As I embark on my fifth year in the Wedding Event Industry, and second teaching part within the AACWP organization certification course, I can not help but reflect a bit. So many individuals pursue Wedding Planning as a career, and honestly all start in pretty much the same spot. So, you want to become a Wedding Planner too? Well, I am going to keep it simple here and share how I got started. If you asked me directly, this is what I what tell you:

1. Get Certified (and join your local Wedding Planners Organization.
2. Intern your little butt off, volunteer, and seek a mentor in the field.
3. Plan your friend’s and sister’s and cousin’s wedding…you get the point. Jump In!

Now, you can easily take that and run with it, or I can help explain in a little more detail! Circling back to getting certified, wouldn’t you want to be well trained by professionals with years of experience so you can be the best at what you are doing? Well, it’s a no-brainer! Becoming a part of a local organization will have multiple benefits. For the most part, you will be continuing your learning from your peers, and speakers, as well as continue to meet more and more professionals you will want to work with. This becomes such an asset to your clients later, as you will have an arsenal of talent to match them with. Have you ever not clicked with someone? It’s so very important.  Then, there is working for free, yes, you need to put in some time (we all have). With the time you put in though, ask all your questions and get to know the process of work. Make it worth your while.  You, then, will eventually know one person who is getting married that will trust you to venture into the journey of planning with them. Study up! Research the venue and vendors and become a wealth of knowledge. Play with rough drafts of things before you present them to your first client. All in all, double check and be prepared, because although you may have attended a lot of weddings, that will never make you a wedding planner!

The BIG secret of you finding out if this is the career for you or not is support. Build up your network of supporters. These can be family, friends, others you meet in the industry, and, not to mention all future clients, guests at your weddings, and new vendors you meet. Be good to people, do what you tell people you will do, and work hard. Each of these things will in turn reward you throughout your career. There have been many hard times where I have wanted to walk away from this job, but when you are in those moments it is powerful to hear from your supporters. Sometimes you may even hear someone speak negatively of you, and well all I can say there is, “If lies are said about you, live your life in a way no one would believe them.” -unknown

This is such a unique career! It is by far full of surprises, great new friends, beautiful visuals, exciting experiences, boundary pushers, and a boat load of lessons. So really, it’s kind of worth all the trouble.

Wishing you the best on your journey! There is nothing quite like it.

 

Venue Tours: Discovering the new and getting creative with others!