by Karen Sagle, WPICC, GWC of When Sparks Fly Wedding & Events
Recently I’ve been contacted by a number of different brides who have planned their weddings and then considered getting into wedding planning themselves. While it may be a great idea for some, it’s not the right fit for everyone. Here are some things I tell them:
Planning someone else’s wedding isn’t the same as planning yours. You don’t always get a say in the style or the design of the wedding, and it isn’t always the same taste as yours. You have to be able to work just as hard on a wedding that you love as you would on a wedding that isn’t styled in a way that you like.
It’s not an easy business to get into. I had one bride tell me that she was planning to quit her job and become a wedding planner full time, right off the bat! There are a TON of small wedding planning businesses, and it takes time to build a client base. In most businesses, your goal is to find clients and retain them, but in the wedding business you’re constantly looking for new clients as (you hope!) you’ll probably never have the same clients twice. It takes time to build a portfolio and gain the contacts you need, and this is usually done on the side of another job, at least for a while. That often means you’re working full time during the day and then on this business in the evenings and weekends. Even then, there are very few wedding planners who do this full time. On average, for a day-of coordination (which are typically the bulk of your business) most planners charge somewhere between $900 and 1200. Once your business is established, you’ll be more likely to get bigger contracts and the luxury market, while small, can be more lucrative. But in the beginning at least, even if you work on a wedding every single Saturday of the year (which is unlikely), you would still only make about $50,000 and this isn’t even taking into account all the expenses you will have, like marketing, supplies, etc.
It’s not all glamorous, (read real wedding planner tales here) and it’s not the same as the Jennifer Lopez movie! (Hahaha – an actual common misconception!) Weddings are intense business. When it’s your wedding, it can be a lot of fun and you get to do with it whatever you want! When it’s someone else’s, you hold the responsibility for one of the most important days in someone else’s life and it’s your job to make sure it’s perfect. Wedding days are long (usually 10-14 hours) and hectic and often involve getting your hands dirty. You frequently deal with people who are very stressed and anxious and you often have to play the mediator between multiple people who don’t see eye to eye.
You need credentials! Just deciding to become a wedding planner isn’t enough. I have a graduate certificate in Event Management, and I’m certified by the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada, as well as by the 14 Stories Gay Weddings Institute, and I’m planning on taking others as well! There are lots of certifications and conferences out there that will really further your knowledge and your credibility, but they’re not cheap – they are in investment! Make sure it’s something you really want to do before you jump in and spend lots of money.
These warnings aren’t meant to scare my brides away from wedding planning, but more so to give a reality check to some who think it’s all luxurious and easy. Ask any Wedding Planner out there – ITS NOT! Having said all that…. I LOVE being a wedding planner. I love working with people on the happiest days of their lives, and I thrive under the stress and the pressure. No 2 weddings are ever the same, and I love that. I love pulling together someone’s vision and seeing how excited they get when they walk in and see it. I love the craziness of running around to make sure everything gets done properly and I’m the type of person who works well with deadlines and pressure. I’m good with logistics and budgets, and I can think on my feet and come up with quick solutions.
If you’re willing to put in the work, wedding planning can be an awesome career path! Just make sure you know what you’re getting into so that if you do decide to go ahead, you’ll be well informed and ready to rock it!
Karen Sagle is the owner of When Sparks Fly Weddings & Events, a wedding and event planning company based in Ottawa, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University, an Event Management graduate certificate from Algonquin College and is certified by the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada and the 14 Stories Gay Wedding Institute. Karen is also a competitive curler and loves playing sports, travelling and spending time with family and friends.
Thanks so much for this post!
I have actually enrolled into Event Management at Humber College and I start tomorrow. Eeek!
This post just gave me that extra inspiration and a bit of excitement about it all. I was beginning to feel a little nervous.
Thanks again. 🙂
very good advice!
I do feel wedding business is very difficult to get into since working for the brides and grooms five years ago. This is a very chanllenged career.
Thank you for sharing the experience with us!