12 Reasons NOT to Become a Wedding Planner
There is no doubt that being a wedding planner can be fun and incredibly rewarding. Going to catering and cake tastings, choosing linens and helping clients decide on the perfect centerpieces are absolutely fun. Seeing months of hard work come together on a perfect wedding day is one of the most rewarding experiences many wedding planners experience in their careers.
Being a wedding planner also has great perks such as being invited to all the industry parties, going to uber fun conferences and staying at incredible hotels while you “tour” the event space. We also get to work with wonderful clients on one of the most important days in their life.
Having a career as a wedding planner can seem pretty glamorous but there are definitely reasons why you wouldn’t want to become a wedding planner. There are days when I can hardly believe I get paid to do something I love so much but there are also days when there is not enough money in the world to make me plan or coordinate a particular wedding again.
What to consider before deciding to become a wedding planner:
1) Weekend and evening work
Weekend events and evening client meetings take time away from family and friends. Being a wedding planner means having a work schedule that doesn’t match the standard 9-5 weekday gig.
If you own your business, you can set boundaries to help with this and plan other types of events to balance your schedule. However, the reality is that 95% of weddings happen on Saturdays and many of your clients need to meet after work for planning meetings.
2) Physical and mental hard work
Working on the wedding day is HARD work. I remember my first wedding so well. I was beyond excited to work with my first clients but had no idea I would be so completely exhausted at the end of the night.
Spending 10-15 hours on your feet and being mentally “on” is exhausting no matter how good of shape you are in. And it gets harder as you get older.
3) Wedding hangover
It’s how you feel the day after a wedding. It’s like you ran a race then went out drinking all night. In reality, you are dehydrated, sore, and tired from working a wedding (see #2).
4) Tough clients
As much as you try to weed out the clients who aren’t ideal clients, there will be some who slip through the cracks. Having difficult clients can take its toll mentally. It’s already a stressful job but when you have clients who add to that stress, you will question why you chose this career. You have to be able to walk away from the wrong client when your intuition tells you something is wrong.
5) Emotional connection
It’s an intense industry with emotional brides and emotional mothers on a very emotional day. Many planners grow close to their clients which means you work harder because you care so much (this is a good thing).
On the flip side, it is hard not to take it personally if something goes wrong or if your clients are not 100% happy with your services or ideas. If you get your feelings hurt easily, this might not be the profession for you.
6) It’s not your wedding
Working with clients means making THEIR dream and vision come true. This can be a challenge for some event planners who want to keep recreating their own wedding or imposing their vision on clients.
You will end up planning a wedding that doesn’t fit your style or taste and you have to be okay with that. Luckily, you get to choose which weddings and events to show in your wedding planning portfolio.
7) Extreme patience
If you don’t have patience, determination, and thick skin, a career in wedding planning is probably not a good fit. It will take a few years before you are comfortable in your business and comfortable working with engaged couples. Then it will take a few more years to get your name established, make a decent living, and start seeing referrals.
8) You are not a “people” person
Planners work with many different kinds of clients and vendors. The wedding industry is very social and being a planner is probably the most social vendor category in the industry.
If you are introverted, shy, or don’t like to be around people, being a planner could be a difficult career choice. This isn’t to say that you can’t overcome those personality traits, but it is something to consider. Being an event planner may be the encouragement you need to overcome shyness.
9) Not able to handle stress
Being a wedding and event planner has been listed by CNBC as the 5th most stressful career. Out of ALL careers!
Many of us choose this career because we thrive on the excitement, the challenge, and the madness that happens on the wedding day. We live to solve problems, keep everything on time, and manage 20+ vendors without breaking a sweat.
If you can handle stress AND keep your cool, this might be a good career for you.
10) Multitasking and organization
Being a wedding planner takes multi-tasking and organization to a whole new level. Not only do you have to multi-task and remember the million things on your mind, you have to think and act quickly. During the planning process, you could be working with 10-20 different couples at a time.
If you aren’t extremely organized, it will show in your work and in your reputation. If you are working with 10 couples to plan their wedding and each couple has at least 10 wedding vendors, you may be communicating with up to 100 people in a week!
11) Ego
Confidence in yourself is a big key to your success in event planning. A big ego is not.
12) No passion
Don’t embark on a wedding planning career unless you are passionate about it. To be successful and thrive, you have to LOVE what you do. Many planners make incredible sacrifices to be successful. This just doesn’t happen without BIG passion. Along with passion, integrity is just as important.
