Wedding Planners
Career summary
Wedding planners help couples organize and coordinate the events of their wedding day.Wedding planners work closely with the bride and groom, as well as their families. They talk to the bride and groom to learn about the couple's personal tastes and their vision for the wedding.
Planners network with many people during the wedding planning process, including:
- Dress designers
- Photographers
- Florists
- Wedding cake bakeries
- Caterers
- DJs
Planners help the bride and groom set a budget and locate services that meet their budget. They review contract offers from vendors and explain the contracts to the couple.
Wedding planners are usually involved in more than one wedding at a time. Throughout the planning process, they stay in touch with engaged couples and vendors. They document revisions to wedding plans to make sure all parties know of any changes. On the wedding day, planners are present to oversee the delivery of the services.
Wedding planners spend time promoting their business. They work to recruit new clients with brochures and business cards.
Wedding planners are also known as wedding consultants or wedding coordinators.
Related careers
This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.
Related careers include:
Education and training
Educational programs
The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.
Programs of study to consider
- Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
- Floral Design
- Hospitality Management
- Interior Design
- Marketing
- Meeting and Event Planning
- Project Management
Training
To work as a wedding planner, you typically need to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
- complete a training course or gain planning experience in another field.
Education after high school
Formal training opportunities for wedding planners are rare. Some training courses are available through bridal associations. A small number of planners receive training by working as an assistant for an established wedding planner.
Work experience
Many wedding planners receive their training in another field. They become wedding planners only after getting experience in that area. Common areas of study and work are hospitality, decorating, and event planning.
Helpful high school courses
You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements . You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:
- Art
- Computer Fundamentals
- Hospitality
- Interior Design
- Public Speaking
Many wedding planners are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:
- Accounting
- Entrepreneurship
- Introduction to Business
The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.
Things to know
- Wedding planners often attend bridal fairs to meet with brides-to-be. For wedding planners who are new to the profession, these fairs are a valuable resource for finding their first customers. They also offer an opportunity to network with wedding vendors.
- Good writing and communication skills are important. Planners typically spend a great deal of time on the phone and on the computer, reading and sending e-mail. Wedding planners need a computer with Internet access and a fax machine. A personal digital assistant (PDA) and cell phone are useful for keeping in contact with clients when not at home or in the office.
- A wedding planner's business cards, brochures, and other marketing materials must be attractive and look professional.
- Planners need a nice wardrobe with a range of outfits. They attend all kinds of functions, from business meetings to simple outdoor weddings to formal, black-tie events.
- A wedding planner's hours and earnings depend on the budget of the weddings they plan. In general, their fee is 10-15 percent of the wedding's total cost.
- Wedding planners are normally busiest in the late spring and summer months. Most weddings happen in June, because in many areas this is the first month of consistently pleasant weather. In general, there are fewer weddings in the fall and winter. However, planners remain busy year round with marketing, promoting, bookkeeping, and planning for future events.
- Most wedding planners are self-employed. However, some inns, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and gardens that are popular for weddings have an "in-house" wedding coordinator. In many cases, in-house coordinators are not involved in all aspects of planning. They generally focus on the services provided by their employer.
Other resources
PO Box 5598
Sacramento, CA 95817
916.392.5000
Association of Bridal Consultants
632 Federal Road, Ste 2
Brookfield, CT 06804
860.355.7000
Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants
Event Planners Association (EPA)
1001 North Fairfax Street, Suite 201
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.336.4743
703.836.8700
The National Association of Wedding Professionals
561.723.3620
US Small Business Administration
Seattle District Office
2401 Fourth Avenue, Suite 450
Seattle, WA 98121
206.553.7310
References
Career cluster
Career path
- Enterprising (Business Communications)
DOT occupation
COPSystem
- Service Skilled