How to become a Wedding Planner

Little girls all around the world dream of their wedding day and then in a blink it is over! For most, this is a relief because wedding planning can be….well….a lot. Then for others, they wish they could get married over and over because they fell in love with the details. This isn’t exactly my story, but it isn’t far from it. I always dreamed of my wedding day and had Pinterest boards galore full of coral and turquoise details – boy am I grateful I wasn’t getting married in 2010 or else that would have been my dream wedding! My love for the wedding industry began during college. I went in knowing I wanted to be an entrepreneur and then realized I have all of the essential skills that it takes to be a wedding planner. One must be extremely detail oriented, organized and a caring person to take on this role. Upon realizing that I wanted to own and run a wedding planning business I began taking the first steps necessary to make that dream a reality. Join me as I walk through those steps with you here!

1. Evaluate your skillset: As I mentioned before, my first step to becoming a wedding planner was recognizing my skill set and working on continuing to improve those skills. The most important attributes of a wedding planner that I have noticed are that they are detail oriented, organized and caring. The first two may be obvious to you but you are likely asking “where does caring come into the picture?” I will tell you. If I did not genuinely care about my clients and the success of their wedding I would be a pretty crappy wedding planner to put it simply. The wedding industry can be full of vendors who only care about the dollar amount that comes with a client. I can honestly say that I aim to create personal relationships with each of my clients which in turn enhances their experience because they know they are working with someone who will advocate for them and for their desires. When a snobby mother in law or a lazy vendor get in the way – I am here to help them navigate that situation. Wedding planning can be an emotional process because there is lots of money involved and, as I mentioned before, this is something that the bride has been waiting for for forever! It is our job as wedding planners to make sure our clients are enjoying wedding planning and feel supported throughout the entire planning process. Being detail oriented and organized will allow for a seamless process but genuinely caring about your clients will make it a seamless AND enjoyable process. This will set you apart. If you are solely looking at the price tag…look somewhere else!

1. Gain experience: The next tangible step I took was gaining experience in the industry. We all start somewhere and I started with three unpaid internships. Yeah – no money. I worked at a wedding venue, a florist and a wedding planning company. Although in the moment I felt like I wasn’t gaining a thing from sweeping the floor and organizing decor rentals I actually learned so much and I often pull from my internship experience to help me problem solve today. While I was not necessarily involved in the details that I wanted to be, I was still getting exposure to the industry as I watched countless events take place and even got to help out with some of them. I will be honest – these internships were no walk in the park. I actually had tear filled conversations with my supervisors at every. single. one. I am a very passionate person and I was so determined to succeed. While I felt like I was pouring my heart and soul into what I was doing it always seemed like I was falling short of their expectations. It was really hard for me at the time but in the same vein, it only pushed me to work harder and get better at what I do. It fueled my fire. As those conversations were happening I knew it was good for my growth. I knew that it would be those moments that I look back on and see how far I’ve come. I am so grateful for the experiences that I got and everything I gained from them. I am grateful for the people who poured into me in big and small ways during that process. They helped me to become the wedding professional I am today. If you are just getting started and you feel inadequate….just keep going 🙂

1. Speak with confidence: When I finally started my business I felt as ready as I would ever be but still had so many doubts about if I could actually do this thing. I decided I was going to start by speaking confidently about what I do and basically pretend I know what I am doing. I have found all my clients want is someone to help them make decisions when they feel lost so even if I felt a little unsure about a decision, I would share it with confidence and boldness and 9 times out of 10 they would love my suggestion! I remember the first time I was asked for my “professional opinion” and I was tempted to laugh. But then I remembered this was someones wedding day and they really did want my opinion so I held back my laughter, made a suggestion with all of the confidence I could muster and the bride was grateful. This process marks my entire first year or so of wedding planning at In the Details. Fake it til you make it if you will. It feels good to have years of experience under my belt now and to make decisions based on that but when you start you just have to go with your gut and learn from your mistakes. You will make mistakes and that is ok. The mistakes will never end actually – you are a human being after all. Get comfortable with being wrong and apologizing as this isn’t just a part of wedding planning….it is a part of life.

1. Build your Portfolio: Once you start your business it is important to begin building your portfolio so that you have content to share with your prospective clients. I did this by doing my first 3 weddings for free with the requirement that they would send me their photo galleries and leave me a review. I also hosted my first styled shoot just one month after getting my business up and running. I was SO excited for this! To host a styled shoot I typically start by creating a mood board with my design inspiration and then I begin reaching out to vendors to see if they want to participate. I always start with the venue and photographer as this is the foundation for the shoot. Then I jump head first into the nitty gritty details. At the end of the shoot you will have more vendor connections and content which is a great start to your business!

1. Stick to your guns: As you grow and evolve in your business you need something to ground you. I HIGHLY recommend determining your beliefs when you first start your business and then use that as your foundation through the entire process. For me, I know that everything I do is for Jesus. Keeping my eyes on Him throughout this process has been crucial for me. He has proven Himself faithful. Every vendor connection, dream client and employee he has brought to me is evidence that He is with me and I am walking the path He wants for me. It is so reassuring. I encourage you to figure out your “why” and write it out. Use this as your guide as you go.

Looking back at my journey has me so grateful for where I am today. I have much growing to do still and I look forward to seeing where I go in this crazy wedding world! If you are interested in learning more of the practical steps to becoming a wedding professional please reach out to me and let’s chat!