After so much positive feedback on this post, I am sharing 3 more reasons why you may not want to become a wedding planner. Enjoy!
13) Making long-term commitments
When you first book a new client, it’s time to celebrate victory and rejoice in a new booking. It’s exciting and you can’t wait to get started. Until you realize the client can’t make decisions to save her life, changes her mind endlessly, and her wedding ideas are stuck in the 1980’s.
Despite these less-than-desirable-traits, you made a long-term commitment to work with this couple for a year or more to plan the perfect wedding day. You may need to bite your tongue many times and tough it out to get through the planning process with this client.
14) Negotiation and mediation
The wedding planning process is filled with negotiations and mediation. You may be negotiating with wedding vendors about your client’s contract, mediating the style of centerpiece between the couple and their parents, negotiating last minute rain plans with the rental company, or mediating a battle over types of appetizers with the couple. If you hate mediating and negotiating, becoming a wedding planner isn’t the right career path for you.
15) Business makes no sense to you
Many wedding planners own their own business. If you are not a “big picture” thinker and don’t have any desire to start a wedding planning business or learn marketing, accounting, networking, and finance, owning a wedding planning business probably is not a good fit for you.
You can still work in the wedding industry but will be better suited to working at a hotel, for an event planning company, or at wedding venue where you can focus solely on the clients instead of running a business in addition to planning and designing weddings.
Whenever you own a business, your income can fluctuate greatly. The typical salary for wedding planners is broad, depending on where you live and what types of services you offer. You may have years where you make a significant income and other years where you barely scrape by.
I could write a post with 500 great reasons to be a wedding planner but I wanted to share the not-so-glorious side with our readers. If you are thinking about becoming a wedding and event planner, these are great things to keep in mind.
If you found this article helpful, check out the Very Important Planners (VIP) Lounge! Inside our private community, you will find more curated content and a group of wedding planners ready to support you!
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[…] Planners Lounge article gives us a behind the scenes look on Wedding Planning. #8 knocks me right out of the loop! I am […]
I have been working behind a desk over 25 years and I am ready for a new adventure. I enjoy making people smile and I take pride in my work so going into the wedding planning business might be the change I need. I’m going to pursue it and give it my best shot. Thank you for the blog and the truth behind becoming a wedding planner. I will keep the tips in a book and look over them from time to time.
Thanks for your comment Sharon and good luck on your pursuing your next career!
[…] You have experienced the post-wedding-day hangover that only a wedding planner […]
[…] your wedding vendors what they really like and dislike about their career. Read about a day in the life of wedding planners to see what it is really like […]
I am already in a wedding planner course online and have been learning so much! I’m currently working in the food service industry and helping plan my brother’s wedding. My big decision is whether I want to start my own business right away or work with a company for a couple years first. Any advice? I like the idea of my own business and the freedom it would give me. But starting from almost nothing and trying to build the business up is a challenge and a bit scary.
Sayla, congratulations on doing your online course and helping your brother with his wedding. It sounds like you are on the right path. If you have not had experience with owning a business or working at all in the corporate world, it may be a good idea to work for another planning business first.
Thank you very much for this excellent and informative post!
I remember my teachers saying that their classes are always full, but only 3% of studentd actually continue on to make a long-lasting career in the wedding planning profession. Everything you said is so very true. It takes an extreme amount of energy, dedication, persistence and passion to thrive in the wedding business. Thanks again!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Hevin!
Really your blog is very informative and attractive.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this! I have a few questions about the beginning stages of pursuing this as a career…
Since graduating two years ago with a degree in Communications, I have struggled to find a job. During these two years, I have taken jobs both working at a hair salon and at a catering business. Through these experiences, I have worked a lot with brides by either setting hair and makeup appointments for bridal parties or by working on the catering side of weddings, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, etc. Mostly through catering, I have become familiar with most wedding vendors in my area. These jobs have also given me much experience in marketing.
Anyway, I have considered wedding planning as a career for awhile now and am now coming up with a game plan. My first question is, is it odd to ask to “shadow” or even just work for another wedding planner in my area to gain more knowledge and get experience? Since the plan would be to eventually become their competition?
