wedding planner?

Question

does anyone know if you need schooling to become a wedding planner? I want to do this carrer but how do i get started? What should i do? I want to work for myself. Should i put an ad in the paper without any expereince? Any ideas? Please help

Answer 1

http://www.acpwc.com/
The Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants (ACPWC) is a National Organization celebrating sixteen years as the primary registered training and certification program for Wedding Consultants.

Answer 2

Depends. Does your city require your certification? Finding that out would be the place to start.

You need EXPERIENCE, so go get some. Do a couple of wedding for free, usually for a friend or acquaintance. Visit the bridal shops & vendors you want to use; florists, bakers, reception spots, photographers. Wouldn't hurt to introduce yourself to a few clergy, either.
Business cards are a MUST. Go online to Vista Print. They're one of the coolest places around. I use them all the time. Wait for their premium cards to go on sale.

After you do a couple of weddings, start leaving your business cards at these places you've visited. Work up a portfolio of your ideas with pictures (from the photographer you used).

It will take you little while & A LOT of work to get this off the ground, but that's the case with any business.
A cool name wouldn't hurt either, that tells the public your business, what you do & reflects your personality & business savvy. Mine happens to be Wedding Vows and Promises.
Go figure. :)
Much luck & success to you!

Answer 3

I would most definitely discourage you from throwing yourself to the fire and going at it with no experience ... it is something that takes time to get good at and your first one isn't going to be good if you go at it alone.

My recommendation would be to seek out a few wedding professionals in your area and see if they are in need of volunteers ... tell them that you're looking to get into the profession and ask for assistance. This is a career where you're going to need a lot of experience and money for advertising.

Most wedding planners come from other professions, such as catering, florists, invitation specialists and DJs/entertainment. They have experience in something related to weddings and apply their logistics experience from previous jobs.

I would recommend taking the Weddings Beautiful Worldwide course. It is a 17 section course with an 18th course that is considered the "final exam". It is the most comprehensive of all of the classes I have seen and the President, Nancy, is a fabulous mentor.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me through my website, or directly at [e-mail]...I wish you the best of luck!!!

Answer 4

I have actually been toying around with the same idea for quite some time. You can check out a few sites- try typing in your search wedding planner certification. http://www.theweddingschool.com

What i suggest you do, just to get yourself started right after you get certified is put yourself out there. Try working at a hotel or lounge that hosts weddings. Since you are planning on eventually working for yourself, i say all of the contacts you can make while working in that position for someone else is invaluable! Experience is the only thing that will guarantee that you make it out there. You cant throw yourself out to potential clients with no background in the business.

Next thing you want to do is get familiarized with all of the businesses in your area and possibly beyond that service/cater to weddings. Get a huge binder for each type of business- say one binder is strictly florists, one is strictly djs, etc. go into each place, introduce yourself and get a card from someone and a brochure listing what they ffer. Most companies wouldnt hesitate to give up that information especially if it will bring them business. Keep your book current! Update the book every 4-6 months, making sure you get updated price lists, contact people, specials, etc.

Ask around to some of the local bridal boutiques to see would it be ok to have your card or business info posted at their facility for brides to be (make sure to get their info to so you can add it to your book).

Join a wedding group of businesses. If there arent any, see if any businesses would like to create/be a part of a group of business professionals in a newsletter or website. The newsletters can then be posted at their businesses and bring attention to all vendors in it.

Offer reduced price or even free services on http://www.craigslist.com to a few couples. make the stipulation be that you would like to use them as a reference since you are up and coming. I saw a listing once from a photographer who was doing that for couples to build his business.

Good luck!

Answer 5

What I would recommend is take a correspondence course and create a website - that's what I've done. My course was through ICS Canada but if you're not in Canada, take a look at the Association of Bridal Consultants because my course materials were provided by them.

Answer 6

My stepmom is a wedding planner, decorator, consultant and caterer. She owns a some wedding chapel and reception hall in Omaha, NE.

Go to her website at www.amerryoccasion.com