Wedding Planning Tips, Your Event Career

How to Become a Wedding Planner in 90 Days

The race is on – you’re ready to embark on a new, exciting career path and you want to get started ASAP. But there might be a few obstacles in your way…

For instance, how do you learn so much about a new field in just a matter of weeks or months? And how can you get your name out there when you have little to no experience? There are a million questions running through your mind, and they might be keeping you from kicking off your wedding planning career.

Never fear – QC is here! Follow this guide on how to learn the ins-and-outs of wedding planning in 90 days, and your new wedding business will be booming in no time!

Get Educated

First and foremost, you need to learn how to actually plan weddings. You may have some experience under your belt from your own wedding, or from being in a bridal party – and this is great news. You won’t be going in completely blindfolded!

You will, however, be diving in headfirst. Whether you’re going to keep your current job as you study, or are planning to put all your effort into this new career, you need to set aside time to learn about the industry. Do your research to find the type of event planning course you’re interested in. Find what you’re passionate about, and run with it!

You might have a knack for event and wedding décor, or you’ve always enjoyed working with high-end customers. Whatever your preference, we can guarantee there’s a wedding course for that! Or, for a general education on becoming a wedding planner, take a comprehensive event and wedding course. It will teach you everything you need to know about how to plan events, how to work with vendors and clients, how to build a business, and much more!

Once you’ve started learning, you can create a schedule to set aside time to study and practice your skills. Knowing how to deal with every aspect of a wedding will keep you on the ball when you find your first clients.

Find Inspiration

Starting any new career can be a lot to tackle, so it’s important to remember why you’re doing it! Keeping your passion alive will help you thrive as a wedding planner. Once you know what inspires you, stick with it and start creating your own wedding designs.

Follow blogs, magazines, and social media accounts, read books, and keep up with new wedding trends! You want to be in style and ready to tackle anything your clients throw at you. Learn what comes naturally to you and incorporate new ideas into your event designs.

Not only will this help you learn about what skills you are great at and where you need to improve, it also helps build a professional portfolio. Every wedding planner knows that a solid portfolio is the key to landing those contracts – it’s never too early to start!

You’re going to be constantly updating your portfolio as you land weddings and gain experience, so don’t stress too much if you don’t have much to show. Create a styled shoot, use photos from your wedding planning assignments, and include any templates you’ve created for your business so far.

Showing you’re moving forward in your career is how you’ll start to get ahead.

Gain Experience

We know how hard it is to break into the industry, but you’ll have to accept the challenges that come with a new job. There’s a difference, though, between simply accepting a problem and fixing one.

You’re going to run into road blocks when you try to land your very first wedding. After all, most clients look for planners who have experience working on real weddings. So what can you do?

Reach out to other wedding planners in your area. If you are willing to volunteer your time during a wedding, it can be a huge benefit to both you and the other planner! You’re providing them with a second set of hands, and they’ll be showing you the ropes of the wedding planning process. If you’re able to shadow another planner or a vendor for a few events, you’ll learn so much about how weddings are put together – and everything involved!

Get Online

One of the best things for any business nowadays is an active, online presence. First, start with your website. Create a professional website for your business (with a professional name) and include all of your services and contact information. Building a website can be time consuming, but it will pay off in the long run!

It doesn’t need to be complex, either. As long as it looks appealing and is user-friendly, you’ll be good to go! As with your portfolio, you’ll always be updating your website to add information, photos, and experience.

Don’t forget about social media! It’s the way of the world now, and Facebook is where most people go to check out a business. Especially when someone is looking for a wedding planner, they like to be referred or read great reviews. You might not have client reviews to start, but your family and friends can help share your page and get your business off the ground!

Once you’ve worked on a few weddings, be sure to showcase your wedding designs on both your website and social media. Instagram is a fantastic place to show off your table settings and floral designs! Weddings are about aesthetic – clients want to see what you can do.

No matter how long it takes you, go after the career you’re passionate about. Doing what you love gives you a fulfilling life, and breaking into the wedding industry is just as exciting as it is nerve wracking!

Interested in working with high-end clients? Check out these 4 luxury event planning jobs you didn’t know existed!

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