The wedding planner will have a range of tasks from hiring the band, talking to the photographer, finding a caterer, getting low prices for things and above all be VERY well organised.
The wedding planner needs to be able to stay calm when everyone around is not.
Don’t worry if you don’t know all of the above NOW, that’s why you are doing the course.
Lesson StructureThere are 9 lessons in this course:
- Introduction: Covers the nature, scope, opportunities and options available when planning a wedding. Looks at different types of weddings, understanding ceremonies (different religions, celebrants etc), receptions and working with wedding photographers, reception centres, churches etc.
- Planning: Choosing locations, services, products to use from reception centres, rings, the church or venue, catering and flowers. Also covers themed weddings, destination weddings and off-beat weddings.
- Managing People: Handling different personalities and the role of different members of the party.
- Managing Locations: Reception, Church, Photo Shoot Location, Pre Wedding Hen/Stag Parties etc.
- Managing the Programme: Arrivals, Departures, Ceremonies, Speeches, Entertainment, Eating, Drinking, Dancing etc.
- Other Issues: Photography, Video, Flowers, Clothing, The Beautician, Invitations, Stationery, Gifts etc.
- Managing the Client: Interviewing a Client, Facilitating a Plan, Budgeting, Establishing a Contract; Management Techniques, Flow Charts, Check Lists, Schedules.
- Managing the Wedding Day: Planning for Contingencies.
- Operating a Wedding Business: Naming your business, dreaming up the plan, designing a web page. Advertising, PR, Costing Structures, Finance, Contracts, Insurance, Starting a Business, Cancellation Policies, Industry Associations, Building Relationships with Service Providers.
Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims
- Describe the nature and scope of wedding planning and the wedding industry.
- Present a client with options and facilitate key decision making for a wedding.
- Explain how to handle different personalities and the roles of different members of the bridal party.
- Select and manage the use of appropriate locations for and associated with a wedding
- Develop a programme or schedule of activities and events associated with a wedding.
- Manage those events within the time constraints of the established schedule.
- Effectively control events on the day of a wedding.
- Improve your ability to communicate with, and assist the people who have employed you to manage a wedding; to achieve a desired outcome.
- Prepare to manage a wedding day, planning for all foreseeable and significant contingencies.
- Establish and run a viable wedding planning service
What skills does a wedding planner require?
To be successful at wedding planning, you need to consider the following questions:
- Do you enjoy working with people?
- Do you enjoy planning big parties?
- Are you a good negotiator?
- Are you good at networking?
- Are you a good facilitator?
- Are you good at money management?
- Are you friendly and outgoing?
- Can you calm frazzled nerves?
- Do you know about flowers, colours, cutlery? (or can you find out about them).
- Are you able to work at weekends and evenings?
- Are you disciplined enough to work in your own home and organise yourself?
- Can you do more than one thing at once?
- Do you know about wedding traditions?
- Can you keep ahead of wedding trends – keeping up to date with bridal magazines etc?
- Do you have good fashion sense?
- Can you help create that dream wedding?