Learn What It Takes to Become a Wedding Planner

People usually have all kinds of plans for their wedding. And all a wedding planner has to do is to remove the fantasy things from the plan and simply organize the event. Is it that simple? If it was, there would be no need of wedding planners and you wouldn't be interested to become a wedding planner.

So, lesson number one for wannabe wedding planners, the job is not easy. It takes a lot to organize a big event. As the chief organizer of the event, you have to have versatile skills to see through the event from beginning to end, from planning to the execution. Everything has to be perfect, no margin for errors.

You think you can handle the pressure, let’s find out what it takes to become a wedding planner.

After you first meet with the bride and groom, you should make a rough plan based on their expectations and finalize that plan in the second or third meeting. Sometimes your clients will change their minds for a number of things, be prepared for that.

You can suggest different things to help your clients decide and make sure you discuss and get clear answers for every little detail.

You must know the community and different wedding cultures. Not always clients will tell you everything, you have to know what questions to ask. You must be well aware of the current fashion trends and the recent events going on in the locality. To sum it up, becoming a wedding planner requires you to be an expert in all types of wedding and related activities.

Your clients will ask you to give a rough estimate for the wedding which should be real close to the original cost. And sometimes you will have to adjust the event according to the budget.

As a wedding planner, you are taking the responsibility to materialize someone else’s dream. The first thing that you need to do that is to understand the dream. For that, you need good communication skills. You must be a good listener.

When organizing the event, you are communicating with a lot of people. Speaking in a way that people listens is another skill to have as a wedding planner.

Talk to as many people as possible, learn from them and have a good relationship with everyone connected to wedding. A good event planner creates connections before he/she needs it. That’s the way to go.

Florist, caterer, photographer, musician, the vendors that supply different materials for the wedding, you should have good relationships with all of them. Try to work with the same people every time, they will know your style and working together for sometime builds good cooperation and communication. Good relationship with the people associated with the event will make organizing a lot easier for you.

Wedding is a big event and you are the consultant responsible to make sure it goes as planned and everything tastes and looks as they were supposed to. Not any person can handle that; you must have a keen eye to check every little detail. A checklist and timeline schedules are must to organize a wedding successfully.

You must look organized, talk organized and always have a face that says everything is cool and going well. In a nutshell, you should have a personality that tells people that you are in control at all times and know what you are doing.

Organizing a wedding requires you to work with a lot of people who will perform different services for the wedding. Get all the items and make those ready in time. A room decoration may seem a small task but it will take a lot of time and effort. You are the person to make sure it is done perfectly and nothing has to be done for the second time.

Have good communication with bride, groom and all others to make sure everything is prepared and everyone is present at scheduled time for different parts of the wedding.

Most wedding planners start early. They help in arranging family parties, birthdays etc. and usually have a say in all aspects of planning those events. Creative + Highly motivated + Super Organized = A successful wedding planner.

To become a wedding planner you must have a lot of experience in organizing events specially weddings. So, help in your friends and relatives weddings, attend as many weddings as possible, and stay from the beginning to the end. Try to get some experience in all aspects of planning and organizing.

Other than that you can get a job in the wedding industry. The best option would be to have an internship under a professional wedding planner. You can try a job in a hotel or club house where weddings are regularly held. This will help you to learn wedding planning thoroughly.

People love to attend and watch live events, do you know why? Live events can always surprise you. You should remember this and be prepared for it. If something doesn't go according to plan, improvise quickly to make sure it doesn't ruin the wedding. In a live event never let your guard down.

Improvising skills comes through experience. Try to help out in as many weddings as possible, gather experience. Analyze the memories of weddings you have attended. Think what should have been done, what could have been done in a better way.

The more experience you gather, the more professional wedding planner you become.

No educational qualification is required to become a wedding planner. But, if you have studied event management, then it will certainly help. You should get some training; many associations offer wedding planner courses and some of those courses can be done online. Some top associations that offer such courses are June Wedding, Association for Certified Professional Wedding Consultants (ACPWC), Association of Bridal Consultants and the Association for Wedding Professionals International.

Wedding planning is not a job for the weak minded. Wedding is an emotional event and not always everything goes alright. You must not get too involved. You have to forget each wedding after it is done and start with a fresh mind for the next one.

To become a professional wedding planner, you must get your business registered. You will have to obtain necessary license according to local rules and regulations. Make sure you understand and fulfill all the legal matters to protect your property. Keeping the paperwork clear will make sure you get paid and don’t get sued. You should also join a professional association of wedding planners to keep updated about your business.

Today, everyone does a Google search before deciding on anything. Facebook, Twitter etc. are becoming the new social gathering place for people. You should get a nice website to showcase your work online and to promote your business. Remember, creative ideas and organizing skill are two major aspects of wedding planning and thus should be reflected in your website. And you should have a Facebook page and a Twitter account to connect with your local community.

A wedding planner’s job is to take the stress away from the bride. With the proper skills and a bit of courage, you can surely become a wedding planner and enjoy a career full of challenges and parties too.