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How to Start a Wedding Planning Business: A Step-By-Step Guide

Robyn Parets

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

If you love love and have stellar organizational skills, you may have considered starting a business in the wedding industry. When it comes to how to start a wedding planning business, it pays to keep calm and carry on. In fact, these very qualities have helped generate a growing income stream for Eileen Kaden Dean, owner of a successful wedding planning business in the New York City and New Jersey area.

“To be successful in this business, you have to stay calm and realize that a wedding emergency isn't your emergency. You can’t make the stress about you because it’s not your day,” says Kaden Dean, owner of An Affair to Remember and a go-to wedding planner.

Kaden Dean, who opened her company more than a decade ago, is among the many small business owners who make up the nearly $60 billion wedding services industry in the U.S. The lucrative industry covers an array of wedding service providers, including wedding venues, apparel retailers, florists, photographers, and wedding planners, according to market research firm IBISWorld.

The average wedding in the U.S. cost over $44,000 in 2018, according to Brides.com. Wedding costs vary greatly depending on where you live and your budget, but Manhattan is the most expensive place to get married, with the average couple spending a whopping $96,910 according to The Knot.

Although websites like The Knot and WeddingWire make it easier for couples to plan their big day themselves, many still turn to professionals like Kaden Dean. An Affair to Remember helps plan the wedding, deals with vendors, and coordinates the chain of events at the wedding and reception to make sure the day goes off without a hitch. In a nutshell, wedding planners are in the business of creating happiness and keeping everything organized, so the couple doesn’t have to worry about all the little (and big) things, says Kaden Dean.

If you're wondering how to start a wedding planning business, know that there are many moving parts, from picking out a bridal dress and venue to choosing invitations, to hiring a band or DJ, to selecting a menu. And the list goes on. Even small weddings—in vogue right now—aren't as simple to plan as you might think.

“There’s a need for wedding planners as couples are busy doing other things, like looking to buy a house and working long hours in their careers. Having someone to manage things is attractive, and this way couples can enjoy themselves and be present on their wedding day,” says Kaden Dean.

how to start own wedding planning business

How to start a wedding planning business in 7 steps

There are a ton of different ways you can learn how to start a wedding planning business, but we'll give you a few steps to help you get your business started.

Step 1: Choose the type of wedding business you want to start and a name

Before you can do much else, you need to decide what kind of services you want your wedding planning business to offer. Wedding planners can offer all types of different services, and you should pick which ones you'll offer before you get to the nitty-gritty of planning your business and setting it up. You should also choose a business name during this step, and check with your state's Secretary of State resources to make sure that the name you want is available. You can usually do this using an online database on their website.

Kaden Dean started her wedding planning business out of a bridal dress store in New Jersey and expanded it from there. Her business offers everything from the full package to smaller day-of planning.

Although her clientele is in the greater New York area, Kaden Dean recognizes that not all couples can afford to spend upward of $50,000 on their weddings, which is part of the reason she offers several packages. Deciding what types of services and packages your own wedding planning business will offer will be important as you plan the business, market your services, and meet with potential clients.

For context, An Affair to Remember offers three pricing packages:

1. Full planning

For this most expensive option, Kaden Dean will plan the entire event from soup to nuts. This includes helping couples find the perfect venue, lining up all the vendors, helping choose invitations and centerpieces, and just about everything else. “Sometimes I even help pick the colors of the ties.”

The cost: about $5,000 and up.

2. Day of the wedding

This least expensive option is ideal for couples who want to do the planning themselves, but need some organizational help on the day of the wedding. For a typical wedding where Kaden Dean is hired for the day only, she creates a minute-to-minute timeline of when events will happen, like the hour the flowers will be delivered to the site and the exact time when the bridesmaids will arrive. On the big day, Kaden Dean is there to ensure that all goes according to plan.

She also handles any snafus. “One time a couple in the wedding party left a diaper bag in a taxi with their passports in it.” She went to work and tracked down the diaper bag, so that the couple could participate in the wedding stress-free. An hour later, the bag arrived at the venue.

The cost: about $1,750 to $2,250. The exact pricing depends on the amount of time Kaden Dean puts in, the number of assistants hired, and so on.

3. Day of “plus”

This is An Affair to Remember’s most popular offering. Couples hiring Kaden Dean for this package will plan their own weddings but rely on her to handle events on the wedding day, as well as any last-minute planning issues. “I take everything they have, shake it out, and see what pockets are missing to make sure everything is cohesive.” This package usually entails five hours of consultation time, 12 hours on the day of the wedding, one hour for the rehearsal, and 15 hours of virtual legwork to put all the ducks in a row.

The cost: about $2,500 to $3,000.

How much do you need?

with Fundera by NerdWallet

We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Step 2: Choose a business entity

The next step in starting a wedding planning business is deciding how you'll structure your business for legal and tax purposes. You'll likely want to choose a business entity that protects you personally from any legal ramifications your wedding planning business might face. A great option for this would be to choose a limited liability company (LLC) as your business entity. An LLC is a registered business in which owners are not personally liable for the business's debts or obligations. You might also choose a limited liability partnership if you want to have a business partner but the protections an LLC can offer you. Once you choose a business entity you can move on to step 3 which is writing your business plan.

You'll also want to register the business with the state once you have the entity and name decided on. Now would be a great time to consult a business attorney familiar with your type of business who can help you make sure everything is up to par and that you aren't missing any steps. This person can also help you choose which business entity is best for your wedding planning business.

Step 3: Write a detailed business plan

If you're starting a wedding planning business, hopefully, you're already a good planner and this step should come naturally to you. You'll need to write a business plan before you can get your business up and running. You can use a business plan template or business plan software to make the process easier, but there are some specific things you should be sure to include in it, no matter how you write it.

You should include a summary of your business in the plan as well as a market analysis, a detailed list of the products and services you'll offer, your marketing and sales plan, your financial plan and projections, and more. Think of your business plan for a roadmap that will lead you through the early stages of building your business and making it profitable.

Your business plan should also include some of the vendors and any other businesses you plan on working with. During the first year of starting her business, Kaden Dean focused on developing such relationships. “It was a challenging first year, but I spent the time introducing myself to the local wedding vendors so I could find people to recommend and work with. I set the groundwork for my business and established myself.”

An Affair to Remember’s start-up costs the first year maxed out at $10,000, including the rent and furniture for the small space in the bridal shop, along with signage, business cards and brochures, a website, and advertising on WeddingWire. Kaden Dean also had to pay to attend bridal shows, hire an assistant to help her track advertising inquiries, and cover her childcare costs. The costs Kaden Dean had are the kind you should plan to face and include in the financial section of your business plan.

Step 4: Get an EIN

If you plan to hire employees to help run your wedding planning business, you'll need to obtain an EIN, also known as an employer identification number. However, even if your business is a one-person show at the moment, you'll likely want to get an employer identification number for your business to make things easier on yourself down the line. The good news is that it's fairly easy to apply for an employer identification number and you can apply online through the IRS' website and get one in a matter of minutes.

An EIN comes with a number of benefits and can be extremely helpful for your business. It can help you when it comes time to file your business taxes, get a business credit card, open a business bank account, or any other number of business necessities.

Step 5: Get a business bank account and business credit card

Now that you have an EIN, you'll use this number when applying to open a business checking account and business credit card . This next step of starting a wedding planning business is crucial, as you'll want to keep your business finances separate from your personal finances. When you're still working on setting up your wedding planning business maybe you'll be working out of your house as a home-based business or maybe you'll have a small storefront. Either way, you'll probably want to spend on some decor, or at least on some marketing products, and you'll likely want a credit card to use for that.

Keeping the business finances completely separate from your personal finances will be huge when it comes time to file your taxes and it will help you boost your business credit score as well.

Step 6: Get any funding you need

The next step in starting a wedding planning business? Funding your new venture. The startup costs associated with opening a wedding planning business don't have to be too high, especially if you're working out of your home or another business's space. However, you will still have some upfront expenses you may not have the savings to cover. In that case, this is the time when you might need to work on getting a business loan or other funding option.

And because you have a great business plan already, you can use that to show potential investors or lenders that you have a well thought out business and a plan for turning a profit quickly. Of course, getting a loan as a new business isn't always easy. If you're finding your options to be limited, you might turn to a 0% introductory APR business credit card as an interest-free loan of sorts. With this type of credit card, you won't pay any interest on the balance you carry over for the length of the introductory offer (this will depend on the card, but at most will be 12 months). Just make sure you have a plan to pay off your balance by the end of this intro period, when a variable APR will set in, or this won't be the most effective funding tool.

Step 7: Market your services and start doing business

Once your wedding planning business is up and running and have the services you're offering laid out, you can start marketing them and hopefully bringing on new business. Consider marketing at trade shows and with any bridal boutiques in your area, or forge relationships with wedding venues to find clients. Once you get your first client, you're off to the races and can consider yourself fully in business.

The brides and grooms you work with will be grateful for your services and you can help them make their special day as stress-free as possible.

"Hiring a planner is so important to your big day," says Kaden Dean. The last thing a bride needs is for someone else to show up to handle the details: “They trust me. When you hire me, you get me. I’ve never missed a wedding.”

And keep in mind, happy customers can provide referrals and word-of-mouth marketing that can give you business the boost it needs to take off.

ZenBusiness

Start Your Dream Business

The bottom line

If you want to survive and thrive in the wedding planning business, you’ve got to put on a happy face and mean it—all the time. Also, you’ve got to be nice—all the time, says Kaden Dean.

It might seem like a simple recipe for success, but if you do a great job and you’re happy and people know it, the referrals will flow and you’ll stay busy, she says.

This article originally appeared on JustBusiness, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.

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how to start own wedding planning business

OK – you've made this HUGE decision that you want to start a wedding planning business. But not just ANY kind of wedding planning business. You want to build a business that gets amazing clients, is successful, and allows you to build and grow something that's YOURS.

You want to plan gorgeous weddings, work with incredible clients, get featured in magazines, and spend your days obsessing over linen swatches, pretty flowers, candles, and of course, the logistics that make all the pretty happen.

In this blog post, I've put together my 12+ years of experience in running a profitable, multi six figure, multi-country wedding planning & design business so you can learn how to start a wedding planning business you love quicker, faster, and better.

First, let me say how delighted I am for you. In other words, when I started my wedding planning and design company back in 2007, I had the same feelings you did about creating the life and career I wanted.

I was excited, nervous, energized, and willing to consume any information on starting a wedding planning business.

(Back in 2007, that information was hard to come by. There were not a lot of resources on how to start a wedding planning business. However, you've got a lot of information on hand to guide you.)

I'm going to break down how to start a wedding planning business–but not just any kind of wedding planning business–one that will be profitable and scalable.

Here are the 11 steps you need to take to start and grow your new wedding planning business:

I'm going to break down how to start a wedding planning business–but not just any kind of wedding planning business–one that will be profitable and scalable.  In this blog post, I've put together my 12+ years of experience in running a profitable, multi-6-figure, multi-country wedding planning & design business so you can build a business you love quicker, faster, and better.

Step 1: Know What Kind Of Wedding Planning Business You Want to Build

Before you do anything, knowing what kind of wedding planning business you want is the first step. I've got an easy exercise for you to figure this out, too.

We call it vision casting.

It's important to know what kind of business you want, which will help you write strategies to make that business come to life.

In addition, we can't know what we're really building until we see the destination we want to arrive at, right?

That's what vision casting is. It's knowing the destination you want to arrive at–the business that you want.

To make this even easier for you, I've recorded an entire podcast episode on how to vision cast for your business. 👇

Episode 42 of my podcast for wedding pros, The Power in Purpose Podcast gives you step-by-step guidance and action on how to start your wedding planning biz with vision casting.

Everyone is building a different kind of business under different circumstances. For instance, you might want to have a career that allows you to raise your family at the same time. Or, you might want to build a million-dollar empire.

This is why it's important to know what kind of business YOU want so that you can reverse engineer the strategies that it will take to get there.

Don't skip this step. And listen to this podcast episode to get started.

Step 2: Write A Business Plan For Your Wedding Planning Business

Yes, I know you wanted to skip this part–biz plans are so 2007, aren't they?

No. They're essential. To build the wedding planning business YOU want (the one you're going to vision cast for!), you have to write a strategy to get there.

That's what a business plan is: an overarching strategy for getting from where you are today to where you want to go. And it cannot be overlooked.

Writing your business plan doesn't have to be challenging or overwhelming. You don't need an MBA or a fancy degree to start a business.

Instead, you just need to discover a problem that needs solving, and then your business becomes the solution.

With that said, I know that writing a business plan isn't the easiest (or sexiest) task.

That's why I've created my Free Business Plan Outline + Guide , a way to jumpstart your efforts and get you to write a plan for your wedding planning business.

Write a wedding planner business plan with this free guidebook and outline. It'll take you from stuck to start. I take all the guesswork out of how to write a business plan and even teach you some strategies. Plus, it's free! That's why I want to make sure you grab it.

Step 3: Know The “Ideal Clients” Your Wedding Planning Business Will Serve

The #1 reason why businesses fail is they don't know who their customers are. They don't really, truly, and personally know their customers. 

Their values.

Their problems.

However, this isn't going to be you; you're here to learn how to start a wedding planning business–and a crucial step is knowing your ideal clients!

Instead, you're going to create a business that fully understands who your ideal clients are so that you can solve their problems quicker, faster, and better than anyone else.

You must get specific about your ideal clients and why they need you to solve their problems. Knowing more about what motivates them, what they value, what challenges they face, and yes, what problems they have means you can position yourself as the solution.

I want to clarify that knowing your ideal clients is more than knowing what kind of car they drive, their favorite color, and their age range. Moreover, those things are essential but only tell you part of the story.

If you want to book high-end clients in the wedding industry, you need to check out The Client Cocktail . In this mini-training, I teach you how to call in dreamy clients and magazine-worthy weddings.

When you start your business, you'll be tempted to serve everyone and anyone. That's one of the biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs make: they reason they'll cast a wide net, increasing their chances of customers. After all, the wider the net, the more you can catch, right?

What ends up happening is you become too watered down, too unspecific, and too generic. However, by appealing to everyone, you appeal to no one because no one can really connect with your company.

They don't look at what you offer, your message, and say, “This is for me.”

Step 4: Create A Wedding Planning Brand That Gets Noticed

There are a lot of wedding planners out there. What makes you different?

One of the cornerstones of marketing is that people buy with their eyes, and your brand–aka the visual manifestation of your company–is what sets you apart.

You need to create a visual brand that gets noticed.

One that makes YOUR ideal client stop in their tracks.

One that makes your perfect client buy with their eye.

Your visual branding helps to accelerate the know/like/trust factor with your customers. The couple who wants to hire someone like you lands on your website or sees some of your marketing, and because of its polished nature and overall experience, they want to know more.

After you've set a vision and written your business plan, don't let it all fall apart by having a bad logo and website.

Your clients will notice immediately that your business doesn't live up to what it offers. And they will click off.

You have a matter of seconds to capture someone's attention (sometimes, it's a fraction of that number!). How will you capture the attention of your ideal clients with your marketing and branding?

