UNL Extensions Career Explorer Game

Education

To work as a wedding planner, you must:

Have a high school diploma or GED; and

Complete a training course or gain planning experience in another field.

Education Level:

Formal training opportunities for wedding planners are rare.

Some training courses are available through bridal associations.

A small number of planners receive training by working as an assistant for an established wedding planner.

Many wedding planners receive their training in another field. They become wedding planners only after getting experience in that area. Common areas of study and work are hospitality, decorating, and event planning.

Hours

Wedding planners are also known as wedding consultants or wedding coordinators. Wedding Planners:

Planners work closely with the bride and groom as well as their families.

To begin the planning process, they interview the bride and groom. Their goal is to learn about the couple's personal tastes and their vision for the wedding.

Weddings can be stressful for everyone involved. Unexpected problems may happen at a moment�s notice. A wedding planner must act quickly in a crisis and be good at soothing the nerves of the bride, groom, their families, and guests.

Wedding planners work closely with many people, often during stressful periods. Thus it helps to be friendly and personable.

Planners organize the caterers and photographers, order flowers, and hire musicians or DJs. They may work to secure a location for the wedding. Some wedding planners also help design the invitations.

Planners also network with many people from many different "wedding vendor" businesses (e.g., photographers, florists, caterers, and DJs). Planners must develop good relationships with these vendors, because establishing good connections ensures that the couple gets good deals. This is essential because planner must present the bride and groom with choices that fit their budget.

Wedding planners also review the contract offers from vendors. They may explain the contracts to the bride and groom so they can make educated choices.

Wedding planners often are involved with more than one wedding at a time. As a result they must be good at staying organized.

On the wedding day, planners are present to oversee the delivery of the contracted services.

Successful wedding planners also spend a lot of time promoting their business. They constantly need to recruit new clients. Thus planners must create brochures, business cards, and a plan for marketing their company.

Wedding planners often attend bridal fairs to meet with brides-to-be. Bridal fairs also offer an opportunity to network with wedding vendors.

Good writing and communication skills are important.

Wedding planners need a computer with Internet access and a fax machine. A personal digital assistant (PDA) and cell phone are useful for keeping in contact with clients when not at home or in the office.

Wedding planners are normally busiest in the late spring and summer months. However, planners remain busy year-round with marketing, promoting, bookkeeping, and planning for future events.

Most wedding planners are self-employed. However, some churches, inns, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and gardens that are popular for weddings have an "in-house" wedding coordinator. In many cases, in-house coordinators are not involved in all aspects of planning. They generally focus on the services provided by their employer.