How does a wedding planner job description look like?

You can see for yourself how a job description looks like. There is no mystery in this, for there are so many wedding planner jobs available online. Usually, jobs that are available in newspapers are not very detailed, like the ones people can find online, so if you're interested in seeing a real wedding planner job description, we recommend you to go online.

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: weddings-place.com)

First of all, there are presented some details regarding the company that offers the wedding planner position. After that, there is mentioned the salary this company is ready to offer for this position. We need to say something here: in some cases, wedding planners and wedding planner assistants or interns are not paid when they are at the beginning of their career. It depends on you if you take it or leave it. Our recommendation would be to search for companies that do pay you, even if they pay you much under the usual limit. However, if the conditions sound something like this: ‘First month – not paid; then – paid’, the situation changes and you could accept the offer. Once again, it only depends on you.

After that, there are presented the responsibilities of the wedding planner, which can be divided into marketing duties, event duties, service duties, communication duties, you name it. The skills are also presented, the employer emphasizing how the future wedding planner should be.

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: weddings-place.com)

The perks are presented somewhere at the end of the wedding planner job description. The salary is mentioned one more time or it is not mentioned again, especially if it was expressed very clearly at the beginning of the job description. But besides the salary, there are some other things that a person considers, those things that are named ‘perks’. In general, a wedding planner could receive sales commissions, educational opportunities, performance bonuses and a house account, that includes the possibility of receiving food and beverage for free or of buying them for very low prices.

The responsibilities of a wedding planner

A wedding planner needs to be sociable and maintain positive and professional relationships with customers. He needs to obtain the necessary information from the couple, whose wedding he will organize, so that to ensure efficient event planning and client satisfaction.

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

It would be preferable to know how to work with a computer and Microsoft applications. If the wedding planning agency that is looking for a wedding planner needs a more skilled person, they will mention this in the job description. For example, some wedding planning companies need wedding programmers, otherwise said people that know how to develop websites and wedding apps.

A wedding planner needs to provide information to other operating departments of the company in a timely manner and to develop favorable working relationships with the superior and inferior personnel.

In most cases, the wedding planner provides sales reports and also participate at wedding fairs, where he is responsible for creating a favorable image of the wedding planning company for which he works. It is the representative of that company and he deals with promoting the organization through community involvement.

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: weddings-plaza.com)

A planner needs to monitor clients overall satisfaction, to achieve and exceed established revenue goals and to develop new prospects.

The wedding planner is also the person that negotiates contracts with the marrying couples, having the responsibility of signing the contract, once everything is settled with the couple.

The requirements of a wedding planner

If the wedding planning agency that looks for a wedding planner does not require a number of years of experience in wedding sales and planning, most likely that company offers a non-paid position, because in general, wedding planning agencies do not really like those that don't have any experience whatsoever in this field.

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: weddings-plaza.com)

So the first requirement of a future wedding planner is to have experience in wedding sales. This is not exactly the “big bad wolf”, if you have organized at least a wedding. That wedding could be your own wedding or the wedding of one of your friends. In other words, everybody can be a wedding planner, if they have organized at least one or two weddings.

Other requirements are: computer skills, ability to work on weekends and evenings (because most fairs and weddings take place on weekends and because the meetings with the happy couple are usually held in the evenings), strong general management skills (especially time management), planning skills, problem solving and delivery of results. It would be preferable to know how a diagramming program works and also to have a proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Suite (mostly Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook). The wedding planner needs to be open to travel a lot and answer his phone whenever the situation imposes it (this means in the middle of the night too).

Wedding Planner Job Description (Source: weddings-plaza.com)

A wedding planner needs to have strong communication skills and to be able to express himself in writing and verbally very good. He must have the ability to write reports and business correspondence. Strong sales and negotiation skills should be present also, as well as the ability to motivate other people.

How to apply for a wedding planning job?

At the end of a wedding planner job description, you will find details related to how to apply for that position. In most cases, if you find the ad on a jobs website, you will be able to apply simply by clicking the Submit button, present at the bottom of the page. However, in some cases, the company mentions that they consider only the applications they receive in their e-mail inbox, so you are invited to send them an e-mail at a specified address. If you are selected, you will be soon contacted and scheduled for an interview.

Starting a wedding planning business is not an easy thing if you don't have a family member doing this activity as well. So if you want to do it by yourself, without the help of a family member, you will usually spend more time doing this. Nevertheless, this should not stop you from becoming what you want, which is a wedding planner. Next we will show you what you need to start a wedding planning business.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

1. Get certified

No one likes to collaborate with unprofessionals, so the first thing you should do is to attend the classes of a wedding planning school. Nowadays, this kind of courses can be followed online as well. Here we are not talking about medical procedures, which need to be seen very clearly in a hospital or clinic, but about theoretical knowledge, which can be learned online. So make sure you get the certification you need in order to start the wedding planning business that you have always wanted.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

2. Research

This is very important for a wedding planner, just as it is for a fashion designer. For example, if you start creating long dresses when everybody wears short dresses, you will be out of the trend and this could either bring you a lot of customers (which is rarely seen) or take you out of the market.

So pay attention to the trends in the wedding industry and communicate with your customers. Sometimes, they are not interested if purple is the new black or if a lot of celebrities choose to have a chocolate fountain at their wedding. Some people don't care about what other people do and they only want to be themselves, because after all, it is their wedding they celebrate, not other people's wedding. So don't try to impose them anything and instead listen to them and talk about every potential feature that could be added to enhance the wedding.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

3. Get an office

Do you really think that people will not suspect that something is wrong with your business, if you keep asking them to meet you at the restaurant? They will suspect! They will start asking questions regarding your office and if you don't have any, they could redirect their attention to another wedding planner.