Here are some quick resources for you to start creating a kick-ass wedding planning brand from DAY ONE (bc that's how we roll!)

  • Showit Website Platform : To create a GORGEOUS website (it's my website platform!)
  • Sourced Co : For incredible stock images created JUST for wedding pros. You can find images for marketing and your website, making it easy to start without a portfolio. Use code PLAYBOOK to get a special discount.
  • Hautestock : Use code CANDICE for 15% off gorgeous stock images that don't look stock. Firstly, Hautestock's images are great for your website to fill in the gaps where you might not have a portfolio. Secondly, they make perfect social media posts so you can start marketing TODAY – even if you don't have any clients or work!
  • Styled Stock : Another fantastic styled stock membership for beautiful stock images that don't look like “stock images.”

I'm going to break down how to start a wedding planning business–but not just any kind of wedding planning business–one that will be profitable and scalable.  In this blog post, I've put together my 12+ years of experience in running a profitable, multi-6-figure, multi-country wedding planning & design business so you can build a business you love quicker, faster, and better.

Step 5: Work More On Your Wedding Planning Business Than In It

You had the idea to start a wedding planning business because you want to be a wedding planner. However, when you decide to open up your own company, you're a business owner first. Wedding planner, second.

They say that businesses fail not only because they don't know their ideal clients but because the owner of that business doesn't work on their business. 

You toil away at being the best wedding planner, focusing all your time on planning weddings and serving your clients, but what about the business owner side? 

I want you to work more ON your business than IN your business. Consider yourself a business owner above all other roles you might have in your business.

Owning a business is like having a classic car: it needs love, care, and attention. It needs you to tune it, fix what's broken, and invest in its care.

If you're serious about owning a wedding planning business, consider yourself an entrepreneur first and a business owner second.

My advice? Seek education to help you build and grow your wedding planning business from the ground up correctly. Find mentors and business owners who are where you want to be and hire them to help you.

In addition, you should invest in courses , conferences, and other educational avenues to learn all you can and speed up your results.

Always learning, always moving forward. That's my motto.

Step 6: Network With The Right People

The wedding industry is mostly about connections, and some of the most incredible business comes from referrals (if you sign up for The Client Cocktail , you'll know how important this is!).

You have to seek out new connections as much as possible–but not just any old “links”–and focus on the right ones.

As you set out to market your business, you must get in front of the right people. Ideally, the people and companies that are already in front of your ideal clients.

They have the power to refer to you and to help lift your business alongside theirs.

Do you want to know one of the first things I did when I started my business?

I networked my butt off. Networking with the right people was one of the first things I did when I started my business, which paid off. I was armed with my biz plan, a vision for the future, and a nice-looking brand/website. I sought out businesses that were already in front of my ideal clients.

And it paid off in dividends. 

Step 7: Know Your Marketing Message And Market Your Wedding Planning Business As Much As You Can

Marketing is simply sharing your message so that it reaches the right people. What's your message?

Your company's mission, vision, and purpose are vital. They connect you to your customers and ground you when the going gets tough.

You need to have a clear, concise message about what your company does, how life looks for your customers after you do it, and why you do it in the first place.

how to start own wedding planning business

Step 8: Make Mistakes, Try New Things & Do It Your Way

When you start a business, you follow the same path as those you admire. No doubt you've rapidly followed a bunch of people on the ‘gram who are killing it in their wedding planning biz right now.

And you're probably thinking: I need to do it this way too.

Maybe. Or maybe not. Don't fall into the trap of copying what other folks are doing. That's their business–their vision–not yours.

I want you to feel empowered to do it YOUR way. Sure, you can seek out roadmaps and blueprints on how to build your business, but make sure you adapt what you learn as it fits your unique circumstances.

Don't build someone else's business. Build yours.

If you want to hear some of my epic wedding planning mistakes, check out my tales from the clipboard email series.

Step 9: Give Your Business Time To Grow & Take Root

As a business coach for wedding planners and pros, I've seen biz owners quit just when the going gets going. Owning a wedding planning business is a marathon and not a sprint. It takes time for your efforts to start to take root.

When I started my company, it took me six months to land my first client. Imagine if I had quit five months and two weeks in? 

I want you to know that things take time. Give your business time to take root. It will happen with consistency and perseverance. Don't quit at the first failure. 

Remember, your failures lead you toward your successes.

Patience is necessary for business (just like with most things in life). The strategies you implement today may not show results for 3-6 months. But they will see results if you give them a chance. 

Step 10: Hire A Wedding Planning Mentor And Learn, Learn, Learn

Let me ask you a serious question. Why not hire someone to help you do all the above and teach you the ropes so that you can accelerate your business quicker and faster?

There is no greater gift you can give your biz than enlisting the help of someone who has been where you want to go.

As a wedding industry business coach and mentor , of course, I will advocate for what I do. And that's because I've seen the results my expertise brings to those that I humbly help.

If you're serious about starting a wedding planning business, pay for an expert to teach you the road to success. 

I want you to be open to learning as much as you can from trusted sources as you navigate the tricky road of entrepreneurship. Recognize that you don't know everything, be 100% coachable, and apply what you learn in your business.

The truth is, you'll achieve the results you want quicker, better, and faster than you had expected.

Step 11: Believe In Yourself

Finally, I want you to believe in yourself because you were put on this earth for great things.

No, seriously, I want you to believe in your abilities to design a business you love, a business YOU want. While you may lack experience in certain areas, you have a wealth of knowledge about how things work.

You're smart. You're driven. And you're here for the right reasons. Believe in your abilities to learn as you go and apply your knowledge and unique life experiences to the services and products you provide.

For instance, too many people quit because they lack the confidence and belief in themselves to do what they want to do. I don't want you to be one of those people. 

I believe in you. So believe in yourself. All things are possible, and you CAN design a business that you love–and one that gives back to your meaningful life.

And if you're ready to take your wedding planning dreams to the next level, I want to invite you to check out my coaching program for wedding planners .

The Planner's Playbook is your secret weapon for planning, designing, and coordinating high-end weddings like a pro. The doors to this program are open now for a limited time. Click here to learn more about The Planner's Playbook!

Not ready for that? Then grab my free course on how to start your wedding planning business!

Let's summarize this post so you can start your wedding planning business:

How do I start a wedding planning business?

Follow these steps to start and launch your wedding planning business:

It's important to know what kind of business YOU want so that you can reverse engineer the strategies that it will take to get there. Don't skip this step.

Every business needs a strategy to grow and scale. Sit down and write your business plan using your vision as a guide for the strategies you'll create in marketing, sales, services, and pricing.

Businesses exist to serve their customers. Who are you serving? Know your ideal client as well as you know your BFF–and then create products and solutions that help them.

The wedding industry is a saturated market. You'll need to create a brand that stands out from the competition and gets noticed. How will you be different from the rest?

Initially, it'll be easy because you won't have many clients. But as your business grows, it's important to continue working on it more than in it.

The wedding industry is a people industry. Form relationships and connections with the right people–the businesses already in front of your dreamy clients–and watch your biz grow.

Marketing is simply sharing your message so it reaches the right people. Know your message and watch your ICAs start knocking on your door.

Resist the temptation to copy others and be confident that you can do things your way. A signature way of doing anything for your customers will set you apart from the competition.

Nothing happens overnight. It could take months to land your first wedding, so give your business time to take root. Don't rush the brush, so to speak. That moment you feel like quitting? Keep going.

Why try and figure this out all on your own when you could hire someone to help you achieve your goals quicker, faster, and better? Hire a mentor who has been where you want to go and watch how quickly you scale.

A little confidence goes a long way. Believe in your worthiness, experience, creativity, and capabilities. You can do this.

If you're serious about starting your wedding planning business, here are some resources I offer to help:

  • Free Business Plan Outline + Guide
  • Free Course To Launch Your Wedding Planning Business
  • The Client Cocktail
  • The Planner's Playbook
  • WeddingPro Insiders
  • Wedding Planner Business Tools

Know that I'm cheering you on and believing in you. 

Explore More Wedding Industry Resources

  • How To Become A Wedding Planner With No Experience
  • 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Wedding Planning Business
  • How To Build Your Portfolio As A Wedding Planner When You’re Just Starting Out
  • Why You Need To Create A Client Journey As A Wedding Planner
  • How To Get Wedding Clients When You’re Just Starting Out
  • Day of Coordination: The Pros and Cons as a Wedding Planner
  • How Much Should You Charge As A Wedding Planner? Learn How To Figure Out Your Wedding Planner Pricing
  • 5 Contracts Every Wedding Planner Must Have To Be Legally Set
  • The #1 Reason Why You’re Not Booking The Right Wedding Clients (And How To Fix It)
  • 5 Online Wedding Planning Tools You Need to Use
  • How To Become A Destination Wedding Planner
  • 4 Strategies That Will Help You Book MORE Of Your Ideal Clients
  • 5 Tips On Crafting a Business Plan To Book Out Your Biz With Your Ideal Clients And Get Paid
  • What A Business Plan Will REALLY Reveal About Your Business
  • 6 Reasons Why I Recommend Asana for Wedding Planners
  • Are You a Disorganized Wedding Planner? Let’s Fix That With These Organized Wedding Planner Tips!

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We’re back! I’m so happy to share that the newest season of The Power in Purpose podcast is here, and just in time for you to build your business this year. Today, I’m joined by one of my most favorite guests to date, @annadkornick! Anna is a time management coach who shows you how you can win your week before it even starts. One of the many challenges we face as business owners is finding the time to do #allthethings. Even if you start your week with the best of intentions, things can quickly spiral out of control and devolve into utter chaos. If you feel like you end the week accomplishing NOTHING that was on your original to do list, Anna gives you a new way to think about time and tasks with her simple but brilliant productivity method. We also talk about how to get back on track when things go off the rails. You know, when one task or email opens up a huge can of worms that you spend the next week having to fix. #lifeofaweddingplanner So grab a cup of caffeine, your new 2024 notebook, and your AirPods! You’re going to love this episode. #thepowerinpurposepodcast #powerinpurposepodcast #candicecoppola #weddingpro #weddingpros #timemanagementtips #weddingindustry #honeybook

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👀👀👀👀 I had to make my own in/out list for 2024! Which ones are you getting behind?!? Happy new year, friends. I can already feel it - 2024 is going to be good. LFG! . . . #2024insandouts #2024bride #2024trends #2024goals #candicecoppola #theplannersociety #theplannersplaybook #weddingmba #weddingpros #weddingplanner #weddingpro #honeybook #weddingprofessionals #weddingphotography

✨Our big and exciting news…. We bought a house! This has been such an incredible year for both of us, and we’re getting to end 2023 with the keys to our first home. We hope this house will host family and friends, celebrations and limes, cookouts and pool days, milestones and late nights. We can’t wait to share more of it with you - and how we decorate and renovate! When we both walked into this house we just knew that she was ours. And we can’t wait to make it into a home. A special thank you to @alicatbim for guiding us through this process and being with us every step of the way. We couldn’t have done it without you! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Stay tuned!!!! . . . #newhouse #newhouse🏡 #housetohome #homeinspo #househunting #barbados #barbadoslife #barbadosrealestate

✨ my 2023 recap! ✨ What an incredible year 2023 turned out to be. There were so many highlights from this year that I ran out of space - but here are some stand outs! ✨ speaking at the @creativeeducatorconference conference in Dallas! ✨ Trinidad carnival “the mother of all carnivals” with a rag tag crew @suparen1 @craig.gm @samneilands @lukadeemus @biancaclivio @nessytg @nickogneilands @jadamiani ✨ speaking at the @signatureceo conference in Washington, DC! ✨ dear friends @skiptomalouuu and @oran.imal wedding ✨ bucket list trip to England for @f1 silverstone! ✨ the sweetest summer festival ✨ a trip back home to CT! ✨ our first ever in person mastermind retreat in San Diego for WPI! Followed by a trip to Vegas for weddingmba! ✨ speaking at and attending the @honeybook partner summit in San Francisco! This was definitely a year of travel, adventure, and connection. Thank you to everyone who made this year special and took the time to make memories with me 🥰 I can’t wait to see what 2024 has in store (and spoiler - there’s a lot already happening!!!!) I’d love to see your yearly recap, too! Use my reel template and create your own - and don’t forget to tag me! 😘😘 . . . #2023recap #myyearinphotos #businesscoach #weddingmba #honeybook #plannersplaybook #theplannersplaybook #thepowerinpurpose #weddingproinsiders #2023season #candicecoppola #trendingreels #explorepage

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Wedding planning business can be very successful career, if you work properly before establishing it. Many people learn the basic etiquettes about wedding planning while event planning course. If you want to get basic knowledge you can also get a course from a good institution and start up your business. Though it is a very interesting and joyful business for those, who love thrill and fun, but at the same time it demands commitment lots of energy and stress. Before starting up your business for wedding planning if you follow some important points, you can get better result in start and get good grip over your business soon.

Great post! I read your blog fairly often and you’re always coming out with some great stuff. I shared this on my Facebook and my followers loved it! Keep up the good work. 🙂

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How to Start a Wedding Planning Business in 14 Steps (In-Depth Guide)

Updated:   January 4, 2024

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The global wedding planning business is constantly growing. With an evaluation of $160.5 billion in 2020 and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8% from 2021 to 2030, now is a great time to get started. The wedding service market could reach $414.2 billion by 2030 at this estimation.

how to start own wedding planning business

With so many engaged couples looking to tie the knot in style, the demand for professional wedding planners who can turn dreams into reality is booming. But the rewards of launching a wedding planning business go far beyond the financial. Helping create once-in-a-lifetime memories for clients can be incredibly fulfilling.

Through this guide, we’ll explain how to start a wedding planning business. Topics include market research, competitive analysis, registering an EIN, opening a business bank account, and more. Here’s everything you need to know to become a successful wedding planner.

1. Conduct Wedding Planning Market Research

Market research is essential to building a successful wedding planner business plan. To become a wedding planner you need insight on your target market, local market saturation, trends in wedding venues and services, and more.

how to start own wedding planning business

Some details you’ll learn through wedding planning services market research include:

  • While weddings occur year-round, late spring and summer are peak seasons.
  • Saturday is the most popular day, accounting for most weddings.
  • Most events kick off either late afternoon or early evening.
  • The majority of couples have a 12 to 14-month engagement.
  • While the industry remains female-dominated, more men are entering the field.
  • Offering foreign language services can be a competitive advantage.
  • The typical planner handles 20 to 40 weddings per year and earns around $3,000 per wedding.
  • The most successful ventures expand into additional wedding services like catering and rentals.

Despite the rise of wedding-planning apps and websites, couples value human creativity, knowledge, and support in planning their big day. For wedding planners who stay organized, develop strong vendor relationships, and provide top-notch customer service, the opportunities are endless.

2. Analyze the Competition

To succeed in the wedding planning industry, you must closely analyze your competition. Examine both local brick-and-mortar planners and those with an online presence in your region. Competitive analysis provides you with details on other successful wedding planners in your area. Learn more about competitors in the following ways.