Secondly, where I live now is about 3.5 hours from my hometown. My hometown area is short on wedding planners who work that area, despite it being a popular location for weddings. We travel home a LOT. While 3.5 hours may seem long to some people, I could do the drive in my sleep at this point. My second question is, is it unrealistic to assume I could act as a wedding planner for both areas? I suppose that would depend on just how much business one is getting… But how big is the typical wedding planners territory?
Thanks for your comment Mary. You could ask to intern with another planner. Likely, you will have better luck working part-time for a catering company or venue at their events to gain experience. You can also join networking organizations and get to know other planners before asking to work for/with them. For territory, it is completely up to you for how far you want to travel to plan events.
[…] 12 Reasons NOT to Become a … – There is no doubt that being a wedding planner can be fun and incredibly rewarding. Going to catering and cake tastings, choosing linens and helping clients […]
A good planner will be honest about this. If the planner does take referral fees, you may want to ask for more vendor options than those on the planner’s preferred list.
Very true. Thank you for commenting.
I have been with the floral industry off and on for about 35 years, my kids all encourage me to start a business, but after reading the reasons not to become an event planner, I have narrowed what I want to do down to….. the floral and designing side of events. I am very good at that part (giving God the glory for this), and enjoy it so very much. Thank you for your information, and honesty. It really helped guide me on my journey.
So glad this article was helpful for you Jeri. Thanks for commenting!
It’s very good reading thanks. We just started a wedding organizer business and still many things need to learn 🙂
Congrats on your new business Linda!
Hello Debbie, excellent writing mate. You have illustrated the back side of wedding planning work. I have a friend who is doing good as a wedding planner in Auckland. To be honest, he is not happy with his current profession. One of my friends told me that his partner is not happy with him because of this profession. Half of the month, he needs to visit different cities in New Zealand for work and his partner is getting lonely. I am planning to send this article to my friend. Maybe he will get organized after reading this article. Cheers, Ben.
Thanks for sharing Ben. Hopefully your friend can find some balance in his life. It’s very possible to set boundaries and expectations in this field so that you can still have a normal life.
Yup, i hope so.
I already forward your blog to my friend.
He told me , he is facing same things what you described
Cheers
I see your blog. It’s very interesting. We provide classes on Event management and wedding planning.
Right now, I am a stay at home mom but my kids will be starting school next year. With all that free time, I need something to keep me occupied. I’ve thrown a couple of baby showers and I never had problems with those. Wedding planning sounds like something I could really enjoy doing. I love helping people and I am a very social person. I want to help brides make their dream come true. I don’t get stressed out easily and with three kids, I am on my feet all day everyday. I love facing challenges and getting to be creative when I have to be. I was just wondering if you think this career would be right for me.
Thanks for your comment Elenie. It could be a good fit for you. Read more of the articles here, take a local or online class, and perhaps work part-time for a planning, design, catering, or floral company to get a good feel for the industry. Good luck!
I’ve planned family reunions and baby showers and they are very exhausting too.
That is so true Deborah. Thanks for commenting!
Interesting read as always. It’s a similar situation with many wedding related businesses I reckon. Weddings are so lovely that they appeal to many as a viable employment option. We used to work in recruitment (hospitality) and I can’t tell you how many of the candidates we met who wanted to become wedding planners. No basis to that they just wanted to be a wedding planner! It seems you have to dream job that most people want to do x
Thank you for sharing your experience!
Very True ! But I still enjoy my profession. I enjoy all the challenges that comes up with every new wedding. I am passionate about it.
Thanks for your comment Monisha!
Nice post, it helped me out to know the problems behind this stuff. I still want to become a planner.
Thank you for your comment. This website has over 500 free articles to help you out. Start here: https://plannerslounge.com/start-here/.
Thank you a ton for this post! I just came across it while looking for some info. about wedding planning… It really enlighten me more about the career. I guess we have to look at both sides of one aspect so this is really helpful!
Thanks Mary!
I loved your post. I’m an architect but love weddings and want to be an event planner one day.
Thank you Del!
[…] a planning, decor, rental, floral or design company. You may also want to check out other reasons not to become a wedding planner before you change […]
This is amazing! I am an aspiring wedding planner and people ask me all the time why I want to be a wedding planner? It’s so stressful and brides become bridezillas and the long hours. But to me, it’s more of the big picture! The idea that you’re working to make one day the best day of two people’s life, is exhilarating to me! I love multitasking and having so many things on my mind at once, problem solving constantly, managing all of the vendors at once, and keeping everything on time. Everything about this I know is SO TRUE about this life, but it’s all of the things that make me so excited about my future! I light up when I talk about these things to other people and they all think I’m crazy for being so happy to be stressed and emotionally drained all of the time, but it really is all about the bigger picture. It’s about how happy you make two people and the smiles and praise of a good job and the endless thankfulness in the end is so worth it in my mind! Definitely keeping this website to refer to in the future! Thanks!
