One of the most difficult jobs in the event organizer services industry is wedding planning. It’s also one of the most crucial, as well as one of the most satisfying. Almost every part of the wedding timeline is overseen by wedding planners. They’re in charge of doing all they can to make a couple’s wedding everything they hoped for — and more.
In a blog post on the Fairy Godmother Wedding & Event Planning Company’s website, Denise Ferdinand wrote, 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. “Watching all of the hard work come together is one of the most satisfying aspects of this career. In this industry, you grow closer to your clients all the time, which is what makes their wedding so special and unique; seeing your work bring your clients’ dreams to life is such a magical feeling.” It also involves arranging tours after the wedding. This task can be wonderfully done by the tour operators.
Do you want to learn how to plan a wedding? Continue reading! In this article, we’ll go over how to get started as well as what you can do once you’ve put your feet on the ground. We often answer a variety of commonly asked wedding-planning questions.
In just eight stages, you will learn how to become a wedding planner:
Step 1: Make a list of specific wedding planning objectives
These objectives will almost certainly change over time, which is fine. However, it’s important to have a strategy in place before embarking on any project. Do you aspire to be like Mindy Weiss and plan celebrity weddings? Perhaps you’d like to collaborate with local venues to provide locals with the day of their dreams. What if you were to fly around the world and have weddings on tropical islands and Italian lakes? The possibilities are endless — the choice is entirely yours! Try the most common wedding diagramming tool in the world.
Step 2: Do some market analysis
Start investigating how you’ll achieve your objectives once you’ve set them. To begin, make a list of questions for which you have no answers. What is the maximum amount of money I can make? Is there a strong demand for wedding planners? What is the best way for me to get my first client? Prioritize market analysis before getting started, just as you would for targets. And this article is a fantastic place to begin!
Step 3: Take formal wedding planner preparation into consideration
To work as a wedding planner, you don’t need a special degree or qualification. However, if you’re new to the business and have little to no experience, knowing the ropes and learning all of the ins and outs can be incredibly helpful.
For example, the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners was founded by “wedding professionals who saw a need for an organization committed to the education of those aspiring to be wedding planners, as well as the advancement of those already in the field through certification and continuing education.” The company provides both in-person and online instruction. After completing the course for two months, students are eligible to apply for membership as Trained Wedding Planner.
Another choice is to enrol in a course offered by the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute, which prepares people to become Certified Wedding and Event Planners. The course takes an average of 8-12 weeks to complete, and graduates receive a certificate, letter of recommendation, and the professional certification of Certified Wedding and Event Planning. One graduate said, “I would highly recommend Lovegevity courses to those who are willing to take the leap and pursue their dreams.” “The Certified Wedding Planner course was just what I needed to feel confident that I was on the right track.”
Step 4: Writing a business plan
Remember the goals you set in Step 1 and the research you conducted in Step 2? You will use a lot of the information to help you write your business plan. There are several tools and models available. Here are some examples of what should be included in your business plan:
Description of the report: Make a list of your objectives and mission statement. Have a plan for why you think your company will prosper — and how you’ll do it.
Summary of the company: Is the wedding planning company going to be entirely yours, or do you have plans to recruit the help of others? Include your backstory, location, and anything else you’d put in the “about” section of your website.
To be provided products and services: This is where you explain in depth what you will and will not have. What’s more, how much would you charge? Who do you see as your direct competitors? Don’t hesitate to figure out how you would stand out.
Summary of the market report: Find out who your target market is and how you can get their company.
Description of the strategy and its execution: Make a business plan, a sales estimate, and a list of goals you want to achieve.
Description of management: This will vary based on the number of preparation teammates you want to have if any. An organizational structure and a personnel plan are included in this section.
Make a budget: This segment covers your estimated fixed and variable expenditures, as well as marketing costs, taxes, and so on. A break-even study estimated profit and loss, projected cash flow, projected balance sheet, and business ratios are also included in the report.
Step 5: Make a marketing strategy
If you want to work as an independent planner, as part of an organization, or somewhere in between, your company will struggle to take off if you don’t have a solid marketing strategy in place. Wedding planner marketing, like wedding venue marketing, is all about figuring out what couples want and then reaching out to them through the networks they want. Here are some pointers:
Make use of social media: Each year, approximately 40 million people use Pinterest for wedding planning advice. Make it a priority to establish a presence if you don’t already have one. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are all in the same boat. To reach more users, post often — but not just for the sake of posting — and use related hashtags.