Having an office is a professional thing to do and this should be the first concern after starting up your company. This should take place even before starting to search for customers.

You don't need to buy a place where to organize your activities; you can as well as just rent the office. Make sure to make a cozy place to receive customers, since they pay a lot of attention to these small details, such as flowers, paintings on the wall, a clean desk, an expensive laptop and other things like this. Your office speaks about you, even if you want it or not. So learn how to use the office in your favor.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

4. Don't use hidden fees

Never use hidden fees, because this is considered a bad thing to do. And do you know what happens with a negative comment? You’ve got it right: it travels much faster than a positive comment. It is considered that a good word on something is passed from a person to 2-3 other people, while a negative commentary is spread to more than 10 people. So try to not use or do things that could get you negative commentaries.

Normally, a wedding planner charges 10% or 20% of the entire cost of the wedding. If you want to add some other fees to this, such as for example an additional fee for answering your phone while you are not at work, or for bringing the wedding dress from the United States of America to France, where you organize the wedding, or from Australia to New Zealand, no one stops you from doing this, but write about these fees in the contract you sign with the marrying couple.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

5. Collaborate with other wedding planners

It is much easier to have a good relationship with other people that have the same job as you, than of keeping a distance. It would be a great thing to do to join a wedding planning association. This way, you will be able to get to know some other people, that otherwise you might have never met, and also learn about the new trends in weddings, by participating at the conventions and meetings organized by that wedding planning association.

It is much easier to benefit of recognition from customers, if you are recognized by wedding planners as well. For example, if you have friends in other cities and if they meet people that want to get married in your city, they could recommend you as the best wedding planner in that city. And this could get you more customers and even more recognition. So maintain a very good relationship with other wedding planners and don't hesitate to help them as well, in return for their good faith.

Starting A Wedding Planning Business (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

6. Advertise

These days it extremely easy to advertise your business. Now you don't need to use the local papers and create all sorts of ads that could draw the attention of those buying the newspapers. All that you have to do is to use the endless possibilities offered by the Internet. Market your new wedding planning business on the Internet and create accounts on the most popular social networks. Also, participate at bridal fairs. Create a website and lay out your portfolio, showing your potential customers that you are ready to organize their dream wedding.

Not only the potential customers should be your target, but also the wedding vendors, such as florists, restaurant managers, churches, photographers, videographers, wedding dress designers and others. People like this need to know that you are in this business too and they can collaborate with you. If you don't know this kind of people as well, you may have in vain a high number of customers. So advertise in as many directions as you can, to make sure that your success will be stable and increasingly higher.

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: weddings-paradise.com)

In this article, we will present some ideas that have to be taken into consideration by those that aim to be wedding planners. We need to say that, in order to become a certified wedding planner, you need to attend the courses provided by a wedding planning school or agency, which in its turn, is authorized to provide this kind of courses.

What do you know about weddings?

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: easyweddingsonline.com)

When you decide to have a certain career or to make a change in your career, you need to put in balance your wishes and your skills. Are you really up to become a wedding planner? Alright, all of us can say that weddings are lovely, but we need to acknowledge as well that some people are not really made to be wedding planners. It is a long way from loving a certain job and having that job.

You may dream of becoming a doctor, yet if you don't have what it takes (and here we refer to theoretical knowledge and practical skills too), you will never become one. This is what happens with a wedding planning career as well. In order to become a wedding planner, you need to know what a wedding planner does. You can find out this by attending the courses provided by a wedding planning school, as we have said earlier. At that school, you will also meet wedding vendors, with which you can create long-term relationships, that will help you on the way.

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

Even if you go to a specialized school, that teaches you how to become a wedding planner, in your spare time, it would be appropriate to read some additional materials related to weddings. And also, go to as many weddings as you can. When one of your friends/relatives will invite you to his/her wedding, don't say No, as you probably did on other locations; go there, to see a wedding at its best.

How to find customers?

A wedding planner that has not organized any wedding before is most likely avoided by most couples. Let's face it, would you select a beginner? In most cases, people want their wedding planner to be young and experienced. So, if you have just completed your training, how can you find customers? A wedding planner that doesn't have clients cannot be named ‘wedding planner’.

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

One can truly become a wedding planner when he/she organizes his/her first wedding. That wedding planner can start with his/her very own wedding. Or with the wedding of a friend/family member. Make sure to take as many photos as you can and include them in your portfolio, that will show your future couples that you are good at organizing weddings. Your skills of planning a wedding will be revealed by the photos and videos you take. This is the best way to show your creativity to other people.

How to start your wedding planning career?

Starting a career is always difficult. If you don't have the money, nor the people to help you, in order to create your own business, you will end up working for someone else. This is not necessarily bad, if you know how to take the advantages out of this situation. At the beginning, it is not that recommended to start your own business, since you only have the theoretical knowledge that recommends you and probably one or two weddings that you have organized so far. By working for a wedding planning agency, you will really understand what it means to be a wedding planner and how you need to collaborate with other wedding planners to deliver a perfect wedding.

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Finding a job as a wedding planner is not difficult anymore, in an era where most couples address wedding planners for organizing their wedding. However, if you live in an area where people are less likely to be interested in wedding planners, you need to consider a relocation. And if you think of moving to other city, consider moving to a warmer location, because people like to marry in warm places, not cold.

