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!