From the Experts, Wedding Planning Tips, Your Event Career
How to Start a Wedding Business in 2021
Want to know how to start a wedding business in the New Year? Amira Harris is here to help! The proud owner and destination wedding specialist of Aisle Travel™, Amira is one of QC Event School’s leading tutors for the Destination Wedding Planning Course. Based in Calgary, Alberta Canada, her business provides Canadian couples with full group travel services, destination wedding planning, and customized wedding group experiences.
With the year coming to an end, it’s always an optimal time to look forward to the New Year and put some goals in place. After all, a new year means a fresh start! So, why not take the opportunity to pursue a new career path or start a wedding planning business?
This past year has been extremely difficult for all of us, with lots of ups and downs. (Let’s be real – there were way more downs.) I think it’s time to get excited again! Get the creative juices flowing and have something to look forward to. We all need some good news; to find our passion in both our personal and business life.
Today, I will share some steps to get you moving and motivated!
How to Start a Wedding Business in 6 Easy Steps
1 – Know Your Services
What types of services do you want your wedding business to offer?
The most common are wedding planning and month-of coordination. I find that offering just a few services initially is great in the beginning. That way, you can master those first, before adding additional, more intricate services to your business. With experience, you can also offer design and custom wedding consulting.
When determining your services, don’t forget about pricing! Your services can be priced a la carte, as a percentage, or even as a package (based on the number of attendees). The great thing is that with time, you’ll be able to better decide what works best for your wedding business and what you want to offer.
2 – Get Professionally Trained
When it comes to starting a wedding business, earning a professional certification and getting properly trained is a MUST. Having a reputable education – especially specialized – sets you apart from your competition. One great avenue is the online training provided by QC Event School! QC allows you to learn at your own pace and time, which is extremely helpful during the start-up phase of your wedding business.
With the ever-changing industry, we need to always stay current for our clients. That means taking courses, participating in training, or attending webinars. All of these avenues will help you put your best foot forward. I believe education is an investment! Personally, I love to learn new things and want to offer more value to my clients. So, courses are always something I make time to do. This has especially been the case this year, when I’ve had to pivot my business and offer more customized services thanks to the pandemic.
3 – Make a Business Plan
This task can be daunting and very time-consuming, but it’s so important to do. If you don’t have any prior experience, don’t worry – you don’t have to start a business plan from scratch. These days, there are so many templates available online that can walk you through the process.
While putting your business plan together, start thinking about business names, your offerings, and your finances. Initially, nothing needs to be firm when putting your ideas together. You can finalize it once you have a clear direction on your target market and ideal clientele.
4 – Think About Marketing and Advertising
Technically, these are components of your business plan. However, I also like to think of marketing and advertising as a separate entity. You’ll need to consider everything; from a website for your new wedding business, to digital advertising, and all the elements in-between. Putting time and effort into your marketing strategies ensures that you’ll reach your ideal client – or an even larger, untapped market that previously wasn’t possible.
Marketing and advertising allows you to expand your following and online presence. So, use this time to get creative!
5 – Figure Out Your Finances
Unless you have a money tree growing in your backyard, you’re going to have to figure out your finances for this start-up endeavor. To start a wedding business, you can do it economically, but you’ll need to determine how much money you’ll need initially.
You’ll also need to consider where you plan on investing it. Will you spend money on the creation of your website? Will you invest in a lawyer for your contracts? How about advertising?
You can approach your start-up in baby steps, so you’re not spending all of your finances right away. Do your research and put a budget together for your wedding business so you stay on track.
6 – Establish Your Brand
If you want to know how to start a wedding business, remember this very important piece of advice: while the journey is meant to be exciting, there’s also a lot of work involved. One such task you’ll need to focus on is establishing your niche and brand.
If your niche is organizing mountain weddings or planning small elopements, it’s important that you find a way to portray that in ALL aspects of your business. A brand isn’t just a logo. It consists of visual elements (i.e. design, typography, and color), as well as the tone and voice of your brand (i.e. your website, marketing, and advertising copy). To get some ideas of brands, Pinterest is a great place to start your research!
These are only a small portion of tips on how to start a wedding business, as well as things to consider in the early stages of your start-up. My hope is that these you’ll walk away motivated, inspired, and with something to look forward to in 2021.
Stay safe, happy holidays, and happy New Year!