How to start your own business?

A wedding planning agency is basically like any other company in this world; at the beginning, the efforts are considerable and the manager has few benefits. However, in time, if the company is managed correctly, this will change and the manager and his/her employees will benefit of much more advantages and their efforts will be significantly smaller.

How To Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Starting your own business should always follow a career as a wedding planner working for some company that deals in the same wedding planning field. As we have said earlier, this will help the wedding planner learn more about how to deal with people and create an excellent portfolio, that can be showed to all those future customers the wedding planner will have in the future.

If you live in the United States, learn that the US Small Business Administration agencies are always happy to help you when you want to set up your own business.

How to find wedding vendors?

If you have worked several years for a wedding planning company, probably you know already a sum of wedding vendors. Some of them could become your own wedding vendors as well. If you ask them if they are willing to collaborate with you too, they will answer affirmatively in 99% of the cases. They are always glad to find customers like you, just as you are happy to find couples that require you to organize their wedding.

If you have started your wedding planning agency, without previously working for another company activating in this field, you will have a bit of difficulty at the beginning, but if you are ambitious, this obstacle will quickly go away and you will create a strong database of wedding vendors. By having this kind of connections, you will be appreciated in the wedding planning industry and selected by many couples.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

So to put it simple, whether you want to hire an individual wedding planner or a wedding planning agency, you have to be prepared with at least $1000 for the planner. If you choose the first option, you need to be aware, because some wedding planners are not certified as wedding planners or act on their own, because they were kicked out from the companies where they have worked. It would not be wise to address a wedding planner like this. If we are talking about a very famous wedding planner, that does not have wedding planning courses, and which is highly recommended by everyone, you may consider him/her, but also take into account that he/she could charge much more than a regular wedding planner.

As you can see, there are planners which don't have a specialization in this field, yet are famous and recommended by many customers they had. The problem is that if you don't live in California or New York (where they live in general), you don't have the possibility of meeting them. These famous wedding planners collaborate with famous people; this is why how they got to be famous themselves. So if you don't have $10,000 to pay only the wedding planner, we recommend you to choose maybe the most appropriate solution: a wedding planning agency.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

By doing this, you are not completely protected by risks. Still, there are much more good things about addressing a wedding planning company than about dealing with only one planner, that works on his own. It is much more recommended to deal with a wedding planner, that in his turn, discusses with many other planners (specialized on various fields, as we have seen earlier). If you want, for example, to address a wedding planner only for organizing the wedding reception, you could hire a wedding planner specialized on restaurants. In this situation, you will take out of your pocket less than $500. The amount of money mentioned earlier ($1000) was available for that wedding planner that organizes the entire wedding.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: lh4.ggpht.com)

You need to understand that a wedding planner, once you have hired him, will not stay by your side 8 hours per day, like a regular worker does. Let's not forget that he is hired by another person (which is the manager of that wedding planning company for which he works). What the wedding planner receives from you is not a salary, but a commission. So you should not expect to see him the first thing in the morning. If you require a daily planner that will stay around you 8 hours a day, or even more, it means that your wedding needs are different and you are ready to spend a lot of money on the services provided by your wedding planner. Usually, Royal faces benefit of such treatment. If you are not very rich, probably you will discuss with your wedding planner by phone and, from time to time, you will also meet him to check details that cannot be discussed at the phone.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: bios.weddingbee.com)

A wedding planner, whether he works for himself or is hired by a wedding planning company, will charge you differently, depending on the services you require. As we have seen earlier, if you need a daily planner, you will have to pay more; also, if you want some special dishes for which the wedding planner will have to make more than one call, you will also pay more. This could go on and on; one thing is certain: if the wedding planner will not be able to provide you with a specific thing or service, he should let you know from the start, so that you could solve that problem by yourself or by addressing someone else.

We kept on speaking about individual wedding planners or companies, but we have not taken into account other type of wedding planners, which gains increasingly more popularity. We are talking about the online wedding planners. Even though ‘online’ may seem similar to ‘free’, it is a mistake to believe that online wedding planners do not charge. They have to do some legwork, discuss with all sorts of wedding vendors and obviously they need money for that. But how can you trust a wedding planner that you have never seen in your life and probably are never gonna see? Sending money to strangers on the Internet is always a mistake, so this possibility should not be taken into account, if you don't meet the wedding planner personally before starting to deal with him regarding your wedding. After checking some reviews about that specific planner, you can ‘hire’ him. The difference between a regular wedding planner and one that activates mainly online is that your type of connection with this second one will be mostly online as well.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: bios.weddingbee.com)

Another possibility of receiving advice from the Internet is to use the free wedding planning services offered by many Websites, such as this one. Instead of hiring a wedding planner, you can follow some steps, that could provide you with the wedding that you have always dreamed of. The problem in this case is that you will be your own wedding planner. But because planning a wedding requires a lot of time and because nowadays people don't really have time, this possibility of organizing your wedding by yourself, with the advice received from the Internet, will be considered mostly by people that have enough time at their disposal.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Charge (Source: bios.weddingbee.com)

As you can see, there are many ways which can be considered for organizing your wedding. To make sure that you will not pay the wedding planner’s commission, you could organize the wedding by yourself. However, to be certain that you will receive professional advice from specialized people, you will hire a wedding planner (a planner that acts on his own – freelancer or a wedding planning agency, it is your call). If you want to save some money, but still hire a wedding planner, you could also consider an online wedding planner, which costs definitely less than an “offline” planner.