  • Research planners that seem to dominate the local market.
  • Review their websites and social media presence.
  • Gauge strengths like years in business, reviews and ratings, types of packages offered, and pricing structure.
  • Search online directories and platforms like The Knot , WeddingWire , and Zola to analyze customer reviews and feedback for competitors.
  • Look for common complaints you could improve upon or services not being offered that present an opportunity.
  • Evaluate competitors’ digital marketing strategies.
  • Research their social media engagement levels and branding across platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
  • Conduct anonymous consultations as a “bride-to-be” to evaluate firsthand their processes, pricing, packages, and customer service experience.

Gauging the competition from all angles will identify service gaps, opportunities to differentiate, and areas where you can gain a competitive advantage in the local wedding market with the right positioning and offerings. Ongoing competitor analysis is key.

3. Costs to Start a Wedding Planning Business

Starting a full wedding planning business requires an investment. From startup costs to ongoing expenses, event planning requires tools, resources, venue connections, and more. Let’s break down costs further.

how to start own wedding planning business

Start-up Costs

When starting a wedding planning company, you’ll need to budget for various one-time start-up costs. These include:

  • Licensing and Permits – Obtaining a business license and permits can cost $50-$500 depending on your state and municipality.
  • Business Registration Fees – Expect registration fees of $100-$800 to establish your business entity (LLC, S-corp, etc.).
  • Insurance – Liability insurance will likely run $500-$2,000 annually depending on your location and coverage levels.
  • Office Supplies – Budget $1,000-$5,000 upfront for basic office furniture, computers, printers, software, phones, and supplies.
  • Website Development – Having a professional wedding planning website designed typically costs $2,000-$5,000.
  • Branding – Logo design, branding assets, and branded templates can cost $1,000-$3,000.
  • Marketing Collateral – Printing business cards, flyers, brochures, etc. will cost around $500-$2,000 to start.
  • Training & Education – Wedding planner certification courses range from $400-$1000.

Ongoing Costs

Once up and running, wedding planners also face ongoing operating expenses, including:

  • Rent – Leasing a home office or commercial space costs $400-$1,500 monthly. For a more visible location, expect closer to $2,500-$5,000 per month.
  • Utilities – Gas, electricity, internet, etc can run $200-$500 monthly for a small office.
  • Phone & Internet – Basic business phone and internet will cost approximately $150 per month.
  • Association Fees – Joining a local or national wedding association provides referrals and credibility for $200-$500 annually.
  • Software Subscriptions – CRM, invoicing, project management, and email marketing software will cost $100-$300 monthly.
  • Insurance – General business liability insurance ranges from $30-$150 per month.
  • Advertising – Paid ads and sponsored posts on wedding platforms will run $500-$2,000+ monthly.
  • Credit Card Processing Fees – Transaction fees of 2-4% will tally $100+ every month.
  • Continuing Education – Ongoing training courses and conferences average $500-$2,000 annually.
  • Taxes & Accounting – Expect to spend $300-$1,000 monthly on bookkeeping, payroll services, quarterly taxes, and annual accounting.

Careful planning and realistic budgeting for both start-up and ongoing costs are imperative to launch and sustain a successful wedding planning venture long-term. Adjust estimates to suit your specific business model and location.

4. Form a Legal Business Entity

When starting a wedding planning company, the legal structure you choose is an important decision. The four main options—sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, and corporation—each have pros and cons to weigh.

Sole Proprietorship

A sole proprietorship is the simplest, with pass-through taxation. However, the owner is personally liable for debts and lawsuits. This substantial risk makes a sole proprietorship ill-advised for wedding planners.

Partnership

Forming a general partnership allows multiple owners to share control. However each partner is also personally liable for the actions of the other, and partnerships can be complex to establish and dissolve.

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

A limited liability company (LLC) provides personal liability protection like a corporation without double taxation. Profits and losses pass through to the owners’ tax returns.

LLCs also allow tremendous flexibility. Wedding planners can start as sole owners and easily add members later. Overall, an LLC offers the best pass-through taxation benefits and liability protections for this industry.

Corporation

C-corporations limit owner liability but have complex regulations, including double taxation of profits. An S-corporation offers pass-through taxation but limits ownership to 100 shareholders. Unless wedding planners plan to raise funding and issue stock down the road, an LLC remains preferable over incorporating.

5. Register Your Business For Taxes

Once you form your wedding planning LLC, the next vital legal step is obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS.

An EIN acts like a social security number for your business. It uniquely identifies your company for tax and reporting purposes.

While sole proprietors can use their SSNs, having an EIN is crucial for liability protection with an LLC. It also allows you to easily open business bank accounts and apply for any required licenses and permits.

The good news is applying for an EIN is free and fast directly through the IRS website.

Simply go to IRS.gov and navigate to the EIN Assistant. Answer a few questions about your LLC and owners.

The site will then provide your EIN immediately. The whole process typically takes under 10 minutes.

Just be sure to have your LLC documentation handy. The IRS will ask for your official name, address, and filing date.

You’ll also need to provide owner information, including legal name, SSN, and address. For multiple-member LLCs, list the primary owner first.

Once you have your EIN, submit it when applying for any business licenses, permits, bank accounts, and insurance plans required in your state and county.

You’ll also need to set up tax accounts with state agencies to collect and remit any sales tax on your services. Registering for sales tax certificates is typically done through your state revenue or taxation department website and incurs minimal fees.

6. Setup Your Accounting

As a busy wedding planner, it can be tempting to put bookkeeping and accounting on the back burner. But meticulous financial records are crucial right from the start.

Accounting Software

After each event or consultation, log all income and expenses – from venue deposits to flower arrangements. Using accounting software like QuickBooks can automate the categorization and tracking as transactions flow through your business bank account and credit card.

Hire an Accountant

Consider partnering with an accountant from the outset. For roughly $300-$500 per month, an accountant can handle tasks like monthly reconciliation and bookkeeping, freeing you to focus on events.

At tax time, your accountant can prepare and file returns, guide tax planning, and assist if you ever face an audit. Expect fees of $1,000 or more for annual tax prep. But armed with meticulous records, your likelihood of audit decreases.

Open a Business Bank Account

To simplify accounting, establish a dedicated business bank account and credit card. Reserve your finances for non-business spending. Cleanly separating expenses avoids commingling funds and eases reporting.

Apply for a Business Credit Card

Apply for a business credit card to keep wedding-related spending separate. Issuers will request your EIN and business documentation to determine approval and credit limits.

7. Obtain Licenses and Permits

Starting a wedding planning company involves more than just forming a legal business entity. Check the U.S. Small Business Administration for federal licensure. The SBA also offers insight into state and city permits through its local search tool.

First, secure a general business license from your city or county. These licenses allow businesses to operate within a jurisdiction and levy annual fees based on company size and industry. In some areas, a home occupation permit may be required if you’ll work from home. Expect to pay $50-$500 for these basic permissions.

Next, many regions mandate that wedding planners carry a surety bond of $5,000-$25,000 or more to protect clients financially in case of disputes or failure to provide services. Shop specialty brokers to find an affordable premium.

If you plan to sell any food or beverages during planning sessions or at events, a food handling permit is also often compulsory. These ensure proper food safety precautions are implemented. County health departments oversee the application process.

States with sales tax will require wedding planners to complete tax registration. You’ll need to charge applicable state and local sales tax on your services and remit collected amounts periodically. Fines can result in non-compliance.

Some regions mandate that wedding pros carry commercial auto insurance if they utilize vehicles for business purposes. Make sure your policy covers any accidents that occur during client meetings or events.

8. Get Business Insurance

Even with an LLC, wedding planners face substantial risks from disputes, accidents, natural disasters, and other losses. Having proper insurance coverage is crucial to protect your company should the unthinkable occur.

For example, imagine a reception venue unexpectedly closes before a booked event. Without event cancellation insurance, you could face six-figure out-of-pocket costs. Or what if a client slips and falls at a wedding, threatening to sue you? Liability insurance can be a lifesaver.

Other risks like lost deposits, vendor no-shows, contract disputes, and damaged equipment can also spell financial disaster without insurance to reimburse you.

To get covered, start by speaking with business insurance brokers like CoverWallet .

Describe your business model, location, number of events, liability risks, and assets. They will tailor a policy with key protections like general liability, event/weather cancellation, equipment coverage, and more.

9. Create an Office Space

Having a professional office space lends credibility when meeting with clients and provides room to handle the administrative aspects of orchestrating events. But the right option depends on your budget and workflow.

Home Office

A dedicated home office works for sole planners. Expect costs of $100-$500 for basic furniture and upgrades like soundproofing. The ability to deduct mortgage and utility costs helps offset taxes. However, hosting clients in your residence may seem less official.

Coworking Office

Coworking spaces like WeWork offer stylish, modern locales to meet clients starting at $300-$600 monthly. Open layouts facilitate collaborating with other small business owners too. However, you’ll lack private office space and the flexibility of being home.

Retail Office

For planners working closely with retail vendors, securing space in a bridal shop or event venue can provide built-in referrals. Renting a few hundred square feet would run $800-$2,000 monthly. But retail spaces limit flexibility if you change focus.

Commercial Office

Leasing traditional office space in a business complex enables branding your suite as your own. Expect monthly rents of $1,000-$5,000 based on location, size, finishes, and terms. Hiring staff is easier with dedicated space but costs are higher.

10. Source Your Equipment

From decor to technology, wedding planners need certain equipment to successfully coordinate events. Here are the top options to acquire the necessary items for your new company:

For the latest models and reliability, purchase new equipment from retailers like B&H , Amazon Business , and WebstaurantStore . Invest in a fast computer, high-quality printer, long-range walkie-talkies, and wireless microphones to start. Expect costs of $1,500-$5,000 to outfit your office.

Save substantially by buying gently used equipment from other planners or vendors. Check industry forums, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay for reliable deals on printers, lighting, furniture, and AV equipment. Budget $500-$2,000 for essentials.

Rather than buying specialty items like chiavari chairs or tenting, renting allows flexibility. Platforms like RentMyWedding and Rentals Unlimited offer everything from linens to lounge furniture, with free delivery. Pay per rental with no long-term commitment.

Leasing business technology through companies enables access to new equipment annually with maintenance included. While monthly fees add up, you avoid large upfront costs. Use leasing for key tech like computers, printers, and photo booths you want to update regularly.

11. Establish Your Brand Assets

Crafting a strong brand is crucial for wedding pros to stand out in a crowded market. By investing in branded assets upfront, couples instantly recognize your company as professional, polished, and trustworthy.

Get a Business Phone Number

Start with an official business phone line using a service like RingCentral . Choose a custom toll-free or local vanity number clients can easily recall.

Design a Logo

Work with a designer to create a memorable logo that captures your brand identity. Outline fonts, colors, and icons you love. Looka makes custom, affordable logos tailored to your vision.

From your logo, develop cohesive brand assets – fonts, colors, patterns, graphics, and photography styles that reinforce your look across platforms.

Print Business Cards

Print professional business cards, folders, and branded welcome packs from Vistaprint . Hand these out at in-person consultations and include them in client welcome gifts. Carry cards at industry networking events.

If securing office space, install external signage so couples can easily locate their workspace for meetings. Match signage font and colors to your logo.

Buy a Domain Name

Register a domain name that aligns with your brand for a custom email address and website. Check availability by searching Namecheap before settling on the perfect name.

Design a Website

Build a stunning website with your branding on platforms like Wix or hire a Fiverr pro to handle development. Showcase photos, packages, and reviews.

12. Join Associations and Groups

Joining regional organizations and online communities provides invaluable connections in the wedding industry. Surround yourself with fellow pros who graciously share advice and referrals.

Local Associations

Seek out established local associations like the Association of Bridal Consultants that offer training programs and networking. Attend association conferences to gain formal instruction and mingle with experienced planners eager to help newcomers. Regional groups also share job leads and vendor recommendations.

Local Meetups

Attend a local wedding or small business meetups and trade shows to make connections. Use Meetup to find regular gatherings of industry peers in your city. Exchange ideas in person and partner with photographers, caterers, and venues eager to work with up-and-coming planners.

Facebook Groups

Dive into Facebook Groups like the Wedding Planning Support Group . In national online groups, glean advice from thousands of planners across the globe. Post questions and browse extensive idea libraries 24/7. Review how other planners handle challenges.

13. How to Market a Wedding Planning Business

Implementing an ongoing marketing strategy is essential for wedding planners to continually attract new clients. While you’ll rely heavily on referrals at first, also focus on digital and traditional tactics to expand your reach and visibility.

how to start own wedding planning business

Personal Networking

Leverage your personal and professional network to spread the word that you’ve launched a wedding planning company. Offer discounts to early customers who provide testimonials and referrals. One glowing recommendation on your website or reviews can influence many couples.

Digital Marketing

For digital marketing:

  • Run Google Ads campaigns so your services appear at the top when local couples search for wedding planners. Target keywords like “affordable wedding planner [your city].”
  • Create Facebook and Instagram ads showcasing your services. Target newly engaged demographics and location. Feature great photos of events you coordinate.
  • Start a YouTube channel sharing wedding planning tips and vendor spotlights. Include a strong call-to-action to subscribe and book you.
  • Write blog posts about wedding trends and planning advice. Optimize posts for SEO by including relevant keywords couples search for.
  • Send email newsletters with wedding inspiration, vendor sales, and promotional offers to stay top of mind. Provide value and specials to subscribers.

Traditional Marketing

For traditional marketing:

  • Design professional flyers and menus to display at local bridal shops, florists, venues, etc.
  • Partner with venues, photographers, caterers, and bakeries to cross-promote one another. Offer referral fees.
  • Sponsor local bridal shows and events related to weddings. Have an eye-catching booth and network.
  • Advertise on radio stations and podcasts popular with your target brides. Focus ad copy on the experiences you create.
  • For planners with retail space, utilize signage, window displays, and curb appeal to attract foot traffic.

Consistently investing time and budget into marketing expands your visibility and client base. Track results to double down on the most effective tactics over time.

14. Focus on the Customer

Providing an incredible client experience is crucial for wedding planners. Your business depends on referrals and reviews. Just one poor customer service interaction can deter dozens of potential clients. Some ways to improve customer focus as a wedding business include:

  • Respond promptly to all inquiries with thoughtful guidance.
  • Set clients at ease during the planning process, resolving issues quickly.
  • Check in frequently as their big day approaches.
  • On the wedding day itself, ensure everything flows seamlessly behind the scenes.
  • Greet guests with enthusiasm. Resolve any emergencies discreetly without the couple knowing.
  • Post-wedding, follow up to get candid feedback.
  • Send anniversary gifts and incentives for reviews. Deliver photos and videos promptly.
  • Couples have endless planner options for their most important day.
  • For example, notice when a bride seems stressed and provides a shoulder massage.
  • Surprise couples with a favorite bottle of champagne.
  • Handwrite thoughtful notes demonstrating your care.

With close attention and personal touches, you create delightful experiences and invaluable word-of-mouth referrals. Consistently wowing couples must be a top priority.

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Confidently start your wedding planning business with this comprehensive guide and worksheets. 25 Steps to Start Your Wedding Planning Business guidebook includes each step necessary to start your own wedding planning business. This 70+ page guidebook and business plan template are perfect for aspiring wedding planners who are ready to start their own business.

