Wedding Consultant

Wedding Consultant News

• The business of bridal planning was only glamorous for J.Lo!

  " When I started this course, I imagined that most people think bridal planning is similar to Jennifer Lopez's role in The Wedding Planner. Remember that gorgeous office? She never really sweated and lugged around floral arrangements and DJ equipment like I'm sure most wedding planners have. She had her handy kit of mints, safety pins and Xanax to keep the bride and groom peaceful and together on the big day. She did it all with grace.This isn't to say that a wedding planner can't be graceful, but over the duration of this course, I have seen how difficult it is to be a bridal consultant. The truth is that it's not about picking out flowers and table cards. There are real business concerns to deal with and industry practices that require advanced event planning skills and know-how. . The final installment of the course is in two parts and is called "The Business of Weddings" and it details how involved creating and running a bridal business can be. Luckily, it's also a fun, creative career with benefits beyond imagination.This section of the course includes useful information on keeping records, paying taxes, setting up your fees, closing sales, marketing, creating contracts, running consultation meetings, and more. You'll get all the basic information on taking a business idea into a real business. Including the age-old debate over whether you should become an LLC or a corporation--or stay as a sole proprietorship. Then there are more creative things such as setting up a business logo and creating marketing collateral. While these things can be fun and enable you to set the tone for your business, they are also vital to business success. As is marketing, which involves getting out into the community.Then there is the inevitable--dealing with bridezillas. And if the bride isn't crazed you're sure to find a family member, who happens to be footing the bill, that you'll have to deal with. All of these involve being a professional bridal planner with her eye on the prize--the perfect day for her couple. . After going through the entire course, it's clear to see that there's a lot involved. There's setting up a business and then there are industry-specific things, such as forming partnerships and alliances with other wedding vendors, participating in bridal shows and getting exclusive industry information. You'll also need to consider if you'll need "day of" coordinators or if you will handle everything yourself. How will you deal with a growing business--will you expand your staff or raise your prices or be more choosy with projects? These are all important considerations. . It's not going to be easy, potential wedding planners. But after seeing all of what goes into a bridal consultancy business, it's clear that all the hard work is worth it! . "

  Read More

• A bridal biz at home!

  " Most bridal consultants get into the industry no only because they are exceptional wedding planners--but because this career offers the flexibility to work from home. I was happy to see that Penn Foster included a workbook on working from home. Because in theory, it sounds fabulous and fun. But truthfully, it can be overwhelming and lonesome. . So having a good balance and awareness of what to expect while working at home is essential. Penn Foster sent me Working from Home by Paul and Sarah Edwards as part of my course materials, and the workbook serves as a study guide for the text book. It's a great reference book with information on how to set up and operate a thriving business. The book includes everything from how to finance your business, what office equipment you need and how to cope with being alone most of the time. . Finding a work and life balance is essential, as is learning to set boundaries so you stay productive. The thought of having friends pop over any time of day, or going out any time of day to do whatever you want, are interesting ones but they can produce complications. If you're not self-disciplined enough, you can lose track of work and profits will suffer. Likewise, if you work too hard you may isolate yourself from the rest of the world. These are the kinds of non-technical nuances that come along with working solo. And if you  have kids, you're looking at even more obstacles. Because while it's great to be home with them, you've still got to run a business. . Even if you're not working alone, as many bridal consultants have assistants, it is different working at home. So learning what to expect is essential.   . Then there are the technical aspects of working at home. What kinds of technology do you need to run a business? What types of electronics are best for what you do? Budgeting for all of this, and knowing what can be written off at tax time, is essential. Talking to other wedding planners can be useful, too, because you'll get industry-specific information!. As a bridal consultant, you're likely to use credit cards, so you'll find information on managing your money (specifically, your credit) and find a useful chart that will help to break down financial information for business owners.   . Speaking of taxes, the rules are totally different when working at home, and the authors give an overview of IRS rules that apply to home-based businesses. How can you obey tax laws while being self-employed or running a small business from home? The book covers it all. . I'm glad to see that this was included in the course. The book was an easy, informative read with plenty of information. It was a nice break from the rest of the many workbooks that flood you when you take a class with Penn Foster. But to be honest, all the information is very valuable. Now that you've explored working from home, we'll next learn about the business basics for wedding planners. Because, as you know, being a successful bridal consultant involves much more than flower choices and lacy dresses! .  . . "

  Read More

• So, what exactly do I do as a wedding planner?

  "Before I moved on to the 3rd shipment, it was time for my independent research project. I had to research caterers in my area. Sounded like a drudging task, but really, it was helpful. Especially when it comes time to use those caterers in my wedding business. If I were to really have one, which I won't. Still, I can see why this is a very useful application in the course. Plus, it starts to get your feet wet in the industry. Next, it was on to creating a three-month novice memberships with the Association of Bridal Consultants. These were certainly two things that will get any wedding-planner-to-be on his or her feet.Now, on to Lesson 6, The Role of a Consultant.This part lists the skills and qualities a consultant should have and also touches on a consultant acting as a counselor, too. While you won't be offering marita advice, questions arise during the weddiing planning about the rite of passage that is marriage. It's vital to have good listening and boundary-making skills because you don't want to get in the middle of a family fued or a couple's tiff. I liked this section but feel that this is where the course started to get disorganized. I mean, we were just learning about the business aspect; now we're back to cultural norms. Then back to a generalization of what the consultant does. While the information is useful, I think it could be better organized. Next, I learned about the different qualities a consultant should have in the bridal industry:Analytical thinkingSocial communicationsAssuranceAppearanceAdministration and organizationThe consultant must also garner business, so we're going back into the technical end of things. Networking was covered, as was getting the first sale. Then a section on your image as a bridal consultant. Things like your personal branding are important. What's your angle as a wedding planner? Are you more affordable or do you want to specialize in high-end affairs? These are all things that must be thought of when you get into marketing your business--you've got to brand yourself, too!Now, it gets tricky. Because I went into the topic of setting fees. The guide says that some plannrs charge the bride a fixed fee but others charge on a per-person basis. How do you know what to do? Figure out what you're worth, and what your time is worth, the guide advises. A great formula for figuring out your hourly rate will help. Also, call other firms in the area and see how they handle their pricing. You'll be able to gauge where you should be, and no one said you can't raise your rates as you get more experienced.This was the only section so far that didn't make too much sense. Because I already thought we learned about contracts and now there's more. I wish they'd put it in one section. But overall, the course is very thorough and I can see why it's successful! "