Every possibility comes with advantages and disadvantages. What matters in the end for you is to be happy with the outcome. When the wedding will be over, you will feel just like mothers that have just given birth; no matter how painful the pregnancy was, there is nothing more beautiful in this world than your baby. So the point is to be satisfied with the result, no matter how much money you spent above the limit for organizing your wedding.

The beginning

Immediately after the couple has announced their engagement and contacted the wedding planner, this one can help the couple select their wedding date. In general, couples know very well what date to select, because this discussion usually takes place between them and their parents. This wedding date can be changed several times, but once the wedding planner starts to organize the wedding, having a certain date in mind, it would be preferable to not change it again, because you may upset the planner and search for another one.

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: static.w-weddingplanner.com)

Also at the beginning, the planner will have to check on his list what type of wedding the couple wants to have. This is the moment when the location, wedding theme, number of guests, time of day when the most important activities will occur, level of formality and other aspects like this are established.

How much the wedding is going to cost? The planner needs to know this, because he will deal with other people's money and you cannot lie to people regarding the expenses you have made. In other words, you cannot buy cheap decorations and say that you have paid big bucks on them and then make the difference your own. So the checklist of a planner must include the actual price of the products and services he will purchase. Some products may have different prices and if the wedding will take place a year from now, you simply cannot know for sure what will be the prices of those products at that time. Take for example flowers; they always have various prices and you don't know how the tastes of the bride will change until then. So the expenses which cannot be known with accuracy, will have to be estimated.

A year or 9 months before the event, the wedding planner decides along with the couple if they will invite children or not, he selects and reserves ceremony site, meaning church or other location where the couple would like to have their ceremony performed and he also reserves the reception location. Once you have chosen these places, make sure to not take back your word, because in general, restaurant managers and church administrators have plans of their own and it would not be appropriate to mess up their plans.

Six months until the wedding

This is for the couples that plan their wedding during an entire year. Those that decide to get married faster, could read instead of ‘six months until the wedding’, ‘three months until the wedding’. This is the moment when the wedding planner selects and books a photographer and also a videographer. It is not necessary to contact the photographer earlier than 6 months; this is the most appropriate period when a professional like this should be contacted.

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: bridalcookie.com)

The wedding planner and the couple still have plenty of time until the wedding, so they can still feel like no pressure is on them. Obviously, this does not apply to those that have only 3 months until the wedding.

If the bridal gown designer was chosen by the future bride, now it is the moment to order the dress. The groom has to follow this example and order his suit too. If they cannot do this by themselves, the wedding planner will be there for them, discussing with wedding attire designers and also with various administrators of clothing stores.

When all this is set, the planner will discuss with a live band or DJ for the wedding reception. Flowers are also taken into account at this stage of organizing the wedding, even though many couples tend to believe this is something that the wedding planner will attend only several days before the wedding. It is true, one or two days before the wedding the planner will receive the wedding flowers (if not on the wedding day precisely), but the selection and booking of a florist is done 6 months before the happy event.

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

If the couple will select to receive specific wedding gifts from their guests, this is the moment to write down a list with the products/services the couple desires. This method is more and more chosen by marrying couples, because they find it more comfortable this way. Instead of receiving 4 coffee-table sets, the couple can select to receive one and other products, such as: flower pots, interior decorations or paintings.

Two months to go

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

Another thing that many couple disconsider when organizing their wedding is to take formal pictures before the wedding. But not an hour or two before the wedding ceremony, but two months before, as you can see. It is much more appropriate to do this because on the wedding day, you will have too many things on your mind. This does not mean that you will not make photos on your wedding day too, nor that you have to wear your wedding gown/suit on this formal photo session. All you have to do is to dress with some elegant outfits and enjoy the day as much as you can. You can hire a professional photographer and take pictures all day long. They will be saved as your wedding photos. To increase the fun, you can also ask some of your guests (probably your best friends) to join you.

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

Couples may also believe that wedding decorations have to be chosen at the same time with choosing your wedding attire. This is as false as it can be, because the selection and ordering your wedding decorations is done two months before the wedding. There is no need to order them 9 months in advance, because some of them are very fragile and easy to destroy. Just think where you will keep them until the wedding, if you order them 9 months before the happy event. You will find it difficult enough to maintain your wedding dress/suit clean and unaltered.

Wedding day

Wedding Planner Check List (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

If the activities the wedding planner had to accomplish so far were many, on the wedding day, he will truly feel the pressure. From the early hours of the wedding day until the morning of the next day, the wedding planner will take care of everything. Not in vain he has worked so hard and for such a long time; the checklist of a wedding planner on the wedding day of a couple, whose wedding he has organized, contains so many activities to be checked, that it is difficult even for the planner himself to mention them all. A thing is certain; if you are a wedding planner, make sure to check this on your wedding list on the big day of a couple, whose wedding was organized by you: ‘Eat breakfast!’. This might be the first and last thing you do for yourself that day, so make sure you check it.

First steps

Usually, this discovery of the couple’s desires takes place during the first consultation with the marrying couple. This is how the planning process begins, with talks, talks and even more talks. In fact, they will never stop during the whole process.

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: weddings-paradise.com)

After determining the wishes and preferences of the happy couple, the wedding planner decides in the favor of a full wedding planning or a partial planning. The second option is chosen by those couples that want to maintain a certain level of control over planning their wedding. For example, some of them can choose to send the wedding invitations by themselves and also to select the songs that will be played at their wedding.

