What Does a Wedding Planner Do?
From African Wedding Guide: "...the role of the wedding consultant is that of a facilitator, mediator, money manager, artisan and constructor of dreams." However, if you've ever been a bride, a groom, or even a bridesmaid, you also know the kind of stress involved with planning a wedding. Add to the above description, therapist, sounding board, mediator, and even punching bag, figuratively of course, when frazzled nerves come into play.Required Skills
A wedding planner must be able to remain calm in the face of adversity. Of course, he or she must be personable and, as mentioned earlier, a good negotiator. You are the mouthpiece for the bride and groom when it comes to ordering flowers, hiring a band and photographer, finding a caterer, etc. You must be able to get them the best service for the lowest price -- your reputation will depend on it. Networking is also important. Establishing good connections will help ensure that you get good deals. That's not all. Running your own business, as well as handling someone else's money, requires that you be adept at handling finances. You must also be very well organized.A wedding planner must have a good fashion sense. He or she should know about color, music, and flowers. A good knowledge of religions is also imperative, since a wedding ceremony is often a religious one. Related to this, is a knowledge of customs and traditions, which are also part of many wedding ceremonies. Plan to spend a lot of time reading the current bridal magazines, of which there are many, to keep up with the latest trends.
Earnings and Startup Costs
A wedding planner's typical fee, according to an article in iVillage, is generally 10 to 15 percent of the cost of the wedding. Another iVillage article reports on the results of a 2000 Bride's Magazine survey which states that the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $19,000, placing the consultant's earning per wedding at $1900 to $2850. According to the article, the cost of a wedding varies by region. Therefore your earnings will vary according to where you live.The iVillage article lists the following startup costs: "$2,000 and up for a computer and software, from $100 to $5,000 to market yourself via advertisements in the yellow pages and local publications and through direct-mail campaigns; $500 and up for your wardrobe." Office space doesn't have to be an issue, since about 60 to 70 percent of consultants work from homebased offices (Wedding Consultant. Entreprenuer Magazine's Startup Kits).
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Part 2: Resources
