Becoming a wedding planner involves more than just planning
a wedding. You must understand the business aspect of your
service and learn to manage your time to earn the most
profits. You will be the face of your business and your own
public relations representative. Every day you will have
the opportunity to build -- or damage -- your reputation as
a businessperson.
As your business and your expertise grow, you will probably
begin planning multiple weddings at once. It is essential
that you strive to provide the best, personalized attention
to each couple when planning their big day, without losing
your sanity.
The 7 Key Skills
No one said that becoming a wedding planner was a job for
the faint of heart. Not everyone can succeed as a wedding
consultant. A good wedding planner is:
- Calm. You will be the bride's (and the groom's!) rock.
From miscommunications with vendors to major meltdowns at
the ceremony, you must be able to keep your cool in the
wake of a calamity. A wedding planner should always have a
Plan B ready for action in case of an emergency.
- Charming. You are the face of your business and your
clients' representative. Impeccable communication and
social skills are imperative. Your reputation as a wedding
consultant depends on your ability to network and maintain
great working relationships with vendors and venues.
Wedding planners must know how to communicate and work with
all personality types. Not everyone you encounter will be
pleasant and easy to please. You must be able to defuse any
situation to get the results your client desires.
- A Great Negotiator. The bride and groom will be counting
on you to order flowers, hire the band and photographer,
recommend a caterer, and help find venues for the ceremony
and reception. You must be able to find the best service
for the lowest price. This becomes easier as you create a
reputation for yourself and develop professional
relationships with vendors and venues. Your connections
will get you better deals, which you can pass on to your
customers.
- Good with Money. Starting a wedding planner business
requires that you be able to manage your own expenses and
stick to a budget, as well as be responsible for someone
else's money and budget. Previous experience with money
management is vital -- even if your only experience
consists of controlling the household finances.
- Organized. A wedding consultant might be responsible for
almost every aspect of the big day: the venues, theme,
flowers, food, refreshments, attire, photography,
honeymoon, and other details of the wedding. Keeping track
of all the nuances, contract dates, and deadlines requires
an enormous amount of organization and attention to detail.
Your calendar will be your new best friend.
- A Plethora of Knowledge. A good wedding planner has
fashion sense, good taste in music, and an eye for color,
flowers, and themes. You must be able to keep up with the
latest bridal trends and fads, hot honeymoon destinations,
and of course, traditional wedding etiquette. Many wedding
consultants also learn about different religious ceremonies
and traditions so that they can accommodate couples of any
faith.
- Able to Maintain a Sense of Humor: From indecisive or
emotional brides to controlling parents and absentee
vendors, your work is cut out for you. When you are dealing
in dreams, the ability to keep things in perspective is
essential.
Beginning your own wedding planning business will be a
learning experience. No one knows everything from day one,
and as the old saying goes, practice makes perfect.
----------------------------------------------------
For in-depth information on how to become a wedding planner
visit http://www.MommyEmpire.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment