Planning Events is a lot of work but is a lot of fun, too! Weddings are particularly fulfilling to plan as you are taking part on a lover’s journey to being one. If you have the right passion and drive, you may actually become successful in this field too! Here’s something to help you in planning that Wedding Planning Business that you want:
Wedding Planner
Being a wedding planner is not an easy task itself. It involves managing, organizing, designing, and planning the whole event while taking the client’s wants, needs and budget into consideration. Wedding planners are professional planners that helps arrange the whole wedding and allows the couple to have a stress-free event.
An experienced wedding planner has made connections with a lot of potential business partner and has successfully organized weddings before. Their previous experiences make them knowledgeable about certain reception venues that have the perfect scenery which the couples will like and enjoy. They are also capable to sticking to the couple’s budget without compromising the event details. Some wedding planners also share their creativity and involves themselves in the designing process of the wedding for a fee.
Wedding Planner Services
We listed down some of the services that a wedding planner should be able to provide:
- Look for florist and catering services
- Look for a supplier of wedding invitations
- Helps choose the bridal gown, bridesmaid dresses, groom’s wear and other wedding party attire
- Helps in picking wedding favours
- Involved in designing the reception look and vibe
- Look for lighting services and visual details
- Look into small details
- Meeting and negotiating with the vendors
- Managing the deliveries and the venue itself
- Setting-up the wedding rehearsal
- Setting-up the wedding venue and reception
- Dealing with unexpected circumstances
- Making sure that the venue is clean, rental borrowed items are returned and the deposits are given back by the vendors.
Pros and Cons of Wedding Planning Business
All businesses have their own advantage and disadvantages. These are the things that should be known by people who wants to open a wedding planning business. Here are some things that you should know:
PROS
- A wedding is a once in a lifetime event. Thus, many people are willing to spend a lot of money to have that piece of mind while planning and to have the best wedding they could ever have.
- You don’t need any type of certificate, training or education to become a wedding planner. Being one takes a lot of experiences and it is a skill itself.
- If you are a passionate individual, you will enjoy the romance in these weddings.
- You can run the business even at home and does not need a stall to sell your product.
- If a wedding you planned was liked by the couple and their, you will probably get a lot of referrals.
CONS
- Since this involves planning an event, you may be involved in a lot family drama. There might be couples who are not agreeing on certain matters or family member bickering that will put you in an awkward situation as a wedding planner.
- Booking venues and churches might not be easy especially for the popular ones. Some requires you to make a reservation a year prior to the wedding to make sure that the date you want is blocked.
- Many people only get married once. Meaning, you will probably not have repeat customers.
- This job does not have a break and therefore, you need to work even on weekends.
- Lastly, you will encounter some problems during the event itself that you did not anticipate. This will require you to be calm and composed at all times.
Establish you Wedding Planning Business
Education
Recently, there are many educational programs and even accreditations that you can apply for if you are interested to be on the wedding planning field. Although these things are not a requirement, these programs are designed to help you learn more about the business.
Experience
In order to be successful in this field of business you have to experience various events. If you are just starting this business, you may try to talk to your friends and family members to allow you to plan their weddings or little events. Any events are a steppingstone to your goal. Don’t forget to compile these successful events in a portfolio that you can show to your prospective clients.
Company Image
Developing a company image is important as it shows your style when planning. The couple put their trust on you, especially the bride, and your ideas can either make or break their wedding. Your company image will show a lot about what you can offer to your clients. If you know a graphic designer, make them help you design a logo at a reasonable cost.
Realistic Financial Goals
The second most important in reaching your goal is having the right startup amount for your business. Setting-up a wedding planning business does not require a lot of money and you can start with just $1,000 or more. You will have to invest on a computer, software, office supplies and other marketing strategies that you could try to use to promote your business.
Marketing Strategy
The wedding planning business usually starts from referrals by previous clients. But if your name is not yet known, you may need to spend some money to create a low-cost marketing strategy. You can try mastering a certain style – which you can offer to your clients through wedding websites or paid advertisements. Make sure that your website has an optimized search engine ranking to bring the prospect clients to your company.
Register your Business
All businesses should be registered to be considered as a legitimate company. Consult an attorney and learn about the requirements on how to properly register your business. Requirements differ from each state or place of business.
Build your Network
If you hadn’t realized it yet, your business relies on trust and network. You’ll need to build strong relationships between you and your vendors who provides services that you’ll need for your business. Consider joining groups or societies that can connect you to different caterers, photographers, videographers, florists, and more. The bigger your network the more successful your business would be.
Starting a business is never easy. Just thinking of what business to start will make your mind dizzy. Luckily, you know couplwhat you want and all you have to do is to make it work. Just go with your passion and love your business. I bet in no time, you’ll be in your road to becoming the best wedding planner in town!