Career In Wedding Planning

Never fear, if you have an interest in becoming a professional wedding planner, there is no shortage of information on a career in wedding planning. In fact, to say that this is a growing field is an understatement. Over the past couple of decades, this career path has captured the imagination and interest of hundreds of hard-working people who offer their services at one of life's biggest moments.

Probably the best piece of information on a career in wedding planning is this (at least according to many experts in the field): If you have the enthusiasm and the people skills, you can succeed as a wedding planner. But the first thing to do is understand just what is required of the professional planner.

A list of some key points might include:

• Enjoy working closely with people
• Enthusiasm for planning big parties is essential
• Negotiating ideas (and prices) is critical
• Mediate disagreements over details
• Arrange the small details and activities, all of them, and stay calm

The wedding planner will need some solid knowledge of the traditions and requirements of various religions, since the wedding is most certainly a faith-based event. The task of gathering information on a career in wedding planning has to involve keeping up with the industry through the many bridal and party-planning magazines, as well as through continuous networking among the residents of the community. Understanding the traditions and customs on which the society is built is very important. But so is knowing what is new, and what the bride and family will expect to make the wedding better than any other.

Another very important piece of information on a career in wedding planning: Don't expect to work "regular" hours. Most wedding planners and bridal consultants work long days, sometimes 12-14 hours when necessary. Weekends and evenings are common work times, though the downtime during the week may compensate for this somewhat. Tip: Income is generally 10 percent of the cost of the wedding.

While there is some opportunity to study in this field, many wedding planners and consultants got into the industry through something related to weddings, such as clothing or floral design, interior decorating and so on. Most experts will strongly urge market research to find out if someone else is offering the service in the area and to determine if you can build a business over time. There is a nationwide Association of Bridal Consultants that is considered the official organization of the wedding industry. This and similar organizations can help with additional information on a career in wedding planning.