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A 70-page comprehensive guidebook

Written by Debbie Orwat, Founder + Chief Inspiration Officer at Planner’s Lounge. Topics covered include naming your business tips, legal entities available, what to consider when choosing your advisory board, trademarks, resources for creating your first website, bookkeeping guidance when starting out, branding basics for new wedding planners, pricing and service offerings when starting out, what you need to know about social media, how to get paid by clients, and much more! Not only does the guide go through the details on how to start your business, it includes personal experiences plus links to more than 30 additional resources and recommendations. Click here to see the full table of contents

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There are a few sections of this guide that are only relevant for U.S. based businesses. For example, the links for where to file your business name, what U.S. banks require to open a business account, and U.S. trademarks won’t apply to you. However, the processes in this guide are the same steps you would use to start a business in most countries and would be helpful no matter where you live. There is a 7-day money-back guarantee if you aren’t fully satisfied.

One-on-one coaching is an ideal way to get personalized professional guidance to start your wedding and event planning business. You can find more information for one-on-one coaching here .

Please save the product files to a safe location immediately after your purchase. We recommend using Google Drive or Dropbox for free online storage. You can also download the zip file and email it to yourself, then keep that email for future use. We do not reissue files or links for the 25 Steps to Start Your Wedding Planning Business product.

Yes, this guide would work well for anyone wishing to start a business in the wedding industry. The two sections in the guide that won’t apply to you are related specifically to services and pricing for planners and to managing client tasks as a wedding planner.

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How to start a wedding planning business

February 28, 2022

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Did you grow up dreaming of your wedding day? If you’ve had a scrapbook or Pinterest filled with pictures of dresses and floral displays for as long as you can remember, you may be ready to dream beyond your own wedding ceremony and begin a career as a wedding planner.

Luckily, there’s no required training or licensure to become a wedding planner. And getting started on a new career path always takes time and perseverance. However, if you have a passion for helping other couples make their wedding picture-perfect, all you need to get started is a little know-how. This wedding planning business guide gives it to you.

Before you say “I do”…

As any great wedding planner knows, the key to a successful event is making sure you understand the requirements (and expectations) of the job. If you’re thinking of starting your own wedding planning business, you know that the job isn’t all cake tastings and champagne toasts.

If you’re just starting out and don’t have experience in event planning, it may be helpful to get a start working as an assistant to an experienced wedding or event planner. An experienced planner will teach you the lessons they learned early on so you hopefully don’t repeat their same mistakes.

Planning a wedding requires the following traits:

  • Great communication skills – Understand the couple’s tastes and preferences, and communicate clearly with your clients, your staff, and your subcontractors.
  • Creativity – Everyone wants a unique wedding. Can you come up with a creative, unique solution for each client?
  • An eye for detail – A couple is hiring you so they don’t have to worry about the details. It’s important to cross your t’s and dot your i’s. This includes outlining a crisis plan.

When it comes to how to start a wedding planning business, you may need to secure some start-up funding. Even if you have enough cash on-hand to begin marketing and promoting your services, it’s important to begin with a clear, detailed plan so that you know exactly what you hope to accomplish in your first year of business (and beyond).

A strong business plan will help you with everything from pitching yourself to potential clients to taking on a manageable number of ceremonies. It should answer:

What are your goals and vision? – How does your wedding planning business stand out from your competitors? Do you cater to a niche market, offer flat-rate packages, or have a particular design focus that can woo customers?

What steps will you take to achieve your goals? – Do you have potential business partners? Potential customers? How will you market and promote your services?

What is your budget? – How much money do you need to cover your costs until your business becomes profitable? How many ceremonies will you need to plan before your business turns a profit?

How will you structure your business? – Creating a legal business entity like an LLC can help to protect you from some liability. What other steps will you take to legitimize your business and protect yourself from risk?

Having a clear business plan helps you to set achievable goals and take concrete steps towards them.

A website is the first step in your online marketing campaign and will be your digital portfolio. Thankfully, smart website builders such as Wix and Squarespace make it easier than ever to create an attractive site that reflects your style without needing a development background.

The key elements of any good business website are:

Design – A big part of your job as a wedding planner is creating a ceremony to remember. Make sure your website reflects your style.

Your bio – clients want a planner they can relate to as they’re entrusting their big day in your hands. Your bio should reflect your style and personality – include some fun facts to help you stand out.

Portfolio & client reviews – Clients want to be able to imagine their wedding. Consider planning a friend’s wedding, or even staging a mock wedding with a photographer you’d hire for future events. This can help you to convey professionalism and experience as you’re getting started.

Contact information & form – you need a way for prospective clients to easily contact you. Include a phone number and form so people can submit their details. Don’t forget to call prospective clients back as soon as possible – ideally 24-48 hours.

Social proof – Include links to your profiles on industry organizations or websites such as Wedding Wire or The Knot to help potential clients know you’re legitimate. And, if you’ve received any awards or badges, make sure to include those on your website. Additionally, make sure to link to your social profiles.

SEO – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is how to help your website show up in the search results. The basic setup doesn’t take a marketing degree: simply follow your website builder’s instructions for adding page descriptions, and be sure to include keywords related to your local area so you can show up in local search results.

Once you have a site, start showing it off to your network and updating your social profiles with a link to your website.

Once you land your first gig, it’s important to make sure your business is protected in the event that something goes wrong. As you start your new venture, you’re likely excited, even giddy—but it’s important to come down from cloud nine and assess your risks.

Any time people gather together, there’s the risk that an accident could hurt someone or damage their property. And when it comes to their wedding day, people can become especially litigious. The cost of legal fees alone might burn through your start-up budget.

Most wedding planners can benefit from the following kinds of insurance policies:

General liability insurance provides coverage against client and third-party claims of bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and advertising injury.

Professional liability insurance , also called errors & omission (E&O) insurance, provides coverage against claims of negligence and errors related to your work.

In addition, make sure you’re working with venues and vendors that carry their own insurance policies.

When you’re just getting started, you may only have a single wedding to plan in the months ahead. It may seem like an annual insurance policy just isn’t worth it or a cost you can spare.

But you don’t have to pay for insurance when you’re not working. That’s why there’s Thimble’s Wedding Planner Insurance . Our fast, flexible policies go by the hour, day, or month. You can take out insurance just for an afternoon of venue tours with your clients, or for an entire wedding weekend.

And while a wedding may take months to plan, you can get insurance in just 60 seconds. All you have to do is enter a few details about your business, and we’ll generate your free quote. Click purchase, and your proof of insurance will arrive in your email inbox right away.

Starting a business can be scary, but with the right steps, you can look forward to a long and happy career as a wedding planner. Remember to:

  • Understand the job requirements
  • Build your online portfolio (your website)
  • Protect yourself from risk with insurance

Pop the champagne—you’re ready to be your own boss!

Written on February 28, 2022

Our editorial content is intended for informational purposes only and is not written by a licensed insurance agent. Terms and conditions for rate and coverage may vary by class of business and state.

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How to Start a Wedding Planning Business

how to start own wedding planning business

How to become a wedding planner and hit the ground running

If you’re organized, creative, and have volunteered to plan every party since you were a kid, you might have thought about how great it would be to plan events professionally. Pair that with the fact that you might have already helped more than a few friends plan their weddings and you could be seriously considering it. But, as much as you want to jump headfirst into the deep end, the part of you that always thinks ahead wants to make sure you have all of your proverbial ducks in a row (you are naturally organized after all). So today, we wanted to help you map out what you need to make that fun and fulfilling career choice a reality by walking you through the steps it takes to start a wedding planning business . From making sure you’re filing all the necessary paperwork to building a brand that attracts your dream clients, grab your to-do list and take all the notes you need to get your business off the ground.

“How do I start a wedding planning business?”

In the moments after you decided that becoming a wedding planner was what you wanted to pursue, you likely asked yourself, “ How do I start a wedding planning business?” And you’re not alone in wondering this—many successful wedding planners don’t have a background in business and started searching for answers to the same question. Lucky for you, you’re here reading this article and we’ve already mapped out most of your first steps for you. 

If you want to start a wedding planning business , read this first.

The piece we linked covers a lot of the fundamental tasks you need to take care of as you start your own business in the wedding industry. From making sure you’ve completed the necessary filings (to make sure your business is legit) and what’s important to have in your contracts to our favorite small business software and marketing tips to get you started, the article is more than worth the read (and a bookmark for future reference).

Invest in your education

While you don’t have to get a 4-year degree, it is still important to invest in your education because there is so much to being a professional wedding planner (read: it is very different from planning a family member or friend’s wedding). You need to know how to onboard your clients , run a ceremony rehearsal, and create a wedding day timeline (just to name a few)—so investing in an educational course, workshop or certification is highly recommended.

Pro-tip : WeddingPro Educators Lindsay Longacre and Heather Hoesch put their 20+ years of wedding planning experience to work and created the Planner Life Academy online course for wedding planners . If you’re looking for a great way to learn from home and get tons of templates to build your business from, this course is it.

In addition to learning how to become a wedding planner in a more traditional sense, it’s important to get some hands-on experience before taking on clients of your own. You can ask more established planners if they are looking for interns or day-of assistants or simply ask to shadow them to see more of what goes into a successful wedding day.  

Create a business plan

A business plan is a fundamental document for any wedding business, and it is one that often gets overlooked since most pros in the industry didn’t go to business school. But you don’t have to (nor should you) skip this important step in planning just because you don’t know where to start! A business plan is simply a document that describes what you do as a business, outlines your business goals as well as how you plan to achieve them—and you should learn what goes into creating a 5-year plan for your business before diving into anything else.

Pro-tip : You might realize there are people you need help from as you work to start a wedding planning business and reach your goals. Here are 8 business resources you need to have on speed dial.

Define your ideal clients

Once you’ve spent time thinking about your business goals and have started to plan out what you need to do to reach them, it’s a great time to start defining your ideal clients . Sure, you might be in the phase of business where you’ll book just about any couple who comes your way (truthfully, this is where most pros start), but having a clear understanding of who your clients are now and who they will be in the future will help you plan for growth and success. Block some time on your calendar to create client avatars for:

  • The couples you want to attract and book as your clients in your first 1-2 years in business
  • The couples you want to grow into booking more of (these details will be tied to the goals you have mapped out for about your 3 rd year in business)
  • The couples who are your most ideal client—nothing says you can’t book ideal clients right out of the gate, but for many new wedding planners, it is something they have to grow into

Creating your packages and price your services

Because weddings take months (sometimes more than a year) to plan, it can be overwhelming to develop your service packages and price them to be profitable. The good news is that there are 4 common types of wedding planning services, and your job is to mainly define what yours will include:

  • Full-service wedding planning
  • Partial wedding planning services
  • Wedding management
  • Wedding coordination

How you price your services will depend on your market and will be influenced by your experience. You should learn more about these pricing strategies before finalizing yours, and while you might want to set your prices a bit lower because you are just starting out, don’t start so low that you are undercutting others or making your path to higher prices a longer one. 

Pro-tip : Your pricing is fluid, and you should review it every year. Here are 4 reasons to raise your prices annually .

Build a brand and name your business

A lot of people are tempted to start their business planning with branding, but the truth of the matter is, you have to know what your business is doing and who it is doing it for before you can build the right brand for it. The good news is—this is the part of becoming a wedding planner that is fun for a lot of folks. You’ll want to start by coming up with a business name, purchasing a domain for your website, and securing your social media handles once you’ve landed on “the one.” From there, you might consider filing for a trademark on your business name in order to legally protect it. Which brings you to the creative part of the branding process: 

  • Familiarize yourself with the brand archetypes to help you define your brand’s personality (in a way that complements what your couples are looking for in a wedding planner)
  • Work with a professional graphic designer to create a brand that is unique to you and speaks to your potential clients
  • Create a set of brand guidelines so your brand is being displayed consistently

Build your portfolio and create marketing materials 

If there was one part of the how-to-become-a-wedding-planner equation that perplexed people, it would be this. Because you can go through all of the steps we’ve just talked about only to feel stuck over the fact that you don’t have a portfolio or images to market your new business with. No need to stress—there are solutions to this problem. The first is to know that your portfolio includes so much more than just photos from weddings you’ve planned. It also includes your design boards, sketches, client reviews, and certifications—all of which you can use to build your wedding planner portfolio . The second thing to know is that coordinating a styled shoot as you go to launch your business is a strategic thing to do and a great way to set yourself up with images that embody your brand and speak to your ideal clients.

Pro-tip : Be sure to read this piece about styled shoots to help you pitch them and protect yourself accordingly.

Book your first client

Learning how to become a wedding planner and start a wedding planning business is a true labor of love—and you start to reap the rewards when you book for first clients. And, while some new wedding planners book family and friends to start, advertising with The Knot and WeddingWire is a great way to start building your brand and establishing yourself as a trusted professional. If you want to complement the marketing efforts you are taking with an advertising strategy that can connect you with couples looking to hire a wedding planner just like you, simply fill out this form and we’ll help get you started!

Photo Credit: Fizkes/Shutterstock.com

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How to Start a Wedding Planning Business

A wedding planning business may help couples with any and every aspect of planning for the wedding. This may include helping pick clothing for all parties, creating thematic decorations and décor, picking a wedding cake, handling photography and video, and more.

You may also be interested in additional side hustle ideas .

Learn how to start your own Wedding Planning Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Wedding Planning Business Image

Start a wedding planning business by following these 10 steps:

  • Plan your Wedding Planning Business
  • Form your Wedding Planning Business into a Legal Entity
  • Register your Wedding Planning Business for Taxes
  • Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  • Set up Accounting for your Wedding Planning Business
  • Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Wedding Planning Business
  • Get Wedding Planning Business Insurance
  • Define your Wedding Planning Business Brand
  • Create your Wedding Planning Business Website
  • Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your wedding planning business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

  • What are the startup and ongoing costs?
  • Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Wedding Planning Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state's business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your wedding planning business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a wedding planning business.

One of the most exciting aspects of a wedding planning is that many planners start by working out of their own homes. This effectively sidesteps the need for an expensive monthly office lease, related utilities, and so on. Because of that, most of the costs involved in opening your business involve advertisement. It's important to have a highly professional-looking website, and either hire a professional or design it yourself. It's possible to set up good-looking website using templates you can buy and use for under $1,000. If you have to hire designers or others to help provide content, it may cost between $500 to $5,000 extra, though you can potentially do all (or most) of this yourself. Beyond that, it is worth establishing a social media presence on sites such as Facebook (this is free) and doing traditional advertising (newspapers, radio, and possibly television), which should cost between $1,000 to $5,000 depending on how you advertise and how much you advertise.

What are the ongoing expenses for a wedding planning business?

Another highly attractive feature of being a wedding planner is that there are almost no ongoing expenses. The various costs related to vendors for the wedding are paid for by the couple, and if you are operating out of your home or meeting clients at their own homes, the only real ongoing cost is your advertising. After the initial advertising push, you should probably spend less than $500 on advertisements each month, as your social media advertising and positive word-of-mouth, along with your website, will handle much of this for you.

Who is the target market?

In general, the best customers that wedding planners can have are those who are both flexible and realistic. Sometimes, customers may have their fixed ideas of a “perfect wedding” that do not mesh well with their budget or location. Therefore, customers who are realistic about how far their money can go and flexible enough to listen to alternative suggestions make for the best customers.

