How do I become a wedding planner?

bridget1312

I would love to be a wedding planner.  I do not have a degree in anything, I have been working as a waitress for pretty much my whole life, I love the fact that I see different people everyday, I'm on my feet always and always going.  My husband has a job where I could pretty much do whatever I like and money for now isn't a problem.  Does anyone know how I could go about starting this?  What would I need to do?  Anything would help.  Thanks! B

Zonkaghoop

I don't have experience in this but I would think to get started in this business you would need to actually plan a few weddings (relatives, friends) for free or for very cheap so you can build up a portfolio of what you have done to show to future brides and then you would be able to say you have experience.

jessica290

Sounds like you have a foot in the door already...all wedding place venues have wait staff, so you should apply to any place that has weddings/events and work at the events....then once you start to understand the process maybe you can start to work alongside the wedding planner of that venue to help her out...

misscastle

I work in the weddings industry, though not as a planner...I would recommend trying to get a job at a hotel that has a solid weddings reputation as an assistant catering manager or something like that where you would work with brides and the wedding planners there. 

Another alternative is to get a part-time job or internship with a successful wedding planner in the area.

Rather than just asking friends or people to plan their weddings for free/cheap, you should really get a feel of the industry at first. You will be giving up your nights and weekends in many cases (though you are probably used to that being a server), and there's a TON of organization involved. A lot of people think "it would be so fun!" without thinking about the amount of work, organization, attention to detail, and time it takes. You also have to be willing to confront people in emotionally charged situations (think a drunk guest, a belligerent vendor, a scared groom, etc.), haggle with vendors for better deals for your bride, and really good with budget/finances. Plus, always have to keep an eye on the trends and the latest and greatest in weddings (but that is the fun part!)

You can PM me if you'd like to talk more...

kwitt22

I agree with MissCastle. Make sure you get a feel for the industry before you jump in. I thought being a wedding planner would be awesome. I planned a few weddings and did DOC and I hated it. It was literally awful. However I have some friends who have successful businesses and love it. I would see if any local planners need assistants or volunteer your time at a couple of weddings to see what it is REALLY like. Just bc you had fun planning your own wedding doesnt mean you will like it as a job!

Brina105

I have been trying to start a company for wedding planning for some time now. It is very difficult to obtain clients without first having experience. It is also hard to plan for relatives since you are typically also a "guest". The best thing I did was put out a few ads to say that I was hoping to build my portoflio and would do my services for less. Also, create a nice-looking website or blog, and be sure you have lots of photos. I hear people telling me that I would make an awesome event planner all the time, and I am really passionate about planning events. However... it is a lot of sacrafice, giving up nights and weekends and a lot of work in the summer too!