The wedding business is booming! Every year, almost 2.5 million couples tie the knot in the United States, spending an average of $20,000 a couple -- making it a $72 billion industry. Planning and organizing a wedding is still a major undertaking and many couples simply don't have the time to devote to it -- and are more than happy to leave the planning to a professional.
The demand for wedding planners is booming too -- an estimated 15% of couples now use the services of a professional wedding planner. Being a wedding planner allows you to be your own boss; it's a profession that most people consider to be fun and rewarding -- and there are no particular educational qualifications or requirements. Around 10,000 people in the United States claim to be professional wedding planners.
As a wedding planner, you are responsible for every aspect of the wedding -- flowers, photography, food and perhaps accommodation for out of town guests. You also have to enjoy dealing with people, as that is essentially what you will be doing much of the time, as a wedding planner. And perhaps one of the most important qualities is simply to be well organized and efficient -- you don't want to find that you forgot to book the caterers for the big day!
Starting a wedding business is not much different from any other business -- although start up costs tend to be minimal. You will need a small office to work from, or a quiet space in your home -- keep in mind your clients may meet with you there. You will need such basics as a separate phone line, fax machine and business cards and you may need to register your business in your county or state. Having your own web site is an essential too.
A portfolio is also an excellent thing to show potential clients. If you aren't sure where to start, offer your services to family and friends in exchange for being able to take and use photographs. Your portfolio should contain photographs of any weddings you have helped to plan -- anything from the flowers and the table settings to the catering and the choice of venue. Reference letters from some satisfied clients are always a nice finishing touch.
The best way to become experienced as a wedding planner is to learn all you can about weddings -- and what makes them successful. Attend weddings, talk to those people involved such as caterers, photographers and florists. Try to get as many contacts as you can -- you will need them later. It's also worth trying to negotiate discounts with some of your contacts. And if you want to go back to school -- you can take classes that teach you all about the profession.
So now you are a wedding planner -- but where do you find your clients? One of the most effective ways to find potential clients is through your network of contacts in the industry. Make sure your business cards are visible at caterers, florists and bridal shops. You may want to advertise in the local newspaper and display your business card at such places as libraries, community centers and workplaces. And as every small business owner knows -- word of mouth is often the most effective advertising.
And one of the best things about being a wedding planner? You have the satisfaction of helping to plan what many people consider to be the happiest day of their lives.
Being A Wedding Planner
Long before, most couples are having second thoughts on the idea of hiring a wedding planner. They have doubts if hiring the services of a wedding planner is really worth their money, especially those who are in a tight budget.
But if you think that doing all the planning from the very beginning is already tedious, then, it is time for you to hire the services of a wedding planner.
Basically, a wedding planner is someone who is adept and knowledgeable when it comes to wedding plans. Wedding planners have already established their contacts with many businesses that are important in the wedding such as flower arrangers, caterers, venues, etc.
So, for most people who are not yet aware the benefits they can derive from hiring a wedding planner, here are some facts that you need to know:
1. Hiring a wedding planner will save you time.
Planning a wedding can be a daunting task. It can even be more tedious if the person who plans the wedding is a participant also like the bride or the groom. It can be really difficult to have an open mind especially with all the jitters and everything.
Moreover, planning a wedding does not happen overnight. Usually, it would take you 200 to 300 hours of planning, thinking, and brainstorming. Hence, to save you time and effort, it is best to hire the services of a wedding planner.
2. More savings
Many people contend that the reason why they do not hire a wedding planner is that it will be an additional cost on their part.
What they do not know is that hiring the services of a wedding planner can actually save you more money because most of the wedding planners have already established solid contacts with some of the common wedding businesses like flower arrangers, venues, and the like. Therefore, discounts are more likely to happen because they have their own connections already.
3. Organized planning
With wedding planners, weddings can be more organized because most wedding planners are very particular from the biggest down to the last details of the wedding.
After all, it is their job so they know what should be done best.
Moreover, wedding planners have actual timeline that they follow in order to have all the details be ready on time or even way ahead of time, leaving all the last-minute changes behind.
4. The decisions are still yours
With wedding planners, the decisions are still with the couple. The wedding planner will just guide, render some suggestions, and assist the couple in making the decision.
Hence, the couple will be able to, still, have their own style and preference with regards to the planning of their wedding.
5. Confidence boosters
One of the best things about wedding planners is that they act as confidence boosters for the bride and the groom.
We all know how jittery and edgy wedding couples can be especially if they are in a rush or having trouble finding the perfect item for their wedding. But wedding planner, they will be more at ease and more confident that their wedding will be perfect because they know that they have laid the details of their wedding upon the hands of a professional.
Indeed, there could be no better person who really knows the ins and outs of wedding planning more than what the wedding planner can do.
So, for great weddings, it is best to hire the services of a wedding planner.
Both Lisaparedes & Melissa Burton are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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