Thank you for your great comment Sarah and welcome to the community here!
Thanks Debbie, its a very nice article. I have been very keen on starting my own wedding planning venture for a long time now. But I would really want to test the water by assisting or interning with a somebody already in the business. Any pointers would be highly appreciated.
Thank you for your comment Vindhya. I suggest taking this 1-hour online class first. It will answer many questions on getting started: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
[…] 12 Reasons NOT to Become a Wedding Planner. – There is no doubt that being a wedding planner can be fun … on a wedding planning career unless you … into Wedding Planning. It has given me a good idea of … […]
I have my first “wedding coordinator” job in 3 weeks. The bride and I have been in contact since she got engaged and let me tell you, she is the easiest bride I will probably ever work with. It is funny to think that I am only 21 years old and I am already helping women that are well above my age with their wedding. Reading this article made me so much more excited about the industry that I am planning on being in for a very long time.
That is great Joy! Congrats on your first wedding!
I just completed my degree in technical (mechanical) and want to do the wedding planning course. What do I need to do next?
Thanks for the comment Kartik. Here is the link to more information: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
I have a great passion on Event Designing. This really gave a lot of information to me. I wanted to go for your course. Will your course help me in applying things in India??
Because I am an Indian.
Hi Vamsi. Thanks for your comment. The online beginner course is an intro course to planning and it would apply to most any country. It does not cover design.
[…] skin. BUT if you love it, it's all worth it. The Planner Lounge did this really great post about 12 Reason to Not Before A Wedding Planner. It's a really great read, and I can tell you everything in there is true to reality so it's a […]
Thanks for writing this! I did my WPIC Wedding Planning Training a few years back and I do not want to do full planning for a few of these reasons. I prefer to focus more on the music and entertainment running a DJ company and I can identify with many of these points no matter what vendor category you are in for special events.
Thanks Sam! I appreciate you taking time to comment.
I absolutely love this post! Being an event planner myself, and having started my own business, put in my time to get it up and running and learn all the business of it (and now being in the success of it) I can 100% agree and confirm each and every thing you said! If you don’t have even one of these points handled you’re going to make it so hard on yourself, and maybe it’s not the right fit. I read somewhere: “If you can see yourself doing something else do that instead”. It’s true. Being an event planner is not glam (but it does have it’s fab moments) but a whole lot of hustle and sweat, but so worth it if your passion.
Thanks for sharing your experience Amanda!
I am a wedding planner. This is no joke!! After my weddings I need time to heal. It is a marathon and more, but I love what I do. You have to have the heart to handle it all. If you don’t, you will not make it!
That is so true! It is like a marathon. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Debbie. This article has helped me a lot. I’m getting my bachelors degree and I’m planning to take this up as my career. Thank you so much for sharing your valuable knowledge with us.
Thank you Jijo and best of luck with college and your career!
Hi! i just wanted to thank you for posting this. I am a high school student and my dream job is to become a wedding planner. You really helped me out about deciding if this job is right for me. I think I am still going to go through with it, but your article will help me stay in check and work harder. So thank you very much.
Thank you for taking time to comment Angela. I am so glad this article was helpful for you!
Thank you for writing something that is real about the wedding world. If I had a dollar for every time my job was compared to the J-Lo movie I would be as rich as J-Lo herself. Question- I have had it so many times where a friend/or a friend of a friend reaches out to me on multiple occasions asking for logistically advice., negotiating, and vendor recommendation. There comes to a point where I feel I am being used. Because well that is the basis of my job. Afterwards I find out I am either not gong to be the DOC because we are to good of friends or I am not invited to the wedding at all. Has anyone encountered this problem? IS there a point when I can say no to giving advice and not be used?
Thank you for your comment Kim. It sounds like you need to let your friends and family know that you offer a discount for them for your services but aren’t able to give free planning advice since this is your business. Maybe you can have a 10% or 20% off friends and family discount?