Also during the consultations with the couple, the wedding planner decides what services to offer and what vendors to contact. In general, couples that don't know any wedding vendors (meaning florists, officiants, bands, wedding dress designers, photographers, restaurant managers) will say they agree with what the wedding planner tells them. This can be tricky if the wedding planner wants to obtain high paychecks from the company for which he works. For example, he could recommend you only expensive vendors, especially if he sees you willing to spend a fortune on your perfect wedding day. The good thing to do in a situation like this (and also if you don't know the wedding planner personally), is to write down the planner’s suggestions and try to find more details about those vendors. After deciding upon some of them, send your wedding planner a response.

The most important aspects

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Probably for a bride, the most important activity is finding the right dress. Luckily, wedding planners of today offer brides a large selection of vendors and dress collections and can also offer professional advice. Some wedding planners are specialized on finding the right dress and if you have the luck of hiring a wedding planner specialized on something like this, you can relax, because you will indeed have the most beautiful gown at your wedding. If you don't have a planner specialized on wedding dresses, make sure that he/she will discuss with one related to this matter or he/she will present you a fashion consultant, that could help you out.

Finding the right dress is in collaboration with finding the right suit for the groom, because the couple’s outfits have to match each other. Otherwise, the overall image will be awkward.

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Another important aspect is finding the church where the couple will actually get married. If the couple does not want to get married in a church, along with the wedding planner, they will select another location, for example on top of a mountain or on a beach.

The wedding venue is the next thing that follows finding the right place to get married. Fortunately, nowadays there are tens of venues to choose from, even if you live in a small city. At this stage of planning the wedding, the wedding planner already knows what venue to choose, because this was established during the first discussions with the couple.

The coordination of set up and tear down, management of the time-line and cuing the wedding party are also other activities that take place at this level of organizing the wedding.

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: weddings-paradise.com)

Wedding planners are permanently in touch with the couple, because it is preferable to prevent planning something that the couple doesn't like than trying to undo what you have done wrong. Couples that choose their wedding planners to organize the entire wedding will have to discuss with them on a daily basis, especially before the wedding.

The small details

Not only the wedding venue, church and wedding outfits are important, but also some small details, such as the wedding favors, decorations, photo album, CD or DVD with the wedding video, flowers, the wedding cake, and other matters, such as: finding the right dresses for the bridesmaids, the right suits for the groomsmen, preserving the traditions by planning all sorts of rituals, that depend on the religion of the marrying couple, deciding if white is an appropriate color for other guests to wear at the wedding and many others.

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

The wedding planner has to discuss not only with the couple, but also with their guests. For example, if the bride does not want to see any other girl/woman dressed in white, a wedding dressing code is in order. This one can be written on the wedding invitation, to make sure that everyone will get your message.

The main event has to run smoothly and every little detail has to be taken care of. A wedding planner is a sort of a God during the wedding day. He/she has plenty of eyes (represented by his/her assistants) and does everything in order to make sure the couple’s best laid plans are carried out as discussed.

The big day

On a wedding day, the wedding planner wears many hats. He/she will be the representative of all those vendors with which he/she has discussed before the happy event. He/she will also be the weather decision maker, problem solver, timeline keeper and the couple’s personal assistant.

What Do Wedding Planners Do (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

A wedding planner has to take fast decisions that in some situations are vital. For example, if the main vocalist of the band is not able to make it, the wedding planner has to rapidly make some calls and replace that artist with another one.

After seeing how many activities a wedding planner has to attend, it is understandable that when you ask a planner: ‘What exactly do you do for living?’, you don't get a straight answer.

However, we don't have to consider that women are not good candidates for a wedding planner job. A woman that wants to be a wedding planner can specialize for example on flowers; everybody knows that women know much better this field, not mentioning the colors of the flowers, which represent a total mystery to men.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Today, a wedding planner can specialize on a certain field, not like in the past, when the future wedding planner had to know everything related to the organization of a wedding: wedding invitations, bridal dress, groom’s suit, wedding theme, cake, songs, band, photography, wedding favors, decorations, priests or pastors, ring designers and so many others. Nowadays, a wedding planner has to have an idea over all those that were mentioned earlier, but he/she can specialize on something that he/she wishes. But for this, that wedding planner will have to collaborate permanently with the rest of his/her colleagues, to deliver the perfect wedding.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

In general, when you address a wedding planner that activates on his own, he will recommend you only some wedding vendors, the ones with which he works as well. This is not that good, because you will have just a few options and all those options will come from a single person. If you will collaborate with a wedding planning agency, you will see the difference. For example, a wedding planner that is specialized on finding the right restaurant could suggest as wedding theme, the blue theme. The planner specialized on flowers will say that it is impossible to find blue flowers in November and he will try to change the theme of the wedding, let's say to a wintery theme (obviously with the couple's approval). The point is that when more people discuss about the same matter, the overall result will be better.

