How to become a wedding planner

"You're going to love it!" And things happened exactly like Cate -- the mentor of my career -- said.

Hi, I'm Judi. After practicing as a wedding planner for almost 5 years, I'm getting more and more obsessed into it. I helped my family beyond what I expected and I enjoy the satisfaction rose from the bottom of my heart every time I lead the bride and groom into their dream moment.

These days, as the wedding-industry is getting hotter it's really amazing to see people getting attracted to becoming a wedding planner. I was often asked this question,

"I totally love what you are doing.. And I wonder how to become a wedding planner, can I do this?"

The answer would be a absolute YES ... if you could get on the right track!

I know a lot of enthusiastic people had to quit because of the lack of the proper guide short after they started. It was very sad to see people stop chasing the dream and let it go. So knowing what you're doing and why you are doing is very very important.

I used to take notes as I wonder or learn or understand something. So I can trace back to all the key points Cate offered me when I barely knew nothing but had a strong wish.

And on this website I'd like summarize my original notes into a 10-step answer to how to become a wedding planner and share it with you. Because I believe "Being helpful is the nature of a wedding planner".

"As long as you have the desire, you can become a wedding planner yourself!" Again, Cate's right... that's absolutely true.

No special education or experience is required. You just follow what I list below and take actions. I know it will help you as Cate helped me.

Here you go.

"As long as you have the desire, you can become a wedding planner yourself!"

Step 1. Gaining Acknowledge Of Weddings
First of the first, you need to teach your self wedding planning. Many tiny issues you've to be thoughtful about involved in planning a wedding -- from choosing the place to selecting the reception music. The only way to learn it is throwing yourself into as many weddings as possible, chatting about your friends' fresh wedding experiences, browing wedding related materials online, megazine and books, etc. The trick is to open your social network to people already in this circle, such as florists and caterers if not a wedding planner, everyone connected to the wedding business.

Step 2. Train yourself skills
Like any career else, being an qualified wedding planner needs a fair amount of skills. Creativity, good communication skills and the enthusiasm about planning events are generally required. And besides these "gifted abilities", it is very important to train yourself to be an organized person. Actually how organized you are -- the way you do things -- is almost the bottom line to become a wedding planner. Well starting drawing simple time schedules or as simply as writing your Saterday shopping list would help you to get the sense. Keep in mind that there will be numerous stuffs on you pad the other day so its to smart ot practice right away.

Step 3. Prepare a portfolio
This takes time. You'll need a few weekends to help organizing weddings of your friends and family members. And always collect pictures and sovineers as they would be pursvasive when you are showing people your wedding planning ablilities. If in a short time weddings are not available parties or any kinds events should work. The key is to really experience the role and document it. Details-filled stories -- of cause the positive ones -- will be appreciated by your potiential clients.

Step 4. Apply an "edge" position
Don't be frustrated if you are only helping or sometimes coordinating things at first rather than really taking charge of a full wedding. This step is crucial to get your feet inside of the circle and it's where everyone has a name came from. The real value of this part is gaining your knowledge, experience and contacts that you can get from nowhere. I know many hotels, ceremony halls and churches provide wedding reception service do hire the "wedding coordinators" through all the seasons. I personally know one professional wedding planner used to be the usher working in Disneyland and another well-famed one started with helping the wedding flower business in Las Vegas.

Step 5. Lunch your wedding planning business
Lunching a wedding planning business is not so different from setting up any other home-based business. You need to locate an office(or simply surface one room in your house at the beginning), send out your name card and spread the message. Contact any wedding planner you known -- and you should have known a couple so far -- talking about reffing rate. So if they got the chance they will recommend you to their extra business.

And don't not forget to register in your country's administrative authority including the U.S. Small Business Administration and Canada's Home Business Association) so you can run your business legally.

.....

Step 6. Define your specialty
You may have noticed that wedding planners provide kinds of services. For instance some offer the "all-way service package" -- it contains everything you can think of and you can't to help the couple -- as I do here in new york, some focus on the "wedding day co-ordination only" service, and some are doing really good in the field of "destination/resort/cruise wedding" services. Based on your situation and interests you can develop anyone of them.

Step 7. Build relationships within the wedding industry
Having a good connection in the circle is your "money in the bank". Actually you might want to shuffle this step up. Pay attention to this whenever you have chance to know people, musicians, wedding equipment suppliers, related vendors... Try to understand the value of your business partners, you will need them to get a easier, if not colorful day.

Step 8. Marketing you market
I used to feel a headache about marketing of selling to people. Until Cate told me one day that, "Take it easy my dear, we're smply trying our best to help people need help. And let them know what we can do with our specialized skills." Marketing doesn't need to be sellsy, just spread you card or brochures to you connected business partners as wide as possible will work amazingly. We provide the service, people pick, that's it.

Step 9. Meeting clients
Good news comes from the phone (and email nowadays). Soon after you will start getting messages from the bride/groom-to-bes. It's time to set up a consultation meeting. Believe or not, over half of the couples don't know what they want at the first meeting. Help them figure out what type/scale of wedding they prefer, pin down their budget and the date. At this meeting, you also want to talk about your service fees. Normally an hourly rate of 45-55 dollars would be fare, and you have chance to raise it when you've got a name. Don't find opportunity to show them your working experiences because convincing them you can take their worries off will be the main gaol of your fist meeting.

Step 10.Keep yourself Fresh and Professional
Get yourself involved in one of two professional associations within the wedding industry, where you can keep touch with the upcoming domestic and international trends. And always such organizations certificate people meet their requirement. Do your best to get it. Your clients will like to see you are a well-recognized professional wedding planner.

Besides finding a working wedding planner in your neighborhood as a mentor, you need to educate yourself as much as possible. Here I put up in a list of helpful resources that you need.

Guide Book: Become a wedding planner Writen by Cate and her partner Jan

I have this one. When I started I used it as a guide line to build up my business step by step.

Based on Cate's deep understanding of the industry this book became the most complete guide for you to start your own wedding planning business, from how to prepare a wedding budget to how to select ceremony music. A must-have and it answers all the questions you have about how to become a wedding planner.

Now this book is in its 4th version. Cate told me they spend the whole winter last year to revise it. Some chapters were completely rewritten to meet the new changes in the market.

A must-have.

Website: How to Become A Wedding Planner Writen by Max

Max and I have been working on a few events together and he is one of the most talented and successful wedding planners in the States.

But I didn't know he also got help from Cate when he started his wedding consultant business. He posted his own story giving people a bunch of information and guidance on how to become a wedding planner here.