I’ve loved reading this article as I’m currently in a difficult position, I’ve just left school following my A levels and started an apprenticship in an office, I really dislike it because I want to be engaging with people and be busy! I think a career in events would be for me as I want to be rushed off my feet haha I wondered if there are many male wedding planners? and also what the best way for me to get into a planning job without setting up on my own just yet.
Thank you for your comment Joe. Even though it is a female dominated field, there are plenty of successful guys who are event planners. There are many ways to get experience without starting your own business. You may want to check these links out:
https://plannerslounge.com/4-ways-to-get-experience-when-you-have-none/
https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
I loved reading this article AND the comments. I have been planning events (personal and professional) for many years now. I was getting ready to look for a new job as an events manager/conference coordinator or something similar. I do love working with people and I find my talents put to greatest use when I can be creative, manage logistics, and work up against a deadline when the stakes are high.
This past weekend, my cousin got married and asked me to be her DOC 24 hours before the wedding! The event was pretty poorly planned but I was so excited to jump in and put my skills to use to iron out the kinks (well as much as possible given the tight turnaround). In any event, I had so much FUN and #3 (wedding hangover) is real! I barely had a drink (and I almost didn’t get to eat haha) but when Sunday rolled in I was more than exhausted.
Like another commenter said, I feel at my best when running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I don’t mind being pulled in 20 different directions all at once. I actually get great pleasure from the adrenaline rush. I made it work for my cousin and now I’m considering becoming a DOC as a part-time profession. I just wonder if working a M-F/9-5 and working evenings and weekends is sustainable.
I reached this article from a simple Google search but I definitely plan to scour your site and check out your online course. Thank so much for the motivation.
Thanks for your comment Alisha. The website has tons of free information and resources!
Thanks for your guideance madam..
I love to plan weddings.. But I don’t know how when and where to start. Help me please
Preethi, you may want to check out our short online course on how to get started: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
Hello Miss Debbie!
I am a senior in high school, and I am interested in wedding planning. I am a HUGE people person, and I am in love with the whole idea! I do very well in planning and organizing events, and college is coming soon. So I am in need of a plan. I would love to be a wedding planner, but I’m curious about the salary. I want to do what I love…while having a decent pay to live on. I have done some research on the salary, and I am aware that it varies. Yet, I was wondering if you could give me your insite on it, because from your page, I can tell you are passionate and know what you’re talking about. Hope to hear from you!
-Chelsey. (:
Thanks for your comment Chelsey. I have seen wedding planners make anywhere from $500ish per event to $20,000 per event. It really depends on where you live, how you grow your business, how much education you take advantage of and what your strengths are. It also takes time to grow a business to produce a steady income that can support you. The great news is that you can get your business up and running while working another job that provides income. Then you can gradually transition as your wedding planning business grows. Hope that helps!
Where do I start first I want to become a wedding planner.
You may want to start with our short and inexpensive intro to wedding and event planning online class: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
Thank You for the wonderful information. While reading the comments on why not to become a planner I could feel the excitement building. I have owned and operated a bridal business for over 15 years back in New England. It was a wonderful experience. It had its ups and downs at times, but very rewarding. Since I moved out of state I have gone back to my previous safe career I am now at a point that I want to get back into something connected to the bridal industry, not the investment of a retail store but something that I know I have a passion for. I have always been a very creative person and have turned out the most beautiful wedding attire fir the wedding party’s.
I am thinking of giving this a try.
That sounds great Dia! Thank you for taking time to comment.
Hi Debbie, I found your article very interesting. But I definitely know I could be a wedding planner. How would I go down this route. I’m 24 and work in sales and marketing at the minute.
Thank you for your comment Saifa. You will want to check out our short online course that will give you a lot of information on getting started and on getting experience: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course
Well…..this totally counts me OUT!!! I thought that this may would be something that I want to do, but now I’m almost 95% positive its not for me. I’m very crafty. Apparently I’ve confused “decorating” with event planning. lol Thanks for this article!!!
So glad it helped Christy!
Hi, I’m 13 and have always wanted to be a wedding planner, I love baking too so I thought it would be perfect to start my own business (when I’m old enough) I was wondering what steps I could take now or soon that would help me with this goal. Thank you.
Emma, you can start learning all you can about flowers, cakes, photography and stationery. Also, help plan events and parties for friends and family!