So if you want to have a career as a wedding planner, after obtaining your authorization or certificate as a planner, start hiring some assistants. They do not have to work for a monthly salary, because if you don't obtain revenues, you don't have anything to offer them. They can work for a certain commission, every time a couple decides to hire you as their wedding planning agency.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

An authorization as a wedding planner can be obtained very quickly, if you are ambitious and learn everything you find related to planning weddings. A good source of information is represented by the Web, so read all the articles you find on specialized Websites and also visit Websites of wedding planning agencies. After that, you can attend some online courses offered by an actual wedding planning company. Just make sure to not attend those courses in vain, so before applying, check if the company can offer authorizations for the wedding planners they have taught. Some planning companies even offer you a temporary job in their agency, if you have obtained high grades. This can be of true help, especially if you really want to become a wedding planner. Before going on your own, it would be preferable to see what a wedding planner actually means, but inside of a specialized company like this one.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

If you want to skip attending the online courses offered by a wedding planning company, you can simply apply for the possibility of taking an exam as a wedding planner. In general, this possibility is offered only in the real world, if we can say this, meaning not on the Internet. So search for companies that offer various authorizations in your city and pass that exam.

During the courses and also by discussing with professional wedding planners, you will see that you need to create a plan that can work with virtually any couple that wants to hire you for organizing their wedding. In time, you will see that the plan will have slight changes, but it will prove to be efficient every time. In general, a wedding planner list is provided by professional software, that can be bought any time during your professional career as a wedding planner. If you have the money, you can buy the software at the beginning, because you will understand some things better simply by using that software.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

Some wedding planning software programs are available for free too, only that we don't recommend you to download those software, because you don't know what viruses, malware or spyware programs you install on your computer.

The software contains all sorts of information regarding the discussions between the wedding planner and the marrying couple. For example, it may contain the questions asked by the planner regarding the wedding theme: ‘What is your favorite color?’, ‘Would you like to have animators at your wedding?’, ‘How many guests do know for sure will come to the wedding?’, ‘Are these wedding decorations suitable for your desires?’ and many others. If you don't have a software of this kind, you can simply write down this question in a notebook, that you will carry with you anywhere you will be appointed.

Become Wedding Planner (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

At the beginning, that notebook will not contain so many information, but in time, you will see that all sorts of data, balances, calculations, shapes of wedding cakes and gowns, costs of products, ways to save money and many more will be included in the notebook. A good wedding planner does not even have to use a professional wedding planning software, because he/she can create that software by himself/herself.

In the end, we want to recommend all those that want to choose this as a profession, to not let themselves down by the words of some people, telling them that they will never succeed. It doesn't matter if you don't have connections at the beginning, because if you will prove to be hard-working and trustworthy, wedding vendors will come to you and you will not have to search for them, so don't think of these things, or at least not before becoming a certified wedding planner.

The job of a wedding planner is to create your perfect wedding. He/she can deal with whatever you want; this means that you can keep some of the tasks for yourself. Some couples prefer to organize the wedding ceremony and reception by themselves and leave the wedding planner find the wedding dress or suit, send the wedding invitations, come up with a wedding theme, choose the bridesmaids dresses and groomsmen suits, choose the songs that will be played at the wedding party and others. Even when organizing a wedding ceremony, the activities can be divided. For example, the church can be found by the wedding planner and the decorations, which will be placed all over the church, can be created by the bride herself, if she wants to get so involved in organizing the wedding.

Wedding Planning List (Source: weddings-paradise.com)

But let's go back to the wedding planner and imagine that he/she is supposed to organize the entire wedding for a couple that does not have enough time to perform all these tasks by themselves. Obviously, at the beginning, there will be a discussion between the marrying couple and the wedding planner (if not more discussions), to establish very clearly what is the idea the couple has related to their future wedding. The wedding planner must not suggest anything at the beginning, but only listen to the thoughts of the happy couple.

Wedding Planning List (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Everyone knows that on the list of a wedding planner are written activities like: finding the right wedding dress, suit, preparing the wedding ceremony and reception, sending the wedding invitations, arranging everything to be perfect for those guests coming from other cities, solving problems that can occur with transportation, dealing with all sorts of wedding vendors and offering excellent advice to the marrying couple. But few people know that the wedding planner is the one that prepares the wedding vows as well, if the bride and groom do not feel talented for this and also creates beautiful and inspiring gathering words, that the minister/officiant will say at the beginning of the ceremony. Also, the blessings the minister says at the end of the wedding ceremony can be suggested by the wedding planner. To make the moment unique, the wedding planner can suggest some rhymed blessings, as long as the minister agrees.

Wedding Planning List (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

When the groom and bride join hands and share vows, they can also do what their wedding planner has told them, which is to promise one to another that they will always cherish the love they have now and make everything possible to nurture this love forever. An interesting idea for a wedding vow that a wedding planner can suggest is: ‘When I first saw you, my heart stopped…’. Or: ‘All I ask of you is to let my love surround you forever’.

When the rings are brought by the ring bearer, the officiant usually says a few words, in general thought by himself. Well, to make the wedding special, the wedding planner can ask the minister to say this, for example: ‘Rings remind us of the power love has’ or ‘Bride and Groom, may these rings be cherished forever, as they symbolize the most precious asset you have: your love’.

Wedding Planning List (Source: weddings-paradise.com)

You don't have to feel overwhelmed with planning a wedding and address a wedding planner immediately. Don't be afraid that you will not have money to pay him/her, because organizing a wedding by yourself is going to cost you a lot more, especially if you want to organize your wedding in a location that is not very familiar to you. This happens especially when couples decide to have a destination wedding. So choose a wedding planner no matter what, even if you have the time to organize the wedding by yourself. The advice provided by a planner like this will be always received very well, because it comes from a professional that organizes weddings for many years. Now how many years do you have in organizing weddings?

A planner is always dedicated to quality. He/she will combine professional photography/videography services with find wedding advice and smart planning. A wedding organized properly will be always something to think about with tremendous pleasure, especially when the problems that normally occur in a marriage can take you down for a bit. The wedding is something that you will take with you forever, this is why choosing the best wedding planner is a must.

