venue, such as a wedding dress boutique or a popular wedding reception venue. Choose an internship that allows you to see up close and personal what the wedding process is like. This will allow you to decide if this is the right field for you. It will also help you make connections in the field.
Step 3: Get experience. Experience is key to wedding planning. You will need to build up your network in order to get clients. Create a beautiful website for your business. Hand out business cards at every opportunity. Let people know you are a wedding planner and that you are available. Ask people to leave testimonials when they work with you, and to refer their friends. This is how you build a clientele.