How does a wedding planning business make money?

On the most basic level, a wedding planning business makes money by charging money for the planning and execution of the wedding itself. However, there is great flexibility in how you charge customers. Some planners charge a flat fee, whereas others might charge a percentage based on the overall cost of the wedding. You may even simply charge clients by the hour. An additional way to make money is that some wedding planners also negotiate and receive a certain percentage of the amount that clients pay to different vendors (between ten and twenty percent). However, this effectively ends up making the different vendors cost more, so building a fee structure that doesn't seem like it has hidden costs may go over better with your customers.

How much you charge, and how you charge, is usually contingent on how much you have to do. For customers who merely want a consultation to help them with their own plans, charging between $40-$60 per hour is appropriate. For people who have their own wedding somewhat planned but want assistance finalizing the plan, conducting the rehearsal, and coordinating the day of the wedding, you could charge between $600 to $1,800 (variances typically reflect differences in regional economy and level of work involved for you). For a full-service package, in which you plan everything, coordinate with all vendors, develop the theme and décor, and help coordinate the day of the wedding, you may charge between $2,000-$10,000 (variances reflect differences in regional economy and whether the client is involved and helps out with anything).

How much profit can a wedding planning business make?

How much profit you make is mostly a matter of mathematics. For instance, many wedding planners only choose to do “full-service” packages, so you can essentially multiply the cost of that full-service package times the number of weddings you conduct per year. Thus, someone charging $5,000 per wedding and conducting 20 weddings a year could easily crack six figures, though you will likely be making less as you are starting out and establishing your name. Plus, more rural areas or areas with a slower economy will likely necessitate charging closer to the $2,000 for full-service packages.

How can you make your business more profitable?

To make your business more profitable, offer incentives or prizes to people who refer friends to you. Consider sponsoring monthly parties where you talk about how people can have a perfect wedding, and offer them a chance to win a nice door prize for attending. Aside from ideas like these, the best thing you can do is to do the best job possible on the weddings you plan and let positive word of mouth do the rest!

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your wedding planning business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

  • Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
  • Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

In most states, it is necessary to obtain a business license. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

For more information about local licenses and permits:

  • Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
  • Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Services Contract

Wedding planning businesses should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. RocketLawyers Make your Free Wedding Planner Agreement clarifies clients expectations and minimizes the risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions in advance.  Here is an example service agreement.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional service agreement for your wedding planning business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Wedding Planning Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Wedding Planning Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a wedding planning business

The key ways to market and promote have already been mentioned. You should use a combination of a professional-looking website, social media presence, and advertisements via newspapers, radio, and television. Flyers, business cards, and other print advertisements at locations like florists and hotels can also help to catch the eye of couples looking for a planner.

How to keep customers coming back

In addition to using the advertisement methods above, you should run contests via social media where people can win things like dresses and discounts from your affiliated vendors. To add to the impact of such contests, part of the free entry should be customers writing sweet poems or stories about how they met their significant others. People get excited about the prize but quickly come to associate your business as a place that understands and cares about why people fall in love. This helps spread word of your business and its contests via traditional word-of-mouth advertising.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

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Is this Business Right For You?

This business is good for those who thrive on interactions with new people. It is also good for those who grew up playing “matchmaker” and get a thrill out of helping bring two lives together. Much of the planning business is visual, so those with a flair for design and/or a good eye for stylish clothing and skill at creating a unique atmosphere in any room will do very well.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

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What happens during a typical day at a wedding planning business?

The nature of a wedding planning business is that each day may involve different tasks. Some of those activities, however, include helping the couple set a realistic budget, taking the couple to different places in town that will suit their needs, and creating a detailed plan for pretty much every moment of the wedding. You will also have to call, email, and otherwise coordinate with various bands or DJs, photographers, caterers, florists, and any other vendors the couple may require. This requires a lot of contracts for the couple to sign, so much time will be devoted to walking them through the finer points of the paperwork. You may also help design and distribute wedding invitations and serve as a kind of liaison and supervisor of the various parties during the actual day of the wedding.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful wedding planning business?

Because of the nature of the work, a college degree in fields such as Public Relations or Communications can help you with the coordination of various different entities related to this job. Prior experience as an intern or other kind of worker that helped plan weddings can be invaluable. While there are certifications for things like wedding planning, they offer little to no practical, real-world experience.

What is the growth potential for a wedding planning business?

The growth potential for a wedding planning business is steady, though there can be variances according to region and time of year. Overall, though, about 6,200 weddings happen each day, and many of them are getting married for a second (or even third) time, so the market is steady. Weddings are more common in warmer months (the most popular month for weddings is June), and the costs of the wedding can vary, ranging from an average of just over $15,000 in Utah to just over $31,000 in Manhattan. Those differences can affect how much you get paid and when you are likelier to be busier.

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Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a wedding planning business?

If possible, volunteer or get permission to “shadow” successful wedding planners in other cities in order to figure out how to make your own business highly successful. Try to get to know various vendors, hotel managers, and others you will work with as soon as possible in order to make your future business successful. Make sure that your website has a dedicated place for you to feature customer testimonials about successful weddings you've helped with before.

How and when to build a team

Most wedding planners start out on their own. This makes it easier to create a cohesive vision for weddings and to make sure everybody sticks to a set game plan. However, there will always be more weddings than you can reasonably work, so when you have more interested clients than you have time to serve them, it may be time to hire a partner or a team. While this can make things a little harder to organize, it does give you the flexibility of hiring people that are naturally better at some of the aspects of the job you are weaker at (such as hiring someone who studied graphic design and making sure they are in charge of creating invitations and wedding programs).

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

  • American Academy of Wedding Professionals
  • Association for Wedding Professionals International

Real World Examples

  • California-based wedding planning business

Further Reading

  • Advice from successful wedding planner
  • Wedding Planning Business Plan
  • Information on the wedding planning industry

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

How to Start a Wedding Planning Business in 2022: A Step-by-Step Guide

how to start own wedding planning business

Do you love bringing groups of people together, have incredible attention to detail, patience, communication, and love a good party? Then we have a feeling why you’re already here–you want to be a wedding planner.

Many wedding planners think their jobs are the perfect blend of creativity, organization, and attention to detail. There are 4 important steps to take in order to become a wedding planner, but with careful planning and preparation, you can make your dream (and many couples' dreams) a reality. 

1. Decide on the type of wedding planning business you want

As with any business, the first thing you need to know is what your ultimate vision for your company is. Do you want to be the go-to wedding planner for your city? Or do you want to focus on destination events across the country or even world? This is entirely up to you and your lifestyle!

There are generally 4 particular types of wedding planning businesses you'll need to choose between. 

  • Full planning : When you choose to offer full wedding planning, you are essentially becoming a one-stop-shop for couples getting married. A full-service wedding planner joins the couple at the beginning of their planning journey and oversees every decision related to their wedding until the couple is officially married. This includes venue and vendor recommendation, negotiation and communication, transportation oversight, handling hotel blocks, overseeing design elements (sometimes designing themselves!), creating the timeline for the wedding weekend, and overseeing everything happening on the wedding day itself. This type of service usually requires an initial consultation or phone call to make sure it’s the right fit before signing a contract. 
  • The month of wedding planner : If you want to be involved in the planning process but don't want to take on all of the responsibilities, becoming a month-of coordinator could be the perfect middle ground. This type of planner will come in about 4-6 weeks before the wedding and wrap up loose ends with vendors, create the timeline, and handle anything else that needs to be done in the last few weeks. On the day of, the coordinator is on-site making sure the event runs smoothly! 
  • Day-of : A day-of wedding planner is exactly what it sounds like—someone who comes in on the wedding day to take the responsibilities to make sure everything runs smoothly. This does not include any of the initial planning stages, such as booking vendors or finalizing the details; that's all up to the couple. As a day-of planner, you would step in that week to get familiarized with all the moving parts and vendors. On the wedding day, the day of the planner will be responsible for carrying out the plan that the couple created! 
  • Venue Coordinator or Manager : Another option for those looking to be wedding planners is joining a venue as their in-house event coordinator or manager. Here, you’ll meet the couple at the very beginning of their journey as they are selecting their venue. You will be involved on the wedding day itself, but making sure it runs smoothly from a venue aspect! 

2. Take care of the legal and financial side of things

  • Register your Business . After you decide on the name of your company, you’ll need to register your business to make it a distinct legal entity. We recommend working with an accountant or lawyer in your city to help you decide which type of business (a sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, S-corp, or a partnership) is the right fit. Each of these has its own pros and cons and you’ll need to register this business with federal, state, and local agencies. Here is when you’ll also receive your EIN (employer identification number), which you’ll need for step 2! ‍
  • Open a Business Bank Account. It’s important to open a business bank account where you can keep your business bank account separate from your personal account, even if you don’t have employees. Why? Attorney Magi Fisher told us , “Mixing your expenses is not only a bookkeeping nightmare, but it also puts you at risk of losing the liability protection of your LLC.”  
  • Insurance . There are 2 types of insurance you may need as a wedding planner. General liability and professional liability.  If you’ll have employees, you’ll also need to look into workers' compensation insurance. We recommend working with an expert to help you find the right insurance for your business needs!  • General liability helps protect a wedding planner from third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage that could possibly arise from venues, vendors, guests, and/or contractors. • Professional liability insurance helps protect wedding planners from claims of negligence or mistakes related to services. If you’ll have employees, you’ll also need to look into workers' compensation insurance. We recommend working with an expert to help you find the right insurance for your business needs! ‍ ‍
  • Contracts . As a wedding planner, it’s important to have iron-clad contracts that clearly define responsibilities, expectations, and scope of work. This is true for clients and freelancers. You can work with an attorney to customize your contracts or you can look into ready-made contract templates to help get you started. 2 businesses we recommend that know the wedding industry are Legally Se t and The Artists’ Lawyer .  ‍ ‍
  • Financial Tools . Now it’s important to set up processes for the financial side of the business. We recommend setting up a free Maroo account , where you can easily request and keep track of inbound payments from couples and outbound payments to other businesses and contractors. You may also want to set up a Quickbooks online account to keep track of the tax side of things and set up auto-estimates to pay to federal and state governments.

3. Build a unique brand and website 

Now that you're legally set up and you know what you're aiming for, it's time to build a brand that stands out. There are a few key things you'll need to consider when creating your brand, but the number one most important thing to consider is your audience! Who are you catering to? What kind of couples would you most enjoy working with? Is it couples looking to splash out on a top-of-the-line event? Or couples looking for a down-to-earth celebration? Or maybe you want to specialize in destination weddings. The options are endless—but you need to know who you're working with in order to build a brand that appeals to the right couple.

Here are some brand elements to consider:

  • Your business name : This is one of the first things people will associate with your brand, so choose wisely!
  • Your voice : You need to define the voice you use on your website, social media platforms, email marketing. Something fun and relatable? Or professional and respectful?
  • Your logo : A great logo is a key to building a strong brand identity.
  • Your color palette : Your website, business cards, and other marketing materials should all use a consistent color palette. This will help people to easily recognize your brand when they see it.

Now use your brand to create a killer website. In today's world, your website is often the first point of contact between you and potential clients. It’s essential that your site makes a great first impression and it’s easy to navigate. Your website should be mobile-friendly and should contain all the relevant information about your business, including your contact information, pricing, and a portfolio of your work. 

If you're struggling with designing your brand and website, it may be a good idea to enlist the help of a designer and web developer. There are many freelancers who specialize in branding and website development and can help you create a cohesive look for your business. 

4. Market, build relationships, and network

This is all about giving your brand momentum to attract clients and grow. Some ideas to get started include:

  • Kick-off your social media platforms. Popular social media platforms in the wedding industry include Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook! Using these platforms is a great way to showcase your work and connect with potential clients and build up your brand awareness. And remember—sometimes marketing to customers is more about building relationships and creating trust than selling your services. Offer helpful tips, ideas, and testimonials, and people will begin to view you as a trusted resource, naturally gravitating toward you when it comes time to enlist official wedding planning help.
  • Focus on your customer service! Remember that wedding planning is a service and that great customer service and customer relations should be at the heart of your business. If a potential client reaches out to you with a question, be sure to respond promptly and courteously. If a couple has their heart set on a particular venue, come with great alternatives that hit other marks like budget anyway—this shows that you care about their vision and you're dedicated to putting in extra effort to make it a reality. Go above and beyond to make sure your clients are happy, and they'll be sure to recommend you to their friends. Wedding planning is such a personal process; word-of-mouth referrals are everything.
  • Network, network, network! Get involved with local wedding industry groups and meet-ups. Attend bridal shows, connect with vendors (to get on their preferred vendor lists), and give your business card away shamelessly! Collaborate with other vendors on styled shoots and connect with bridal salons in your area. This will help you build relationships with other professionals in the industry—and to be honest, the wedding business is all about who you know. 

If you're not sure you have enough experience to start a wedding planning business yet, start here

If you're worried that you don't know the ins and outs of the industry enough yet, don't sweat it! Some people begin a planning business after working for another wedding planner or venue for a period of time. Rest assured, it's perfectly okay to obtain some education or hands-on industry experience, before starting your own company. Some ideas are listed below. 

  • Work as a coordinator or assistant for an established wedding planner. This will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how a successful business is run, and allows you to try various aspects of the job. Maybe you find out that, while you thought you wanted to be a full-service planner, you actually thrive on the energy of the day itself and would rather be a day-of planner instead!
  • Look into contract or freelance opportunities at venues, catering companies, bridal salons, floral designers, or even with a photographer or videographer!  These positions will not only introduce you to different aspects of weddings, but they'll also give you a head start on developing relationships with other vendors. Remember, as a wedding planner, you'll need to rely on the expertise of florists, caterers, venues, photographers, and more—so it's good to start building those relationships early!
  • Get some wedding industry-specific education. There are numerous options available in the planning education arena. You can find online courses, as well as some universities that offer certificates or degrees in event planning. For example, The Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) offers a certification program that covers all aspects of wedding planning, from business and marketing to etiquette and legal issues. The program also includes an internship component, so you can get some real-world experience. So not only will these courses give you a thorough understanding of the ins and outs of weddings, but they'll also provide you with a network of other people interested in the wedding industry.
  • Read up on wedding planning! There are many books available on the subject of wedding planning—so if you're more of a self-starter, this might be the route for you. A quick search on Amazon will reveal numerous titles, ranging from general guides to wedding planning to more specific ones that focus on certain aspects of the job, like marketing or working with clients.

If you're passionate about weddings and think you might want to start a wedding planning business, go for it! There's no time like the present to start learning, networking, and gathering experience.By following these steps and doing your research, you'll be on your way to starting a successful wedding planning business in no time!

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How to Become a Wedding Planner, According to the Experts

One step closer to your dream job!

how to start own wedding planning business

Have you ever thought about becoming a wedding planner ? If you dream about helping couples craft the most special day of their lives, get a thrill every time you hear “I do” or see a bride in her wedding dress for the first time, and love organization, details, and design, then it might be the profession for you.

