5 Qualities You Need To Make It As A Wedding Planner
Sequoyah Daniel Photography - Planner: LEBJV
If you want to be a professional wedding planner we can help you. But type of person makes a great wedding planner? We asked our expert Nancy Tucker to tell us what personal qualities a wedding planner needs for a successful business.
Your heart has gotta be in it.
First you have to want to become a planner for the right reasons. If you are in it for the money, don’t hold your breath. Volumes of “want to be’s” appeared on the scene after the Movie “The Wedding Planner” hit the screen. They saw the movie or went to a wedding and became enamored with idea of going to a wedding every weekend. Of those numbers few remain because they did not get into it for the right reason.
Become a people person.
It does not matter how much of a “professional” you are if you don’t have compassion and consideration for others you will kill your business. Case in point, I had one bride who chose to use a famous photographer because he had shot an iconic American photo. The day of the wedding he was pushing guests and rude and inconsiderate of guests. I never worked with him and eventually the bride told him he had done enough and he could go. So even though his reputation preceded him, he was not wedding photographer material because he wasn’t a people person.
An eye for detail.
Next you need to be detail oriented and able to keep detailed records for several couples at a time. This doesn’t mean you have to be so OCD you alphabetize your spices, it means you hold all of the pieces of the puzzle that make that couple’s day, so you better not be missing a piece.
Networking skills.
Then you need to know the vendors available in various categories. It is extremely important to know professional caterers who are able to work with the low budget as well as the sky is the limit couples. You will be recommending options to your clients based on their budget and personality. Most importantly is learning the venues around you. You need a point of contact at the venue, know what options are available, can you do any outside ceremony if desired and is there a plan B if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
A professional attitude.
It's important to know when you need to bite your tongue or speak your mind in different situations. Many vendors have been left with bad feelings toward Professional Wedding Planners because of the hobby planner who came in wielding the sword only to have nothing work properly and leaving the burden on your caterer and your venue manager. Your assurance and perfect performance are the only way to take down the shield they feel toward you.
Once you have come up with these basics you can use the knowledge from your Certification Training and you will learn something new at every wedding. The walk into the fire is much better when you have the know how and confidence to put the fires out.