HOW TO BECOME A WEDDING PLANNER
The movies make it look glamorous, cue actors like Martin Short and Jennifer Lopez for putting wedding planners on the map. The pictures on social media make it look so dreamy. But have you really thought about what it takes to become a wedding planner? Would you be surprised to find out that a wedding planner (also referred to as an event coordinator) repeatedly makes the top ten most stressful jobs each year? It’s not for the faint of heart but it can be an incredible career choice if you have the stamina and gusto for it.
However the road to a successful career is a bit murky as there is no true blueprint. Unlike most professional careers out that have a regiment to follow like you get your bachelors degree, perhaps a masters, secure an internship, and work your way up. And if you follow these steps it will lead you on the path to success of your dream career. But in the event and hospitality industry it’s full of creative entrepreneurs which means the road to success is very individual.
I would never want to start a business or enter into a new industry with a title I didn’t earn. One of my biggest pet peeves about new talent is reading their bio on their website. It usually starts with “I planned my own wedding and really loved it so now I get to plan others…” In what other industry can you do something once (and of course you think it's great but really that’s subjective) and then decide you know what I’ll create a social media handle, get a website, and call myself a professional?
Now can planning your own wedding inspire and ignite an interest and passion you didn’t know existed? Absolutely! And we welcome that because it is exciting and rewarding. So as an educator and California wedding planner I want to share some insight on how you can obtain the knowledge and experience so that you can be a great wedding planner. You don’t have to do all three of these but certainly consider each and decide which one(s) will be most impactful.
#1 Work for a Restaurant, Venue, or Hotel for a full year
Why a full year? Because I want you to experience the holidays, the weekends, the nights, all of it. It doesn’t even have to be an event related job. You can learn the Front Desk at a Holiday Inn, be a server at a fine dining restaurant, a hostess, anything! If you stay long enough you might be able to move around and train in another role. This is so vital to understanding hospitality, food and beverage knowledge, and customer service.
One of my very first jobs was as a busser. When I interviewed at fifteen I didn’t even know what a busser was but I was just so excited to get my first job in the restaurant world. I learned how to carry a tray glasses filled to the brim with water, how to set them down without tipping them all over, the proper way to clear a table, how to set a table, and how to interact with customers. It was hard work being on my feet for an entire shift but it built stamina. I then moved my way up to hostess and refined my phone and people skills as I constantly had to interact with guests, some of which were not the nicest. Then I became a front of house manager and learned how to do inventory, present and pour wine, learned a few basic cocktails, and staff scheduling. Now at 18,19, and 20 I didn’t see this as “stepping stones” to my future career but looking back I realize how important these roles were. Understanding how food and beverage works, back of house operations, front of house operations will make you a stronger planner and stand out. Not to mention you become incredibly empathetic to restaurant staff as you know first hand how hard and demanding the work is.
#2 Intern with a Planner
This is something I didn’t do and to be honest I never even knew this was an option until much later on in my career. So I share this because knowledge is power and the more options you have the better. Maybe you already have a career in something unrelated to the wedding industry and you are unsure about making a career change. You like weddings, are drawn to them, but don’t know what it takes to get from point A to point Z.
Google “best wedding planners (enter city)” and reach out to a few. You’d be surprised by how many offer internships or have independent contractor work available. You get to learn on the job from some of the best in your area and get paid at the same time! It might be just the kind of exposure you need to give you that push or maybe a wake up call that you still have more to learn.
#3 Educate Yourself
If you are about to enter college or are currently in school, consider a degree in Hospitality Management. This will open your eyes to so much more outside of wedding planning and give you insight on the industry as a whole. You might find yourself drawn to some other facet of hospitality that you didn't even know about. Either way, you will always have an advancement as there is so much applicable knowledge to gain and apply in your future career.
If college is a distant memory but you still want to fine tune your skills you can study to become a Certified Wedding Planner. There are various courses and options available now but one of the longest running college accredited courses is offered at California State University East Bay online and in person. It was founded back in 1997 way before any other program existed. It is a fast-paced course that covers Event Management fundamentals, budgeting, long-range planning, vendor negotiations and contracts, insurance coverage, timeline preparation, and on-site management, key vendor services, wedding protocol, customs, and etiquette, with a special emphasis on ethnic and religious traditions, as well as same-sex weddings.
This course was eye opening to me as I already had a catering and food and beverage background. I thought I knew a thing or two about weddings and quickly realized I had a lot more to learn. It was one of the best investments in myself I ever made. Twelve years later that knowledge is such a strong component of my world and how I plan PTBW weddings is structured off that. PTBW clients value and appreciate my experience and vast knowledge and I am personally so happy to provide a level of service that matches that.
Our community is full of hard working creative professionals that love to serve their clients and create magical moments. We want to raise the bar for wedding planners by encouraging a better roadmap so that you can be knowledgeable and successful in your career.