While it's one of the most rewarding jobs a person can have, becoming a wedding planner takes more than just good taste. "The top skills for a wedding planner in my opinion are communication, organization, creativity, and impeccable attention to detail," notes Nicole-Natassha Goulding of Chic by Nicole .

In order to share what the road to becoming a wedding planner is really like, we tapped some successful industry insiders to share what skills are needed to make it in the industry and how they got their own start in the field.

Meet the Expert

  • Nicole-Natassha Goulding is the creative director and founder of full-service wedding planning company Chic by Nicole .
  • Heather Hoesch and Lindsay Ferguson own LVL Weddings & Events , known for producing one-of-a-kind weddings in California, Hawaii, and Colorado. They are also co-owners of Planner Life Academy , which offers workshops and virtual training programs to prepare leaders to open their own wedding planning businesses.
  • Francie Dorman is the owner of 42 North , a full-service wedding and event planning firm. She is based in Ipswich, Massachusetts, and specializes in high-luxury celebrations across New England. She also mentors young wedding planners through a sister company, Mavinhouse Events.
  • Teissia Treynet is the founder and CFO of Firefly Events , a high-level event planning company with offices in New York, California, and Wyoming. She also runs The Firefly Method , a community and education platform for thousands of wedding planners and small business owners across the world.
  • Michelle Rago owns Michelle Rago Destinations , a wedding and events company considered one of the best in the world. Her office is based in New York City, but she is known for organizing elaborate destination weddings in far-flung locations.

Ahead, learn about the qualifications you need to become a wedding planner, straight from the experts.

Skills and Qualifications for Wedding Planners

Like in most career fields, you need certain skills, personality traits, and qualifications to become a wedding planner. Ahead, see some of the most important ones, according to the pros.

Be a Great Leader Under Pressure

Being a wedding planner requires you to wear many hats. At any one time, you have to deal with vendors , couples, their families, and finances. Of course, there can also be a lot of drama. “Being a good leader and being able to stay calm, delegate, listen, and lead in a time of stress is your most important skill,” wedding planner Lindsay Ferguson says. 

Learn these skills by interning or shadowing with wedding planners, so you can be immersed in different situations and learn how to address the chaos. 

Having Empathy While Remaining Professional

“Anyone can learn the systems and standard operating procedures of event planning, but what makes a planner really great at their job are characteristics like problem-solving, empathy, professionalism, and high attention to detail,” shares planner Francie Dorman . “Someone who likes to feel purposeful, and strives to make others feel important and cared for are two factors for success in this unique industry.”

Being Organized and Attentive to Details

Wedding planning requires you to be uber-organized and attentive to details. After all, so many components go into the event from schedules to menus to dance playlists . “These skills or traits can be built on as you grow into your role,” explains Dorman. “They are muscles that can get stronger as they are flexed.” If you don’t have these traits naturally, consider an internship or entry-level job to help you develop them.

Getting Hands-On Experience

While you don’t technically need any certifications or degrees to become a wedding planner, getting experience from a veteran is essential. “As a wedding planner, you’re also safeguarding one of the most important times in most people’s lives so it’s imperative you know what you’re doing,” says Teissa Treynet . While getting experience in regular event planning is helpful, Ferguson notes that wedding planning is a different game. “Corporate planning or non-profit planning does not count," she says. You must seek out quality education from a reputable source and couple this with hands-on experience by working under a wedding-trained and experienced planner.”

Seeking Out Learning Opportunities

While having a pro show you the ropes is important at the beginning of your career, expect to continue that education over the years. “The best wedding planners have a ‘never stop learning’ mindset,” says Hoesch. “They read, they watch webinars and social media lives, and they collaborate and listen to wedding podcasts . They take courses, and attend workshops and conferences.” Many of these resources are available online, so you can start your education in your free time. As Rago puts it: “If I have learned anything over the last 20 years, it’s the importance of constantly learning and keeping up with what is tried-and-true.”

How Real Planners Got Their Start

For those who want to pursue this path but don’t know where to begin, we interviewed five renowned wedding planners —many of whom run courses to teach up-and-coming event organizers—on how they began their careers in the field.

Lindsay Ferguson got her start by working part-time for a wedding planner in Chicago as a young professional. “I always had a love for hospitality and customer service-focused careers,” she says. “I grew up with an entrepreneurial mom who really encouraged me to find something that I loved and was passionate about.” Meanwhile, Heather Hoesch worked for a family friend who owned the local bridal salon in high school. “She hired me to clean, hang, and steam dresses,” she recalls. In college, Hoesch worked for a catering company that primarily did weddings. “It was a crash course in weddings,” she continues. “I learned a ton about food, service, timelines, flow, logistics, guest experience, and catering to couples' needs for their special day.” Five years later, she was ready to start her own company. Ferguson and Hoesch now are co-owners of LVL Weddings & Events and of Planner Life Academy , which offers workshops and virtual training programs to prepare leaders to open their own wedding planning businesses.

Early in her career, Francie Dorman worked as an event hostess, an executive assistant, and a GM at a restaurant. “These experiences helped me build fortitude and a deep understanding of what happens in the ‘back of the house.’” Dorman explains. Her first wedding planning job was for a small, local company where she took on more responsibilities before getting clients of her own. She now is the owner of 42 North , a full-service wedding and event planning firm, and mentors young wedding planners through a sister company, Mavinhouse Events.

Teissia Treynet started a career as a development coordinator for a nonprofit in Los Angeles, where she planned large-scale, celebrity-driven events. A year later, she helped her best friend plan his wedding on the island of Holbox, Mexico, and started Firefly Events soon after. (Fun fact: She booked her first paying client off Craigslist!)

Michelle Rago attended the New York Restaurant School, worked in hotel sales, and operated a flower business for years before landing on weddings. Those experiences gave her a “more holistic approach of producing with an emphasis on design, food and beverage, and service,” she says. She now owns Michelle Rago Destinations , a wedding and events company based in New York City, and is known for organizing elaborate destination weddings in far-flung locations.

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What Does Full-Service Wedding Planning Really Mean?

Learn How to Start a Wedding Planning Business

What does it take to become a successful wedding planner?

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Wedding planning can be an exciting field. If you're interested in this type of career, you probably have a passion for romance and for the beauty of weddings. You might even have planned your own wedding. But a solid business plan is essential if you want to begin a wedding planning venture that will blossom into a successful business.

Consider Learning the Ropes As an On-Site Coordinator

Learning the business while you're employed by someone else can be a great way to get started in the wedding industry. Of course, you can jump in with both feet and start your own business, but a lot can be said for gaining experience working as an on-site event coordinator for a reception venue or catering company.

Event coordination is an entry-level position with many venues and caterers, and it allows you to gain experience in a stable work environment without immediately taking on the inherent financial risks of business ownership. You'll also have an opportunity to work with a variety of wedding vendors from bands to photographers to cake bakers as you're exposed to a wide variety of weddings and events. Weddings involve many protocols and traditions, and you'll perform most of the essential tasks that a wedding planner is responsible for, such as creating event timelines and managing the vendor team. 

On-site wedding coordination is a viable career path that might serve your interests well, but if and when you decide to launch your own wedding planning business, consider following these five steps.

Get Your Feet Wet With Some Education

Several professional associations offer educational programs and even accreditation in the wedding planning field. Although accreditation won't necessarily guarantee your success, at least by itself, these programs can help you learn more about the various aspects of running your own business.

Some of the more popular associations and programs include the Association of Bridal Consultants , the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants , June Wedding Inc., and Weddings Beautiful Worldwide.

As for hands-on experience, you might have numerous friends and family members who are ready and willing to allow you to plan their weddings if you're fortunate. You can include them in your portfolio.

Otherwise, you'll have to start out by assisting other, more established planners with their events. Many experienced wedding planners feature a "careers" or "internships" section on their websites. Otherwise, just email or call them and ask if they'd be willing to accept your assistance on an event...for free. That usually catches their attention and increases your chances for an affirmative response.

Develop a Company Image That Reflects Your Style

Wedding planning is all about style. Brides are trusting you, your eye, and your ideas to make their weddings beautiful. Your company image from your business name to your logo to the colors and fonts you'll use in your marketing must demonstrate great style and attention to detail. 

Maybe you or someone you know is acquainted with a great graphic designer who can help bring your image to life at a nominal cost. Otherwise, websites like 99designs offer logos, cards, and stationery at a relatively modest cost. Some even create websites.

At the very least, you'll need great-looking business cards and a smartly designed website to start out. Brochures and print ads can come later.

Keep Realistic Financial Goals

You know where you want to go. Now you have to get there. Make sure you have sufficient cash on hand to cover startup costs.

CNBC named wedding planning as one of 27 businesses you can launch into on $1,000 or less in 2018, but many estimates come in higher. You might be better off planning on investing $2,500 or more. At a minimum, you'll need a computer, software, and office supplies and this assumes you can network and market your new business at virtually no cost.

CNBC puts the median pay for wedding planners at $19.89 per hour as of 2018. That means at least half of all planners earn more than this. Not bad, even for an investment of $2,500 or more.

Create a Marketing Strategy That's Low on Cost, High on Returns

Savvy business owners know that the way to reach brides these days is online. Many wedding vendors get great results advertising on WeddingWire and on prestigious local sites.

If your business will be serving a particular niche—maybe ethnic weddings, "indie" brides, or eco-conscious brides—consider targeting your advertising dollars to sites and event planning blogs that cater to that clientele. Otherwise, having a great website that has been properly optimized for search engine rankings will also drive prospective brides to your company.

Finally, be wary of large-scale "bridal shows." These tend to be exorbitantly expensive and they usually have a very low rate of return for wedding planners because planners don't have a tangible service to display the way caterers or dress shops do.

Make Your Business Legitimate and Legal

Consulting with an attorney is always a smart idea when you're starting a business of any kind. He can provide invaluable advice when it comes to determining which business structure will work best for you, whether that's a sole proprietorship, an LLC, or a corporation. In any case, you'll want to register your business name with your state. 

An attorney can also review the documents you plan to use in your business, such as a client contract, or can help you create them. 

Realize That Your Success Depends Upon Building Relationship

Investing your time and energy into developing relationships with other wedding professionals in your area can be well worth the effort. You'll create referral sources for new business, and you'll get an understanding of which vendors are professional and reputable and which might not be worth referring to your own clients.

Consider joining local chapters of the National Association of Catering Executives and the International Special Events Society. They can put you in direct contact with venues, caterers, photographers, videographers, florists, officiants, and more. 

You can also contact wedding vendors directly to set up lunch meetings or get together for coffee. You'll find most professionals are eager to build their networks and learn more about other service providers in their area.

Is It All Worth It?

As a wedding planner, you'll be an artist, a juggler, a referee, and a visionary. It's extremely hard work, but you'll be rewarded for many years to come if you start your business the right way and operate it well.

And the rewards can be significant. Consider that about 2.4 million weddings took place in the U.S. in 2016. It’s a thriving, multibillion-dollar industry. Even at the worst of times and in a bad economy, love isn’t likely to go out of style or become unpopular. ​

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5-Steps to Starting a Wedding Planning Business

It’s the perfect time to think about starting a wedding planning business as life starts to normalize again.

And what’s more normal than people wanting to celebrate life events with their friends and family?

One of the biggest (and most stressful) celebrations is, of course, a wedding.

And I don’t know about you, but I can think of 3 couples off the top of my head who cancelled their wedding plans in the past two years, waiting until they could have the wedding of their dreams, with zero compromises.

So, they’ve had extra time to dream about, plan, and scrutinize every single detail of their wedding plans.

Even though Pinterest Boards, DIY blogs, and reality tv (wedding edition) might make the happy couple believe they can plan their own wedding, chances are they need help from a professional wedding planner.

In fact, according to Brides.com, 66% of people planning their weddings are looking to hire a wedding planner , and with an average of 150,000 weddings in Canada and 2.4 million in the US, at an average budget of $26,000 in Canada and $33,000 in the U.S., you can see how choosing wedding planning as your event planning niche could be incredibly lucrative.  

5 Steps To Start a Wedding Planning Business

So, if you’ve been thinking about starting your own wedding planning business, here are 5 steps to help you get started. 

Know Your Strengths

First and foremost, you should make sure you have what it takes to be a wedding planner. 

On a good day, event planning, in general, can be challenging, and weddings are the next level.

Weddings are one of the most stressful days of a couple’s life, so it makes sense that tensions and emotions run high, and it’s a wedding planner’s job to keep it together (for everyone).

A wedding planner should:

  • Be a strong leader
  • Be incredibly organized
  • Be able to delegate
  • Pay attention to every single detail
  • Be able to anticipate the unexpected
  • Have a plan b, c, and d
  • Be able to be empathetic, while remaining professional
  • Have a strong network of venues and vendors
  • Be reasonable, but the strong negotiator
  • Listen to and understand their clients and vendors
  • Be able to offer creative ideas and solutions
  • Remain calm and collected during stressful situations

Once you have checked all those boxes through self-evaluation, put it to the test by gaining some real-life experience. 

2. Hands-on Experience

Gaining real-world experience is invaluable.

And the great thing about gaining experience is that the experience doesn’t have to be directly related to starting your own wedding planning business.

It can simply be wedding planning adjacent, like working in a 5-star restaurant, upscale hotel, or flower shop much like Michelle Rago, of Michelle Rago Destinations , did before founding one of the most successful wedding and event companies in the world.

Not only is this a good idea of how to gain experience, but it’s a great way to be more well-rounded as a wedding planner.

Michelle said those experiences gave her a “more holistic approach of producing with an emphasis on design, food and beverage, and service.”

Of course, there is also the more traditional way to gain hands-on experience, like:

  • Volunteering at events
  • Helping friends and family
  • Interning for a wedding planning company
  • Attending as many wedding planning industry events as you can find

One of the best ways to do something is to learn all you can about it first —and from every single angle.

No matter how long you’re in the wedding planning business, you should always make learning one of your top priorities.

3. Never Stop Learning

Whether you are learning from a mentor, taking a course, listening to a podcast, or reading industry magazines & blogs, you should never stop learning.

A great way to learn is to be immersed in the subject, just like you would in a foreign exchange program.

If you want to learn French, the best way to do so is to go to France and live there for a while. It forces you to live and breathe the subject matter.  

And you learn what you live!

Learning should become your obsession, especially in an industry that is trend-heavy. It’s important to stay ahead of the curve by learning about upcoming trends early on, and a great way to do that is through events, like trade shows.

how to start own wedding planning business

4. Attend Events

So, obviously, one great way to learn about weddings is to attend them, or at least all the trade shows, workshops, and conferences you can find.

Attending weddings can be valuable to give you insights into a more realistic version of the dream wedding — because even the most well-laid plans often have bumps in the road, and it’s imperative to learn how to handle those bumps.

Being at an actual wedding as a guest can also give you first-hand insights into how the guests feel, which is incredibly valuable information to have in your back pocket for planning future events.

But if you want to stay ahead of the game, and know what the upcoming trends are, like colour schemes, hot destinations, wedding favours , floral designs, and in-demand catering companies, then trade shows should be on your radar.

Not only can attending events help you learn, but they can also help you network, which will lead to securing vendors, venues, and maybe even clients. 

5. Secure Clients

You can’t have your own wedding planning business without clients, but you can’t get clients without a wedding planning business — or can you?