Hello,
I am a stay at home mom of two young kids, I’m also 23, I’ve always had a passion for throwing parties, benefits and helping with weddings… I have experience with event planning I’ve been doing it since I was in high school, I’ve thrown a few surprise parties currently putting together two now …. And I have helped a few brides with their day…. I’m also currently planning my own wedding and my sister in law to be’s wedding (2 separate events) …. I have recently thought about making this my career …. But not sure how to get started with my own small business. Any advice would be great ! Thanks for the article it helped me see it from both sides!
Thank you for your comment Kelsey. You will want to check out our short online course that will give you a lot of information on getting started and on getting experience: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course
Great article! I searched and found your article because a new friend asked me to be her wedding-planner-day-of got their backyard wedding(~50 guests) She didn’t want to “bother” her friends (so they could also enjoy the day) but also wants to enjoy the day herself. I’ve done event-planning at work, anything in particular I should be alert to?
Thanks!
Robin
Hi Robin and thank you for commenting! These posts will help you out: https://plannerslounge.com/category/wedding-day-coordination-tips.
I’m studying events management and have to do an assessment on weddings
And I’m loving it I’m liking the whole planning stuff and feeling wanted
That is great Tanika!
Thanks for the info! Really helped me a lot! Just wondering, are you a wedding planner yourself? I was thinking of becoming one and I’m wondering about the good in the job. 🙂
Thanks,
Thank you for the comment Chany. If you check out the about page, you can read more about my background: https://plannerslounge.com/about. If you read through the day-in-the-life posts, you can get a feel for all the wonderful things about being a planner: https://plannerslounge.com/category/day-in-the-life.
I work all sides of events. I began catering and designing cakes and sweets. Then someone asked me to coordinate for their event. This was indeed the largest amount of stress I’ve ever known. My small staff and I did the catering and cake as well. I ran around for weeks and spent evenings folding napkins, preparing favors, etc. The entire event was on me and my reputation. Thank goodness I made many contacts before this event. DJ`s , officiants, bartenders and rental vendors. Without knowing the business, I would not have been able to pull it off. Luckily, the event went off without a hitch. It took me 3 days of recovery, but worth every second of suffering to have happy clients. Since then, I offer my services including catering and coordination and hire a few extra staff when needed. You must have passion and organization and also know your place…as the hired help! It’s back breaking, high stress and very social work. It is not for everyone. You must love what you do. This is not a job where you will ever be wealthy so it is important to enjoy being of service to others. Strong commitment and ability to follow through on every detail with a smile is what you need to be successful. If this is the career for you, be ready for the most back-breaking yet best career of your life.
Thank you for sharing your experience Suzy!
I’m thinking about becoming a wedding planner, but I am only 19. Maybe someone has some advice on how I could get started?
Thank you for your comment Jaclyn. You will want to check out our short online course that will give you a lot of information on getting started and on getting experience when you have none: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course
I am very interested in becoming a Wedding Planner ever sense I was about 12 years old I have always tried designing Weddings, Wedding Favors even Wedding Dresses! But Im curious about something, does any of these Wedding Planners ever use helpers to do all there leg work and they just do the designing? I was thinking of doing this with my business eventually (which no I have not started it yet… LOL) I was only curious because to me, that seems like a good idea.. unless you ladies know that it isnt! Inform me please.
Thank you for your comment Danielle. Yes, many wedding planners have assistants and staff to help with all of the details and logistics however, there are still many planners who do most of the planning and design on their own then hire an assistant or two just for the wedding day.
Okay, that sounds like a great idea, only for the Wedding Day! That would really help you out on the big day! I cant wait to learn as much as there is to know about Wedding Planning! So excited to start in this field! Im an Artist at heart, so I am going to incorporate that, into the Weddings and Events that I do! <3 Cant wait! <3
Hi.
I am live in South Australia and I am looking at studying a Diploma in Wedding and Event planning. I have helped my best friend and sister organise their weddings and I loved it! I also do function management and believe this is my calling.
I was hoping someone on here could recommend a company to go through to do my course as there are so many out there. Any helpful hints or feedback would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Many thanks and warm regards
Sharna Caple.
Thank you for commenting Sharna. I don’t know of companies specific to where you live. Hopefully another planner will chime in with an answer.
Good evening,
I am a complete newbie to the whole event planning business and have just recently became interested in it. The only event planning I’ve done was my own wedding and a birthday bash prior. Seeing how stressful it was trying to plan and orchestrate the event while being the bride made me want to try my hand at negating some of that stress from other brides. I looked over the 12 reasons why not to be a planner as well as the 4 things to consider before becoming one and all of it seems reasonable to me, and like something I could really excel at if I put my mind to it. I found I had a passion for weddings while working as a Bridal Consultant for a nation wide Bridal company and really want to give this my all.
