So you’ve just completed your wedding planner course. Congratulations! Wedding planning is exciting, challenging and extremely fulfilling, giving you the opportunity to create the best day of someone’s life. You are the mouthpiece for the bride and groom when it comes to finding a venue and hiring professionals such as a florist, band, photographer or caterer. Your job is to get the bride and groom the best service for the best price. Achieve all this and it’s hugely gratifying.
You’ve taken the first step to becoming a wedding planner by completing a wedding planner course, but what’s next? How do you implement this new found knowledge and create a successful wedding planner career?
It’s all very well telling potential clients you’re great at what you do, but a bride and groom or potential employer wants to see your previous work. If you are yet to organise a wedding, ask around friends and family and offer your services for a low price or even free. It may seem like hard work for little rewards, but a portfolio is an essential part of securing work. Your portfolio should also list your formal wedding planning education and display your certificate. References and planning affiliations are also beneficial.
Marketing materials such as business cards and brochures can help you attract clients and make you look the part. It also helps to develop a great website. Where possible, try to show your individual flair as well as your wedding planning philosophy.
Speak to local venues and explain your services. Offer them a partnership in which you recommend their venue if they recommend your services. Do the same for caterers,florists and bridal boutiques. Once you have developed a strong relationship, the work will start coming in and planning will be made that much easier.
The old saying “it takes money to make money” is true when it comes to wedding planning. A spot at a bridal expo is expensive, but when you consider how many couples you are put before it’s well worth the investment. The key is to stand out from the rest by offering something unique. Perhaps you could run a giveaway in which people could enter their email addresses to win your services? You could then email entrants congratulating them on their upcoming wedding and offering your services with 10% off as a “consolation prize.”
When at a bridal expo, try to speak to as many people as you can and don’t spend too long talking to one couple. Instead, suggest early on that they meet with you on a separate occasion and lock in a date before moving on to talk to another potential client.
A wedding planner must be a good listener and respect the wishes of not just the bride and groom, but family members too. Pay attention to every detail, such as who has allergies, who in the wedding party doesn’t get along and what time the cake will arrive. A wedding planner should also respect budget and do everything in their power to stick to it, even if it means skipping something spectacular.
Learn more about wedding planning, with a course from the International Career Institute.
Gladys Mae serves as the General Manager and Head of Student Services at the International Career Institute. Gladys holds a degree in Mass Communication - Broadcast Media from the University of San Jose-Recoletos. She joined ICI in 2010 and has over the past 12 years been instrumental in providing leadership and guidance to staff and students alike. Prior to joining ICI Gladys led a multifaceted career with key roles in the banking and business process outsourcing industries.
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