One of the biggest professional challenges everyone faces is the endless cycle of “you can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job.”

But there is a solution to this seemingly endless no-experience loop.

  • Highlight transferable experience or other types of events you’ve planned
  • Emphasize soft skills, like organization, negotiation and attention to detail
  • Build a solid network of venues, vendors, and clients
  • Take lower-paid or unpaid opportunities, like an internship, even if it’s not as the main event planner
  • Work for friends and family, and ask for references & photos for your portfolio in return for services rendered

Of course, there is also the technical side to starting your own wedding planning business, just like there is for any other business:

  • Build a detailed Business Plan
  • Define your services and set prices
  • Register your business
  • Secure legal documents, like your  event contracts (so important to protect yourself)
  • Understand and manage your finances
  • Create and build your brand, starting with a logo  
  • Secure handles on social media platforms
  • Get a URL and build your website
  • Source, secure, and nurture a network

Now that you’ve got the first 5 steps to starting your own wedding planning business, which one are you going to take first?

Let me know in the comments below…

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Avoid Surprises When Starting a Wedding Venue Business With 11 Simple Steps

Wedding venue business

Wedding Venue Essentials

Blog: Collection: Wedding Venue Essentials

If you’re thinking about starting a wedding venue business, the most important first step is taking off those rose-colored glasses. Running a wedding venue company is more than a labor of love, and far more challenging than you may think. It takes grit, honesty, and resources — not unlike the institution of marriage itself.  

Read on to learn the 11 essential first steps to take before opening a wedding venue, and get answers to top questions about the process.

Discover how to start a wedding venue business in a few simple steps:

Step 1: ask yourself the hard questions.

Don’t rush into starting a wedding venue business. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 20% of small businesses fail within the first year , and only about 50% of them stay in business past five years.

You need to be prepared for the bumps and roadblocks that come with running a small business and realistic about your capacity to manage these challenges. Here’s what to ask yourself before you start hashing out your wedding venue business plan :

  • Can you afford the financial risk? Because of the data shared above, it’s essential you’re prepared for the possibility that the business goes under and you lose your investment.
  • Are you prepared for a busy schedule that includes weekend work? Typically, weddings take place in the evenings and on the weekends. Hopefully, you will have backup to help you manage, but be prepared to be busy when most people are kicking back. 
  • Is the timing right? We all go through challenging life phases, and opening a wedding venue business (or any business) is a definite stressor. Try to minimize the other stressors in your life as much as possible before diving into the small-business life.
  • Can you open the business and keep your day job? This approach will definitely require a business partner or partners who can share the responsibilities of running the venue. Have enough backup so you can manage the new venture without dropping the ball at your day job. It will provide a sense of security to start because you are launching your business with a safety net.
  • After asking the above questions, are you still excited about the prospect of opening a wedding venue business? It takes a lot of passion and energy to run a venue; if imagining your business in full swing makes you happy, then you are probably ready.

Wedding venue assessment CTA

Step 2: Research the event venue market in your area

What is the demand for wedding venues in your region? Every business needs a market to be successful. You have to do your research and some legwork to make sure you are opening a wedding venue business that will draw customers. Here are the essentials to research and explore:

  • Wedding venues in your geographic area. Look up wedding venues in your region. Are there scores of popular wedding venues already? You will have to have a specific offering that makes your venue special. Is your venue a lakefront property in a lake region? How many other lakefront wedding sites are there? Are those venues booked solid, so there’s overflow demand?  
  • Online reviews of competitor venues. There is a treasure trove of information about competitive venues in the reviews on sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google. Read them carefully and go back in time. Look for consistent complaints and chronic problems, such as lackluster menus or inexperienced staff. Can you fill in the gaps where those venues fall short?
  • Talk to people you know about competitor venues and visit them yourself. Message friends and family to see if anyone has firsthand experience of competitive venues. Also, many sites include restaurants and cafes for the public. Visit several times in the evenings and on weekends. You will get an idea of the overall operation, and you may even see the arrival of guests for an event.
  • What is the population density of your region? What are the age demographics? Of course, people of all ages get married and throw parties. But most people across the U.S. get married in their late 20s or early 30s. Additionally, you’ll need a density of population that supports your venue (and any other popular venues in the area). Unless your venue has a spectacular setting or special features that will attract people from across the state and country, avoid areas with a sparse or aging population.

Let us help you attract more wedding business!

Step 3: Write your wedding venue business plan

Open business, book clients, make money. Repeat.

If only writing a business plan were that easy. No matter how straightforward your business is, you need to write a brief but detailed plan. This document will serve as a guideline for you and your team, as well as marketing for investors and partnerships you may be seeking.

The good news: You’re well on your way if you’ve done the market research above. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a helpful guide to writing business plans . Here’s how it would look for a wedding venue business: 

  • Summary: Think of this as the “About” section of a business website. Describe your business niche and what makes your business unique. Include your passion for running a wedding venue.
  • Market: Share the market value you determined in your research.
  • Your business organization: Are you the sole owner of the business? Do you have one partner or several? Are you a limited liability company (LLC)? How many permanent and temporary employees will you have? Will you have an onsite, fully staffed catering offering? Or will you provide a fully equipped kitchen that catering vendors can use? 
  • Your timeline: When will you build/renovate the venue? When do you plan to do a soft open? When will you be fully open for business?
  • Marketing plan: How do you plan to get the word out about your business? Get specific. How? Check out Step 8 below for a detailed look at building your marketing strategy.
  • Business projections: What are your financial and growth goals? Do you plan to open other venue sites?  

Step 4: Figure out your finances

Opening a wedding venue is an investment, but the size of that investment depends on many factors.

Are you building a facility from the ground up or renovating an existing building? Is the venue located in a rural area with low taxes and low real estate prices or in a city with high taxes and high real estate prices? Does the venue feature extensive grounds that require tending? Are you buying an existing wedding venue? Or are you leasing the property?

Clarify how much (if any) of your own money you are willing to use for a down payment. Will you have business partners contributing to the funding? What type of financing are you looking to use? Possibilities include:

  • Traditional bank business loan.
  • U.S. Small Business Administration loan.
  • Business line of credit.
  • Equipment financing.
  • Short-term business loan.

Clearly, you want to avoid endangering personal assets or emptying your retirement savings account. Talk with trusted family, friends, and financial advisers about realistic personal investments and safe business loans.

Step 5: Choose your wedding venue location

Perhaps you have a barn on a rural property you already own and want to convert it into a wedding venue — a highly popular setting for weddings! Or you may be interested in opening a venue but haven’t selected the location yet. Perhaps you have your eye on an existing venue that’s for sale.

Before you start building your business, you have to find a location. Start exploring properties or land based on your business capital. If your funding is low, consider leasing a property before buying — you can invest the profits in the permanent facility. If you have abundant funding, you may be able to build a brand-new facility.

Now is when you’ll decide how much to provide onsite. Perhaps you want to have a caterer use your kitchen facility, rather than manage event catering yourself. You could scale back even further and offer space for food trucks near a large wood pavilion with a gorgeous view. Will couples need to rent their tables and chairs from a supplier, or will you provide them? If you offer tables onsite, know you’ll need storage space for them in case the couple prefers a different style of table and decides to rent.

Step 6: Create and register a catchy wedding venue business name

Create a unique, appealing, and memorable name for your new business. When coming up with wedding venue name ideas , the options should evoke the style of weddings and clients you hope to attract to your venue. A stately and sophisticated venue calls for a refined name that makes people think of elegant galas and white-glove service (think Rushing River Estates, Sterling Lakeside Manor, Sleepy Hollow Banquets). A rustic and laid-back venue should call to mind joyful times minus any stuffed shirts (e.g. Bear Den Inn, Ivy Lane Lodge, Aspen Farms).

Step 7: Refine what makes your wedding venue special

Why will couples clamor to book your venue? What will have them set the date and reach out to you immediately? This is your unique value proposition. Some possibilities include:

  • A one-of-a-kind view.
  • A pastoral landscape and grounds.
  • Outstanding menu options.
  • Sophisticated décor and stunning details.
  • A historic property.
  • Rustic charm.

Other selling points are pretty surroundings at an affordable price, proximity to an airport (for out-of-town visitors), and all-inclusive capacity, such as tables, chairs, table settings, décor, tents, catering, and flowers, so couples won’t have to worry about hiring multiple vendors. Whatever the unique value of your venue, make sure you continue to refine and improve upon it after your business opens.

Step 8: Launch your venue marketing strategy

Your wedding venue marketing strategy is how you get the word out about your venue’s exceptional setting, décor, and food. It makes you easy to find and builds word of mouth. Here’s what your venue marketing strategy should include:

  • Hire a photographer. You need beautiful pictures of the space to share across multiple channels. Before opening, set up your venue for a wedding and get glamour shots from every vantage point.
  • Put your property on wedding venue sourcing sites. Couples visit sourcing sites such as Wedding Spot and the Cvent Supplier Network . You’ll add details such as your location, the venue style, and guest capacity. You’ll also include your unique service offerings, such as catering, included amenities, wedding ceremony space, parking capacity, and a link to your website.
  • Design your website. With services such as Wix and Squarespace, it’s easier than ever for any business to build a wedding venue website . Use those beautiful photographs and include all the details that make your venue special. Write appealing copy that includes keywords that people will likely search to find wedding venues in your area. In other words, if you are opening a rustic barn wedding venue, make sure your website includes those exact words. If you find the process challenging, reach out for help from tech-savvy friends and family, or hire a freelance website designer to help you build the site. As you get reviews from happy couples and permission to share their wedding pictures, you’ll be able to add galleries and quotes.
  • Create your social media accounts and handles. Usually, your handle will be the name of your venue, but watch for the formation of unwanted words when you squish the name together! For wedding venues, the most important sites are Instagram and Facebook. Establish social accounts before opening so you can build interest and attract bookings. 
  • Advertise in local magazines. Though most information is online today, couples will flip through magazines that advertise local businesses while they wait at the doctor’s office or while trying on wedding dresses. Make sure your beautiful venue is among the listings in wedding-specific publications, as well as planner- and luxury-focused magazines such as Cvent Meetings .
  • Watch for online reviews after you open. Keep an eye on review sites such as Yelp and Google Reviews. Respond to both positive and negative reviews promptly. With positive reviews, try an authentic “Thank you! We’re so glad we helped make your wedding a special experience!” For negative reviews, apologize sincerely and ask that they reach out to you offline to understand their complaint better. Listen with an open mind; often, being heard is what people want the most.

For more ideas on attracting planners and couples, check out The Venue’s Guide to Booking Wedding Event Business  and our blog post detailing What Couples Want From a Wedding Venue .

CTA for wedding venue marketing

Step 9: Zoning laws, licenses, and insurance

This isn’t exactly what pops to mind when people dream of opening a business, but getting insurance coverage and all the necessary permits and licenses helps make your dream a reality.

Every local municipality and state has different requirements regarding business operations licenses, and they vary based on your business type. Head to your town’s municipal offices and share your plans for your business — they should be able to give you a clear rundown of the codes and permit requirements. These may include:

  • Building permits.
  • Business license.
  • Certificate of occupancy.
  • Liquor license.
  • Food handler’s permits.

For those opening a barn wedding venue, local zoning laws can be a bit dicey. Many barn sites are typically zoned for agriculture, rather than business, and often require individual variances. With your permits and licenses in order, you won’t get unwelcome attention from officials or risk a shutdown on the day of a scheduled wedding.

As for insurance, don’t begin construction, train your staff, or open your doors for business without coverage. You may need:

  • Commercial property insurance.
  • General liability insurance.
  • Workers’ compensation insurance.

You must also make sure couples and vendors have their own event liability insurance in case they cause property damage. Always request proof of this coverage.

Step 10: Select an event management system

You and your team need to stay organized and on the same page to run a wedding venue successfully. Event management software is an invaluable tool for venue teams. You can detail the size and scope of incoming events, store contact information for your top vendor partners, manage guest seating, and track special requests.

The best event planning tools allow you to collaborate with wedding planners on table layouts. You’ll be able to share optimal banquet floor plans , seating charts, and special dietary requests, as well as monitor any changes the planners make. If they add a configuration that doesn’t work for the space, you can let them know immediately.

The system will then be the guide for the wedding reception, ensuring a streamlined guest arrival, seating, and meal service.

Step 11: Hire and train a friendly and detail-focused staff

You can’t run a wedding venue by yourself. You’re going to need to hire an outstanding staff to help you make these special days extra special. The size of your team will vary, depending on the scope of your venue. A barn venue that depends on food trucks for catering, for example, will not have nearly the same staffing requirements as an all-inclusive wedding venue. Here are job roles you may need to fill:

  • Venue coordinator. This is the person who coordinates with wedding planners, couples, and vendors in the runup to the big day. In the early days of your business, this will likely be you. If you expand your venue business to include more properties, however, others will have to take on this role.
  • Maitre d’ or event captain. This is the front-of-house person on the wedding day. They will interact with the couple and their guests and coordinate with the back of the house to keep the event running smoothly and the newlyweds happy.
  • Kitchen staff. This includes the head chef, who designs the menu; the line chefs, or cooks who help the head chef prepare the food; and food-prep cooks who clean, chop, and prepare the food for cooking.
  • Servers. These key employees serve guests their food, either at the buffet table or during table service. They also deliver drinks, cocktails, coffee, tea, and water to guests.
  • Bartender. This staff member makes drinks for guests at the bar and for the servers to deliver.
  • Coat check attendant. If you offer this service, you’ll need someone who takes coats and gives coat-check tickets to guests at the beginning of the event, and then returns coats at the end of the night.

These workers may or may not be employees of your business, depending on how busy you are. If you plan to use temporary workers, research reputable agencies in your area, because these employees play an essential role in the success of a wedding and your business.

The next step on the list? Booking dates for your venue and hosting your first wedding! When you follow the above steps, you should be ready for the big day and avoid unwelcome surprises.

Now you’re ready to begin your wedding venue business!

Learn how Wedding Spot can help you attract couples who are planning their own weddings. Then, check out Social Tables’ Event Services Solution to streamline your wedding venue business. Or get up to speed on exactly what event planners look for in a venue — so you can meet and exceed their expectations.

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How to Start a Wedding Planning Business

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TechRound Team July 23, 2019

how to start own wedding planning business

There’s no doubt that the wedding industry is a special one. Being a wedding planner means you’ll be an integral part of some of the most important days in other people’s lives, so here’s our step-by-step guide to starting a wedding planning business.

Although many people come into the wedding industry after planning their own its not prerequisite. If you have planned your own wedding, you may well find it quite a different experience to be planning weddings for multiple people at once.

What Is a Wedding Planner and Is It For You?

The role of wedding planner requires a wide range of skills. The exact definition may be hard to pin down but essentially you are there to help couples plan and execute their ideal day. The role will likely involve planning, designing, negotiating and troubleshooting.

A good wedding planner will be meticulously organised and cool under pressure. Weddings are hugely complex events and chances are that something will go wrong at the last minute so it’s important that you consider whether you’re the kind of person who can think on their feet and find a solution.