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated if there are any Event Planners in the Tallahassee area. Thank You.
Thank you for your comment Janesea. Planner’s Lounge has tons of information if you read through all of the posts. Also, you may want to check out our online class on getting started in the wedding and events industry: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
So after reading this article i want to be in the wedding business even more. I have been in love with weddings since I was just little. they are all I think about. I used to follow the wedding planners around at weddings and pretend I was their assistant. Now I am grown up and coming on 21 and all I want to do is go into catering, wedding planning, decorating, or anything involving weddings, just the whole 9 yards 🙂 I know it’ll be hard work but that’s what I love about it! If any of you have any advice on where I should start or what I should do or ANY job offers, please let me know!! 🙂 Thanks Ya’ll
So glad that article was helpful for you. You may want to check out our short online course for ideas and advice on getting started: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
[…] your wedding vendors what they really like and dislike about their career. Read about a day in the life of wedding planners to see what it is really like […]
Hi,
I am 17 years old and have found weddings to be of extreme interest to me since I was very young. I handle stress well and currently study Fashion, Media, French and English at A Level. I would love a job in this field but am wondering how one would go about getting into a career like this?
Thanks in advance!
Emma
Hi Emma and thank you for your comment. You may want to start with our inexpensive online class on how to get started in the events industry: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course/
Hello! I am a 15, almost 16, year old girl. Weddings have always been a passion of mine. I have so many doors open at this age that I’m not sure which path to take. I want a family in the future and have always dreamt of being a veterinarian also. My question is that would it be possible to have the vet job which would be a 9-5 job and also wedding plan and get family time in. I know I have a while untilmI’m of age, but my future is getting closer than I think. Thank you!
Hi Megan and thank you for your comment. If you choose to do both careers, it would be good to have your own wedding planning business so that you have control over the number and type of weddings you take on. That will help you balance both careers.
Thanks for the information. I am planning on becoming a wedding planner. I will be focusing on Vietnamese/Chinese wedding culture instead of doing all different kinds of event planning that I have in mind. This article helped make my decisions.
Thanks for your comment Kim and congratulations on your upcoming career!
[…] There are a million reasons why wedding planning is a great career but if you are exploring whether this is a good career choice for you, you may want to read 12 Reasons Not to Become a Wedding Planner. […]
number 2 and 3 are the most true statement ever, and why i will only do one wedding per weekend. I need a full day to recover and I always try to schedule a massage for the day after too! The first few weddings I did I was so busy I wouldn’t even drink water until the reception and be so dehydrated the next day. Luckily I have learned to stretch alot pre wedding and drink a ton of water all day. Still get the wedding “hangover” but not so severe!
I know exactly what you mean Nicole. Thanks for taking time to comment!
I am not in a position to argue with this settlement. I think you make great points. I on the other hand am a cook in training and have worked in various food companies that does events like weddings and other fancy stuffs and I’ve taken a lot of verbal abuse from my chefs and instructors to boot. The thing is, I consider event planning and wedding planning to be similar to what I do. We all have our own way to handle things and in these type of work, if you’re not cut out for the stress, you shouldn’t be in it. A few months ago, we had an event that the school was doing and I was one of the cook staffs that they recruited, the chef that was in charge of the event were yelling at the others because they didn’t know what they were doing and throwing plates like it was the ugliest he has ever seen. By the time the reception started and the food got out on time, the chef came up to me to tell me I did a great job and he apologized about all the yelling in my ear and reassured me that he was not yelling at me. I, on the other hand, looked at him, smiled and said… “Chef, you can yell at me, call me names, what ever you want. The only thing you need to do is to know, recognize and accept that I am great at what I do, maybe even better.”
If you don’t have that attitude before and after the event party, event planning is not for you. I’ve even sent student cooks home at an event from school because they were crying their eyes out because the chef was yelling. If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. That goes for all event planners as well.
Thank you for your great comment Maureen!
[…] Be more than 100% passionate. Wedding planning is HARD work. If you aren’t completely passionate and borderline obsessive about it, you won’t have […]
Just this morning I received a request for a job shadow. It’s hard to explain, without sounding ‘stand-offish’ that 95% of what we do is talking on the phone! Thanks to this blog, I can now forward these wise words on the “other’ side of planning!
