How to Become a Full-Time Wedding Artist: Brushstrokes to Business Success
Key Tips on How to Become a Wedding Planner
A wedding planner is one of the most genuinely satisfactory jobs there is. There can be nothing more joyous than organizing the most special day of a couple’s time together. There is a lot of hard work and dedication involved in such a profession.
So many skills packed into one that it can feel more stressful than what the bride and groom could be feeling. However, with enough training, anyone is capable of performing such a task. Job sites like Jooble are here to find the right entry position for you with knowledge on both skills and qualifications. You can start as a wedding planner assistant and gain enough experience for a more senior role. Here is more information on how to become an official wedding planner.
What is the Role of a Wedding Planner?
Your primary task is running and organizing a wedding event for a happy couple – from planning the day itself to its entire preparation. You will also act as a calming presence for your clients, as you will relieve all of the stress they are feeling in light of the big day. A wedding planner can provide several types of services.
- A full-service wedding planner will be organizing every last detail of the wedding. Nothing will be let up to the couple except for a few ideas on the theme and decorations.
- A partial wedding planner will only be responsible for a few aspects of the wedding. Other tasks will be left up to the couple to complete or anyone else.
- The “On-the-Day management” will provide support and service on the day itself. This means that everything will be prepared by the couple beforehand. The day will be run by the planner and follow a set schedule.
What’s the Work Process of a Wedding Planner?
The process starts with a meeting with clients to discuss the future wedding in detail. As a professional in the business, you may offer some ideas if the couple feels a little stumped on what to do.
A wedding planner should answer questions couples are scared to ask. Once a proposal has been discussed and set, you move to the budget. The amount of work done by a planner determines the pay. Your tasks will be: to organize the budget, place the decorations, plan the seating arrangement, hire performers, and do other things that the client will ask of you.
Planning a wedding. Photo from Pixabay.com
It is expected that you will work long hours with how much work there is to do. It can take several months depending on the size and scope. You may spend an entire month on flower arrangements if the client asks for a truckload. Not only will you be working the days leading up to the event but even the big day itself. While you will be paid well, sometimes the greatest reward you will get in this job is seeing a happy couple. Knowing that you played a part in such happiness can be emotionally rewarding in itself.
Possible Qualifications
If you are wondering what kind of qualifications you need for such a job, there is no specific one. A wedding planner is far more reliant on experience rather than anything like a university degree. As long as you have experience in organizing large-scale events, you can be hired based on your previous work.
This is something like setting up a charity, putting together a work party, or hosting a birthday party. If you need some specific experience, get it from planning your wedding or a wedding of your family friend.
Wedding blogs like Bespoke-Bride can also give you fresh insights into wedding decor, drinks, food, and more. Try to find more sources where experienced wedding planners share their skills, discuss new trends, and advertise their services. Learning from the best is always a good thing to do.
If you believe you need academic background, then there is plenty that can give you that insight. Working in hospitality and event management courses are the best places to start. These types of qualifications can give you the skills needed for such work. Both of which can be found as graduate and undergraduate courses.
If you are a college student, clubs and societies are a great way to help out. If you run a club, this is even better. Organizing activities and places to go for your club are all similar to what wedding planners will be doing.
Some organizations offer courses to teach you how to be a wedding planner. The UK Alliance of Wedding Planners, also known as UKAWP, is a great example.
They promote professionalism, excellent ethics, and social skills. If you want a broader perspective, the QC Event School has courses to teach Event and Wedding Planning. It even comes with an official certification that can be used to get you to work across the country.
Skills Needed
For specific skills, you will need to be someone who works well under pressure. You will need to learn to effectively communicate with your client. Learn to add your creative flair in places where you deem appropriate.
Research anything you believe will help with sprucing up the big day. Follow the current wedding trends – dresses, cakes, flower decoration. Some of them may surprise your clients, but that is how you can make the event untrivial and memorable.
Budget well with the money to know where you need to spend more and where you can save. As a professional, you’ll have to estimate the expenses before signing the deal. Finally, keep up with time management and organization to get everything running smoothly.
Where to Start?
The best place to find wedding planner gigs is through an appropriate online source. As mentioned earlier, monitor job posts looking for an official wedding planner. Use the good old-fashioned “word of mouth” to see if anyone you know needs a professional planner.
Perhaps make yourself a business card with your contact info, so people know who to call for all their wedding needs. Social media presence is also a must and the easiest way to make people learn about you.