Wedding Planning List (Source: beautyandthegroom.com)

Since we have spoken about the wedding ceremony and the list of activities the wedding planner may consider when organizing this part of the wedding, we also need to mention another important event that usually takes place after the wedding ceremony. This is: shooting photos for the wedding album.

Wedding Planning List (Source: wedding-splendor.com)

Obviously, photos will be taken during the entire wedding, but the professional photo session usually takes place after the wedding ceremony, as we have already said. Still, a fresh wedding planner will suggest the happy couple to take those photos before the ceremony. The photo session is an important event at a wedding, this is why the wedding planner has to be asked when it is the right moment to take photos at that particular wedding that he/she organizes. Some weddings, depending on their location, can have a photo session before the wedding ceremony, and also after. Other weddings, for which the couple does not want to spend thousands of dollars in addition just for making some photos, will have only a photo session.

The wedding planner deals with many tasks and has to be prepared for any problems that may interfere. He/she has to prevent that problem, because it is much easier to prevent a problem, not to deal with it, once it appears. To make sure that the wedding will take place as planned, not only the wedding planner has to fulfill his/her duties, but also the couple and the rest of the people involved in organizing that wedding, such as the restaurant manager, the wedding officiant, ring bearer, bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents of the groom and bride and of course the couple itself. So if something goes a bit out of plan, the couple must not blame the wedding planner, because the fault is definitely not his/her. Or not entirely. Unexpected things do happen, this is why we have to keep a smile on our face and look at them as being just little and innocent issues. The grandeur of an event like a wedding must not be eclipsed by a tiny matter.

First of all, you need to have an excellent time management, because you will have to face tight deadlines, discuss with all sorts of people, more or less friendly, collaborate as good as you can with a couple that has hired you for organizing their wedding and and also accomplish so many other duties.

Wedding Planner List (Source: weddings-place.com)

Secondly, a wedding planner will encounter through the process of organizing a wedding follow-ups that need to be executed as scheduled. It depends on the bride and groom to select what part of the wedding will be organized by the wedding planner and what part, by themselves. If the couple decides to let the wedding planner organize the whole wedding, it would be easier for the wedding planner, because he/she will take all the decisions based on a specific wedding theme. If the planner organizes only the wedding reception and the couple deals with organizing the wedding ceremony at the church, the overall image of the wedding might not be the one as planned by the couple, because there are always misunderstandings in communication. For example, the couple may decide to use purple as their wedding’s main color. If the color is not identical at the church and also at the restaurant, the impression the guests will have over the entire wedding is going to be a bit confused and this is normal, since the reception was organized by a person and the wedding ceremony, by other people.

Responsibilities of a wedding planner

It depends very much on the culture and traditions of every happy couple that decides to hire a wedding planner, but in general the list with responsibilities of a wedding planner must contain the followings.

For starter, the wedding planner has to discuss with the couple regarding the part that the couple wants the planner to organize; that part may be represented by the wedding reception, as we have said earlier, by finding the proper restaurant in a specific area, by taking care of the wedding theme and all related to it and so on.

Wedding Planner List (Source: weddings-place.com)

Then, the planner has to come up with a plan and show that plan to the couple. In general this type of plan is ready in about a week after the meeting between the wedding planner and the couple. It is important the wedding planner sticks to the plan, because otherwise he/she may destroy the image created by the wedding planning company for which the planner works.

The wedding planner needs to know that he/she will sign a contract or agreement with the couple and all operations regarding the wedding must be performed within a specified time limit. If the planner fails to deliver what was specified in the contract, he/she may even lose their job, not mentioning spoiling the company’s image, a shortcoming already named.

Wedding Planner List (Source: weddings-place.com)

The list with responsibilities of a wedding planner starts with sending the wedding invitations. The planner needs to give the couple a chance to choose their preferred wedding invitations and then he/she will send them to the addresses provided by the couple. They have to be sent out 4-5 months before the wedding date.

After this, the planner has to book a certain restaurant, but only after discussing this matter with the couple. This booking activity involves many other smaller operations, like for example choosing the wedding menu, organizing the tables, selecting a specific wedding theme, wedding decorations, color, band, master of ceremony and others.

Wedding Planner List (Source: wedding-beauty.com)

Wedding planners have to understand that time is of the essence and if they do not work together with other planners, specialized on wedding songs, foods, outfits, they will not deliver a perfect wedding. This is why couples need to address a wedding planning company or if they prefer to pay a lower amount of money and work with an individual, which is a certified wedding planner, they need to ask him/her if he/she works on its own or helped by an assistant or maybe more. A person, even if it's very prepared and has attended many courses regarding how to plan a wedding, cannot organize a perfect wedding working on its own, but only collaborating with other people.

Responsibilities of the couple

Not only the wedding planner has a list with To Do’s, but also the couple and the first responsibility is to hire a wedding planning company, not a wedding planner that works individually. Or if they do select the second option, they have to be sure that the person works with many other wedding planners, in its turn, as we have already said.

The other responsibility is to have the perfect wedding in mind, because the wedding planner simply cannot provide that perfection, if the couple is not open to receive it. For example, for the wedding planner a perfect wedding would be one where pink clouds are placed all over the restaurant. Still, the couple may find this childish and they could dislike very much this idea. So the couple needs to know very well what to ask, so that they will not be surprised by the outcome.