Thank you,
Diane
I know exactly how you feel Diane. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
it is not so easy to become a success-ful event planners. i will completely agree with your suggesstions and 12 reasons . thank you for your suggesstions . please help me in future. thank you………..
Thank you for commenting Maddy!
Thanks for the insight to the other side of the job! I am considering a carreer in Wedding planning as i already make Wedding Stationary, and would love to move into Wedding Planning. It has given me a good idea of what it could be like, i know its not all glitz and glam stuff.
It hasn’t put me off as i am a people person and i want to persue it.
I may be back for more advice and to read your blogs!
Have a fab day1 Xxxxxx
Thank you for taking time to comment. You are welcome here anytime.
This is a great post! I know after I planned our family reunion- I thought everyone would be as excited as I was to show up at the park and decorate for the picnic- I got there at 8 am and it did not start until 11 to make sure everything was perfect- the banner the tablecloths the wrapped matching plastic silverware and plates, cups, candles- I felt a little sad when no one seemed to understand all the hard work that went into it…and the colors did not match up by themselves- it actually took thought and planning lol…
Thank you for your comment Demetrius. I’m sure you did an amazing job with the reunion!
I LOVE this post so much that we are stealingit for our own blog. We are inundated with requests for work experience at present and think it might save some people some time if they ready this and realise it isn’t all glitz & glamour!
Thanks Nikki! Please feel free to refer those requests to Planner’s Lounge.
Loooovvveee it (said with my best opera-singer-esque voice). Sharing this with the world. 🙂
Keep up the great work Debbie & team!
You are so funny Heather! Thank you for the comment and compliment!
Thanks for this post! #3 The Wedding Hangover is so true!!! I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels tired and a little (okay, a lot) beat up the day after a wedding!
Haha! Thanks Julie. It takes me a good 24 hours to recover.
I did the baby shower event and it is very exhausting!
Yes, it is surprising how small events can be completely exhausting. Thanks for commenting Lea!
Great Article! Its definitely not the right job for everyone. 🙂
Thanks for the comment Liz!
Amen, sister!! Thanks for this post! I receive so many emails from girls considering a career in wedding planning who are just basing their desire to enter the field from the “glamourous” protrayal of us on reality TV shows.
Now when I get those emails, I’ll send them the link to this article! 😉
Thank you Christina! I totally agree with you. I wanted to present both the positive side but also the realistic side. I send all my career inquiries to Planner’s Lounge, especially this post.
I know this is a little off the topic but I am looking to getting into the Wedding planner buis and not quiite sure how to go about it in the right way. If you have any advice would you please pass it along. I already have Buis and Marketing exsperience for goen on 12years now, also Event planning for about 3/4 years. Thank you for taking the time to read my mesg, Voctoria
Hi Victoria,
I just stumbled on your comment right now. I want to know if you finally started your wedding planning business and how it worked out for you. I’m about to start mine and I don’t know how to go about it. Although I have a website already and I planned my own wedding and bridal shower. I need someone who will be my mentor.
Funny how everyone is seeing the glitz and glamour side, I’m interested in pursuing this for all the HARD WORK!! I’m young and have been sitting at a desk for the past two years and hate it! I always tell people I want to be running around like a “chicken with my head chopped off” or I’m not happy with my day. They think I’m nuts, but this job sounds just right for it! This site is a GREAT resource, I’m so happy I came across it. I’m having a hard time finding a career path where I can put all of my different creative aspects to use.
Thank you for your comment Chelsea. Sounds like this is the perfect career path for you!
I want to build a business to be a wedding planner. I don’t know how to start. Is it possible that you could help me? I love talking to people, and my husband used to be a florist for 16 years.
Rhaine, thank you for your comment. You may want to start with our one hour online course: https://plannerslounge.com/wedding-planner-course. That will help you get a feel for the industry, the resources out there, and eduction options.
I’m just the same! I’ve been working in the internet industry, sitting at my desk 8 hours a day. Now I’m looking forward to be moving a lot and being busy working! Thank you for this very eye opening article Débbie.
So glad it helped you Gigi. Thanks for taking time to comment!
I agree completely! All of these reasons not to be actually convinced me more! Nothing is better than planning things to me, and I want to learn from real professionals.
That is great Hanna! Good luck!!