  Read More

• June: A Month for Brides and Booze

  " June has just ended, and with it so many weddings. In fact, the month has the most weddings among any other. I also did more learning than any other, as I finished Lessons 3 and 4—“The Wedding” and “The Many Parts of the Wedding.” Here’s where I was flushed: Every gal knows the basics of putting together cute favors and planning a scenic locale. But in this section, I learned about the various traditions and religious ceremonies. See, I haven’t been to every type of wedding, so as a consultant, I know that I’ll need to be aware of other cultures.  I’m also going to need to know the “etiquette” if there really is any, for situations like elopements, double weddings, military weddings, and pregnant brides. Turns out, there is, and the guide tells you how to deal with sticky situations. Obviously brides who are preggers should avoid white and veils although some brides may still want to use those symbols. The guide recommends to let them.  What helped a lot are the diagrams of various processionals for different religions. There are different ways for people to line up as far as Christian and Jewish weddings. Once the ceremony is over, it’s time for the reception, and this is the most fun to me. There are many types of receptions including seated breakfasts before noon and seated brunches, around noon. Then there’s a buffet brunch or lunch. And yes, the most popular is an evening reception. And no matter what type of reception there is, the book says there’s always a toast to the couple and a wedding cake. Ahh, it’s nice to hear that some things in this wedding business are uniform across the board! Lesson 4 discusses the parts of the wedding—the creative parts. So learning all this was fun. I got a tutorial on engagement rings (not that I needed it!) and learned about the various gifts that are exchanged during the wedding.  And when it comes to photos, I am loving the list of candid photo ideas. The guide includes a whole page of neato ideas for those who don't want to pose the whole day. I mean, I’m sure the photographer will think on his or her feet, but it’s a great list to give him or her especially if a bride or groom wants a more candid collection of photos.  Here’s my only gripe with the material in Lesson 4. They’re discussing liquor at the reception and describe it as “a major cost” (well, yes) and a “headache” (well yes, but only after). The guide suggests having only wine and beer, or to close the bar and hour before the end of the reception. Let me say that the best weddings I’ve attended have always had liquor. It’s a nice touch. While it may not be for everyone, it’s vital for family members and bored guests to get through the event—not that any wedding I would plan would be a snore. But seriously, I don't know a bride that would try to cheap out on the booze. Maybe my family is just too Irish, though.  Overall, I’m enjoying the course. There’s a great attention to detail and tidbits of information so a bridal consultant has a broad understanding of wedding traditions and formats. On to July—I’m sure that more weddings await!"

  Read More

• Just Like Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner--Sort Of

  " As someone whose married once, I was pleased to be finished with the crazy wedding scene. Of course after the big day went off without a hitch, I realized that I’d done something huge that other women may not be able to have done—I had successfully planned (and survived) my own wedding. That’s when the entrepreneurial side set in and I thought, “Maybe I could make a career out of it.” That thought lasted all of 42 seconds until I realized that I’d have to deal with bridezillas—and worse, their families.  But I have to admit that like most gals, the idea of planning a wedding is fun. And while my short-lived bridal consultant potential has dwindled, I am still interested in this growing field. That’s why I wanted to explore Penn Foster’s program for Professional Bridal Consultants.  So that’s what I’ll be doing over the next couple of weeks—exploring this course and living to tell about it. I realize that while I may not be cut out for extreme organization and attention to detail, there are others out there who can make viable careers in the wedding planning industry. With that, I started to read my first educational installment, “Doing It Right: The Proper Way to Act.” The book began by explaining engagements then and now. And while the information in the book seemed to be updated (they realize that most engagements are just more time for brides to plan instead of getting to know their in-laws and they knew about the destination wedding concept), I have to say that the pictures painted a different picture. Okay, okay, so even though it had the 80s vibe, I was still digging the amount of etiquette alone that’s featured in this book.  Especially when it comes to invitations. I learned all about common invitation-related questions such as when invitations should be ordered and sent, and what the difference is between those and announcements. Let’s face it: In the digital age it’s a shocker when anyone uses paper or “snail mail,” so this stuff is vital for consultants to know. After all, many brides and grooms will turn to the consultant for the etiquette basics. The book also covered invitation wording and includes everything from how to articulate your wedding invitations should your parents be divorced or a young widow can word her invites.  Complete with self-tests that let you measure your knowledge, I have to say that Penn Foster’s materials are very thorough and written by industry experts that definitely know how to turn out bridal consultants of the future. And even though I still don’t want to be one of them, it is fun to revisit the wonder of a wedding. But one will do for me."

  Read More