Start a blog: This is a perfect way to gain exposure and use your voice to add value, whether it’s a blog on your own website or guest posts on various wedding blogs and magazines.
Use testimonials and ratings to your advantage: According to a 2019 WeddingWire survey, ratings and photographs are the “most critical features couples look at when determining which vendors to contact first.” Give couples you’ve worked with a quick way to rate and review your services and make sure to post those reviews on your website and social media sites.
Working with publications: Having your company published in a local or national newspaper can be extremely beneficial. Contact media outlets and sell them to a certain topic. Make yourself available for Q&As as well. If you can get a connection back to your website, blog, or social media accounts, you’ll get bonus points.
Step 6: Gather the skills you’ll need to succeed as a wedding planner.
Let’s look at a hypothetical scenario for this segment. Consider two people ordering the same dresser from the same online furniture shop. It comes in three crates, along with a dozen bags of screws, nuts, and bolts. Person A has a toolbox containing a hammer, screwdriver, drill, and a variety of other tools. Person B is armed only with their hands and a dab of superglue. Which of you would be the most effective at putting the dresser together?
It isn’t much different when it comes to expanding a market. This is where Social Tables enters the picture. Our app is used by experienced wedding planners and DIY brides alike all over the world, and it can help you expand your company in a number of ways. Check out our free 3D wedding design program to get started.
- Bring beautiful weddings to life with minimal effort
Kate Turner of Kate & Company wrote, “We studied many companies that provide similar services and eventually considered Social Tables to be the best match for us.” “We could be working on over 100 different layouts at any given time. The offerings and customer support provided by Social Tables are second to none, which is why they are the perfect match for Kate & Company and our family of companies.”
Wedding Place, Joy, WeddingWire, Carats & Cake, and Zola are some other useful wedding planning tools and apps.
Step 7: Begin forming industry-wide connections
The value of establishing relationships with venues, couples, vendors, and other planners cannot be overstated. Networking will lead to a multitude of opportunities. In an Aisle Planner blog post, Lauren Weidley of Chancey Charm Weddings wrote, “Your company is going to prosper because of the relationships you create, now and over the next few years.” Any good company, in my view, begins with a relationship: a business partner, a first bride, and a vendor team that works well together. It all began at some point.
“Give yourself time and grace to connect the dots. At times, you make ten at once at an industry function, and other times, it’s a stab in the dark and an Instagram message to the photographer (whose) work you’ve admired for a long time! Reach out because you never know what kind of friendship you might find!”
Step 8: Continue to read
Almost every successful individual, regardless of industry, is still a student of their craft. It’s no different when it comes to wedding planning. There will be ups and downs, roadblocks, and situations that have never been seen before. Consider them as chances to learn and develop. “They learn, attend webinars, participate in social media, collaborate, and listen to podcasts. They enrol in classes, seminars, and conferences.”
Step 9: Make a plan
When you have a lot of weddings to prepare, build an organizing structure that helps you to prioritize the closest event without neglecting the others. One of the simplest ways to do this is to keep a special calendar with all of your duties written on it. If that’s too old-fashioned, use computer-based event management tools. Not to mention the fact that you can store your data in the cloud and access it from anywhere.
If it’s still too much trouble, you can download smartphone-compatible planning tools or an app. There are several options available, some of which are free and others which are not. The full-featured app may also have a login option. There is plenty of stand-alone event registration software to choose from if you can’t find one with this feature.
The following are some of the most commonly asked questions about how to become a wedding planner:
Is a wedding planner required to have a bachelor’s degree?
It isn’t necessary, but it isn’t a bad idea. The type of wedding planning company you want to be a part of can determines your level of education. No college degree is needed if your ambition is to be your own boss and run your own one-person company. A degree in hospitality or event planning, on the other hand, may help you better prepare for the industry, and some employers can prefer it.
What are the sources of revenue for wedding planners?
The majority of wedding planners charge a flat fee, an hourly rate, or a percentage of the couple’s wedding budget.
What is the time commitment to become a professional wedding planner?
It is based on the qualification form. For example, a Wedding Planner Certificate from Online Courses Australia requires around 12 hours of study time. On the other hand, the Wedding Academy’s Certificate in Wedding Planning takes about three months to complete.
Conclusion
We must be very precise in everything we do regarding wedding planning. The services must be excellent, and it should satisfy the clients. It is their big day, and they expect it to go well. The food and catering services should also be satisfactory to the family too. We hope this article helps you in excelling in your career.
Also Read: What are the challenges in the Catering business?