Wedding Planner List (Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com)

Another responsibility is to stay true to whatever you have said at the beginning, in your first meetings with the wedding planner. A wedding planner will start organizing your wedding based on what ideas you have implemented in his/her mind, thus changing your ideas would be unprofessionally. Just imagine that you have already decided to organize a purple wedding; the wedding gown will be purple, the groom will also wear purple accessories, the tables at restaurants will enjoy purple decorations, the church will benefit of purple flowers and so on.

Wedding Planner List (Source: weddings-place.com)

You simply cannot change the color of the wedding 2-3 weeks before the wedding, where all the arrangements have been already established and all the decorations, wedding dress, accessories, bought. So make sure you know what you want for your wedding, because after all, you are the brain behind all this, not the wedding planner. You are the one organizing the wedding as you want; what the wedding planner does is to only execute your instructions.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com)

California is a state in the US that includes many large cities, which in their turn, include various little towns, as famous as the city in which they are included. This is the case of Los Angeles, that integrates Hollywood and Beverly Hills, small regions in LA, yet very popular and which attract thousands of tourists each month. Besides LA, in California there are also: San Diego, San Jose, Anaheim, Sacramento, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland, Bakersfield and Long Beach.

In this state, many wedding planners offer their services, so finding one is a tough job in itself. If you don't have enough money to address a wedding consultant that is ready to provide you with a list with the best wedding planners in California, you can simply read this article, because you will discover what are the best wedding planning companies in this state. And this, for free.

Bluebell Events

This is a company that activates in West Hollywood, CA 90046. This is an international, destination, wedding and event planning company, according to the description of the company itself. But not only Bluebell Events itself has good things to say about the wedding planners working there; also, customers and some prestigious organizations have fine words to say about them. These organizations offer awards to the most important wedding planning companies in the US and Bluebell has received several awards of this kind.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com)

Information about prices of the events organized by this company can be found on BluebellEvents.com. There you will see that this company organizes more than just weddings in California, but also other types of parties and events, such as birthdays, summer parties, garden parties and celebrations of all kinds. If we refer to children, they benefit of a special offer from this company: birthdays with dinosaurs, fairytale baby showers, showers for twins and pixies and pirates-themed parties.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com)

In terms of weddings, Bluebell Events is dedicated to create the wedding of your dreams. Wedding planners working for this company adapt to your unique needs and help you plan the entire wedding, if you want, from finding the perfect location, invitations, to receiving the best photography and videography services in California. Bluebell Events has connection with the finest vendors in this state and they can accommodate your budget and tastes easily. Whether you want to organize a destination wedding, an international wedding or why not, a wedding in your own backyard, this company will create the perfect event for you.

Master Plans Events

Another popular wedding planning company in California is Master Plans Events, which has its headquarters in Torrance, CA 90505. This company offers full services for organizing weddings and other events, personalized on everyone's personality and vision. Coordination provided by these professional wedding planners is available with decorations offered by the company itself or without the package that comes with decorations as well. It is recommended to choose the first package, because all floral and decor services are offered by the company itself, not by a vendor with which the wedding planning company collaborates, and because these decorations will surely create a memorable event.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com)

Since you address a single company to provide you with wedding decorations, you will pay a low amount of money, because there are no intermediaries. So this company is the best choice for those couples that want to be surrounded by flowers as their wedding.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 4.bp.blogspot.com)

Another white ball for Master Plans Events is represented by the fact they offer free consultations regarding flowers and also the sample arrangements provided by this company are offered for free. In terms of services, Master Plans Events offer breakdown, delivery and setup services. Besides floral arrangements, the company can provide you with anything you request, as long as the wedding planners working for this company can find or get what you have suggested. Usual non-floral decorations refer to candelabras, columns, arches and canopies.

More information about the services provided by this company on master-plans.com. If you are not convinced yet to choose this wedding planning company, visiting the site will definitely convince you.

Divine Diva Events Inc

This is a company that organizes events, which are touched by a diva style. Its headquarters are located in Beverly Hills, at 9903 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 635, 90212.

This company represents sophistication, elegance and style, and the wedding planners working for it are specialized in creating events tailored to the desires of those that hire them. Wedding planners can envision your dreams and execute everything to your satisfaction. The work will be theirs, the event will be yours.

Wedding Planner California (Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com)

Just like the companies before, this company accepts payment with cash, check, PayPal and credit or debit cards issued by MasterCard, Visa and AMEX. More info about the payment, but also the services provided by this company on divinedivaevents.com.

Wedding Planner California (Source: romanticforbrides.com)

For example, if we refer to their wedding packages, we have to say they are these ones: diva’s special event, diva's premier, diva for the day and diva à la carte. All of them are detailed on a separate page, which can be accessed immediately after accessing the aforementioned site. If we discuss about the first package, for instance, we need to say that it includes, among others: an hour free consultation to discuss the details of the future event, which will be planned by the company, 3 additional face-to-face meetings to discuss more details regarding that event, selection of vendors, floral and decor arrangements, seating diagrams, audio-visual equipment arrangements and many others.

Whether you want a simplified service or a very complex one, these companies can deliver. All companies named earlier and many others recommend the marrying couples to address a company like this at least 3 months before the event, to make sure that the company will have enough time to organize everything perfectly. If you already have selected the vendors with which you would like to collaborate, it is alright if you address a wedding planner 2 months before the wedding. Still, if you don't want to organize the wedding in a hurry, take enough time to settle everything at a normal pace.