Good communication will also be an invaluable skill, as you’ll need to communicate effectively with the bride and groom, their family and a host of venues and suppliers. Weddings can be a stressful time and having a wedding planner who brides and grooms feel comfortable around and can put their trust in will be important.

Around 80% of the work of a wedding planner is administrative, meaning only a small amount of your time will be devoted to the creative side of the wedding. If you’ve previously had experience in a PA or secretary role you may make an excellent wedding planner.

Although the wedding industry is well-known to be a lucrative one, becoming a wedding planner is no route to riches. Particularly in the first couple of years growth is likely to be slow because you will probably be a one-person operation, meaning you’re limited in the amount of work you can take. However, being a part of so many special days may well make it worth your while.

Planning Your Business

As with any business, having a well thought through business plan is essential. You can find our guide to writing a business plan: here .

When writing a plan for a wedding planning business its especially important to consider the seasonal changes, as the amount of work available will change dramatically over the year.

In the UK weddings tend to take place between May and September, when the weather is better. Between October and April, it will be wise to focus on securing new contracts and improving the logistics of your business.

Because work will be seasonal your earnings are likely to fluctuate. Its advisable to pay yourself a modest wage throughout the year instead of taking money at will from the business. You can increase your wage as and when the business can comfortably support it.

One advantage in the wedding planning business is that your upfront costs should be quite low. You may need to factor in the costs of web design but the vast majority of your work can be done from a laptop or phone.

Because wedding planners are unregulated you won’t need any kind of certificate or even experience to set up in business.

However, if you have no prior experience with planning or organising, you could consider specialist wedding planner training. Some recommended option include:

·        UKAWP: Two-day group learning course costing £599

·        Wedding Planning Academy: E-learning course from £70

·        Wedding Planning School UK: Home learning ‘beginner’ course costing £309

As with most self-employed service businesses, you should take out professional indemnity insurance in order to protect your business from a claim if something goes wrong. It’s also worth considering public liability insurance as you’ll be working with lots of guests on the big day.

You will probably want to start off your business as a sole trader, meaning you won’t need to register with Companies House, just register with HMRC.

Pricing Your Services

If you’re offering ‘full’ planning (that’s the entire process start to finish) you should generally charge a percentage of the entire budget of the wedding – typically 10-15%. Ensure that this percentage is subject to a minimum fee to make sure the wedding is worth your work.

Especially in the early stages of your business you may well want to take on partial planning as well. ‘Final eight weeks’ packages, or even ‘on the day’ packages, are popular with brides and a good way to get your name out there. 

Building a Brand

In such a crowded market how well you market and present yourself will be the single most important factor in your success as a wedding planner.

The key to standing out is developing an identifiable brand; a niche. Your brand should be a reflection of you and of the area your business is in. Do you love a Boho beachy vibe? Or is your style sophisticated cocktail party? The important thing is to find something that works and run with it.

It’s worth investing in a good website, it needs to be a clear reflection of your brand. With such a key tool for your business it will pay to hire a web designer to build you the perfect website. Services will generally cost in the region of £300-£500, but will pay for themselves in the long run.

A strong voice on social media will go a long way in this business. Developing a clear style will make clients feel as though they know you and can trust you.

Beyond the normal platforms (Facebook, Twitter etc.) Pinterest has a massive following with brides-to-be and should therefore be a key part of your social media strategy.

Pinterest lets users create virtual ‘boards’ of images centred around a particular theme. For weddings, it’s a perfect way to see what your clients are looking for and for them to get well acquainted with your style and brand.

Most of your business will probably come through word of mouth recommendations, so it’s important to build a strong relationship with your clients and ensure they’re satisfied.

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How To Start A Wedding Planning Business? [Business Plan!]

Table of Contents:

1. How To Start Wedding Planning Business?

2. steps for starting a wedding planning business, 3. wedding planner business plan, 4. how do i start a wedding planner business, 5. do you need a degree to be a wedding planner, 6. how to be a successful wedding planner, 7. risks of starting a wedding planning business, 8. how to have a green wedding in india, 9. key takeaways.

With the winter winds sailing our ways, India has reached its official wedding season. Planning a wedding can be full of craziness, excitement, confusion, and overall overwhelming. Most people dream of the picture-perfect ceremony that'll leave their guests awestruck. While a few others work day and night to make the couple's wedding dream come true.

Wedding planning is one of the best yet hectic jobs in the event industry. Indian requirements for weddings come in various sizes from a close-knit reception to a destination wedding. Hence, the need for a wedding planner is extremely important to help you out from the beginning to the end of all ceremonies. Let's learn all about- How To Start A Wedding Planning Business In India?

how to start own wedding planning business

Before you put your investment money into starting your own wedding planning business , read these tips to understand the skills you need to become a wedding planner-

  • Pick a Business Name & Type- The first thing to think before How To Start A Wedding Planning Business is a business name will be responsible for client attraction while the type of firm or service you will provide will be responsible for the future clientele. Different packages for various budget couples give them an option to choose and decide their needs.
  • Get Relevant Experience- Research on different wedding planning businesses and intern/work with them for an insider experience. You can also apply for event management firms to get a hang of handling large-scale clients and the commitments involved per event i.e, from costing to execution.
  • Have a Solid Business Plan- As we have always known, a business without a plan fails faster than anything. This includes choosing a business name, financial management, long and short term goals along with target clientele.
  • Be Clear with your Goals- While goals keep changing with time, it's important to be consistent with your dedication. Do you want to organise celebrations amongst the local crowd, or do you want to make it big and reach out for the big leagues someday? Figure out your forte, that'll help you get more organised in planning.
  • Conduct Industry Research- Just dreaming of opening your own wedding company won't become a successful affair overnight. You need to read and research thoroughly on things like- competitors, wedding planning books, wedding blogs, and explore the websites. It will give you a briefer and realistic understanding of the wedding market in India.
  • Getting A Team- Before deciding the financial commitments, you need to figure out the team, you will need ready for every wedding pitch. Some important resources that are mandatory include- decorators, caterers, venues, travel arrangements, musician or band, choreographer, Mehendi artists, and clothing. If you are a beginner, you can opt to hire freelancers instead of a full-time team to save time and money.
  • Jot down your Investments- Every business needs a basic amount of standard investment, that'll help the operations get started. From a hefty hard drive, good quality laptop, co-working space for meetings, or home office are a few that come obligatory. For the initial wedding planning business, start-up costs may range anywhere between 5 lakh to 15 lakh rupees.
  • Marketing Strategy- The story of every successful business starts with a vigorous marketing plan. If you have started organising ceremonies, it's time to start your marketing process. The best techniques for marketing your business in 2020 are- word of mouth, setting up a brief website, begin and invest in social media platforms like- Instagram and Facebook.
  • No Fixed Work Hours- Wedding planning ain't an indoor desk job and it ain't a fixed timing work. Flexibility is key in this field, you have to learn working extra hours or be present during any emergency. From late-night calls to early morning staff supervision , everything is your responsibility. The client's happiness and satisfaction lie in the hands of the wedding planner.
  • Track Your Earning- A grand ceremony can help you earn a commission of over 10 to 15% of the total budget. For example: If the wedding cost was around 20 Lakh Rupees, you can easily earn around 2 Lakh rupees.
  • Presence of Mind- A sudden last-minute cancellation to unavailability of materials are some of the common crisis that is bound to happen during a wedding. In such situations, keeping your calm and dealing with the vendors is a primary factor that you should develop. It will take a few years to build up your reputation, but once you get the hang of it, profits come pouring in.
  • Licenses & Permits - Structuring your business as per the legal laws and tax purposes is an important step. Choosing an LLC (Limited Liability Company) as your business entity might help you prevent any judicial repercussions. Registering your business will help establish your brand identity and strengthen your goals. All federal and local permits should be ready before you start organising weddings.

how to start own wedding planning business

Your wedding planner business plan needs to include the following things-

  • Goals and methods to achieve them
  • Generate a business backstory via a website or other portal
  • Brief of products and services you will be offering
  • The gist of the Market Analysis to mark your target
  • Estimate out milestones as you progress along the way
  • Financial summary- anticipated, fixed, and variables
  • Staff and management planning for a better organisational structure
  • Jot down your expertise as a company hence defining its USP

Before you begin venturing to curate your How To Start A Wedding Planning Business, you must have a lot of things in place like- Get all the training and skills needed to begin in the business. In the wedding planning business, you need to have a strong business plan or proposal ready for pitch. Keep your services defined beforehand to avoid any confusion between clients.

Do not forget to fulfil all your legal documentations and other requirements. Other things to keep in mind are your- cash flow management, Branding plus awareness, finding trusted vendors, and curate customised wedding concepts. This will ensure a trust between your clients and also provide them with numerous options for their special day.

Getting a professional certification for wedding planning business is always a good idea, it has a lot of benefits like-

  • Helps you build your event experience portfolio
  • Encourages you to develop long term relations and client management skills
  • Learn from the industry experts to get insights
  • Gain insider secrets from planners
  • Learn how to manage a crisis
  • Understanding client needs better
  • Creating budget plans
  • Understanding location and themes
  • Studying tips and tricks on decor
  • Get hands-on experience in live events
  • Assist in party planning and administration
  • Learn to develop personalised wedding plans
  • Discover resources, vendors, and clients
  • Understand Food and Beverage along with Hospitality & Logistics

There is a difference between a general wedding planner and an excellent one. A certain set of understanding the job requirements might help you get in the wedding planning market easily like-

  • Empathise with the clients and families
  • Develop a "never stop learning" mindset
  • Be available for all kinds of Q & A's
  • Predefine the type of packages/services with rate charts
  • Meeting clients one on one to understand their needs
  • Respect clients preferences and don't pile up
  • Develop immense communication skills
  • Be organised while multitasking
  • Sustain good relations with professional resources
  • Manage clients paperwork, licenses, and signature formalities
  • Price correctly ; understanding local rates and negotiate accordingly
  • Try throwing free events for experience and portfolio

how to start own wedding planning business

Before commencing your wedding planning business , you need to be aware of the risks of becoming a wedding planner in India. Since most of the weddings in our country happen during weekends, you won't be having much free time during weekends. Acknowledge scheduling day-offs during the week to reduce burnout. Moreover, you can’t build a loyal or regular clientele from a wedding planning business .

Your previous clients might advocate you to their friends and families, but it’s not probable that those who've worked with you might hire you again. You must also market your business extra during low seasons. Curate a strategy that inspires more people to get married during off-seasons. Contrarily, you might jeopardise losing income during unoccupied times.

  • Weddings have always held incredible importance in society and it is arguably the greatest day in a person’s life.
  • As a result, people always want to make their weddings as memorable as possible.
  • In order to create this perfect and picturesque day, so that it remains etched in everyone’s minds, people tend to buy impulsively a huge amount of items.
  • Weddings have got extremely extravagant over the years, but what we tend to forget is that this extravagance comes at the cost of a large amount of waste (both biodegradable and non-biodegradable).
  • Paper goods, torn flowers, excess food, hordes of plastic and a host of other waste items, are produced as the byproduct of any wedding.
  • Even though it may be hard to imagine, wedding wastes contribute significantly to the worldwide Carbon Footprint and Landfills.

It isn't rocket science to venture into the wedding planning business, but with dedication and quality experience you can start easily. Just follow the above wedding planning tips and checklist to get you going from the initial hurdle.

1) How To Start An Organic Products Store? 2) Online Business Ideas That Could Make You Hit Gold in 2020 3) Unique Packaging Ideas for Products: How impactful it is?

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how to start own wedding planning business

Q. How much money do you need to start a wedding planning business?

Ans- Every business needs a basic amount of standard investment, that'll help the operations get started. From a hefty hard drive, good quality laptop, co-working space for meetings, or home office are a few that come obligatory. For the initial wedding planning business , start-up costs may range anywhere between 5 lakh to 15 lakh rupees.

Q. Is wedding planning a profitable business?

Ans- In the wedding planning business, the profit margin depends on the scale of weddings you organise. A full-stack wedding planner can rope in around 10-15% commission from the total budget. For example: If the total budget of the wedding is 20 Lakh Rupees, one can easily earn at least 2 Lakhs.

Q. Is it hard to start a wedding planning business?

Ans- Yes, it is a pretty hard business to start as you're the front to end for your company. From the visionary to the execution, everything will be under your control. But the rewards for the same are pretty beneficial if you plan and operate your business well.

Q. Do wedding planners make a lot of money?

Ans- Any wedding planners income depends on their experience and clientele level. Wedding planners who have been regularly working for 5 years can pull down annually 65 Lakh Rupees, while planners with over 10 years of can easily earn around 75 Lakhs annually.

Q. How do wedding planners get clients?

Ans- Some of the methods via which wedding planners get clients are:

  • Intern with a good agency or a popular wedding planner to get a lay of the land(industry).
  • Start with hosting local wedding to build networking.
  • Create a website filled with blogs of your special moments at weddings planned by you.
  • Try other marketing mediums like- Podcasts, Social media influencing, email marketing.

Q. Is a wedding planner a good job?

Ans- Wedding Planning Business is an extremely rewarding career. People never stop getting married whatever the situation, hence, you will never undergo a downturn in wedding planning job opportunities.

Q. What qualifications do you need to be a wedding planner?

Ans- A background in event management is highly desirable and beneficial for you to need to be a wedding planner.

Q. How many years does it take to become a wedding planner?

Ans- If you're going for a certified course in wedding planning, an average course ranges up to 3 months, where you receive the following things:

  • Graduation Certificate
  • Tips and Tricks of the Trade
  • On-site experience
  • Internship Certificate (if applicable)

Q. Can you be a wedding planner without a degree?

Ans- No, you do not need to be a college degree to become a wedding planner but to lay down a powerful foundation you can go for the following educational degrees:

  • Event Management
  • Communications
  • Business Management
  • Public Relations

Q. How can I start a wedding planning business with no money?

Ans- For starting a wedding planning business you must follow these steps:

  • Step 1- Develop a website.
  • Step 2- If you have got the talents to create your website, there will be the least start-up costs.
  • Step 3- If you don't have the professional skills, work with a freelance web developer, who'll be much cheaper than a web designing company.

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ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch joint sports streaming platform this year

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  • ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to launch a joint sports streaming service later this year.
  • The platform, which will be owned by a newly formed company with its own leadership team, does not yet have a name or price.
  • The product will be a skinnier bundle of linear networks than a standard cable offering, specifically tailored for sports fans.

In this article

ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch a joint sports streaming service

Walt Disney 's ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery plan to launch a joint sports streaming service this fall, giving consumers a new way to access marquee live sports for the first time, the companies said Tuesday.

The platform, which will be owned by a newly formed company with its own leadership team, does not yet have a name or a price. Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery will each own a one-third stake.

Consumers would be able to subscribe directly via a new app. Subscribers would also have the ability to bundle the product with the companies' streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and Max.

The product will be a skinnier bundle of linear networks than a standard cable offering, specifically tailored for sports fans. It will consist of all the broadcast and cable networks owned by Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery that carry sports, along with ESPN+.

From Disney, that includes ESPN and its sister networks, such as ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, as well as the ABC broadcast network. Warner Bros. Discovery's networks that showcase sports are TNT, TBS and TruTV. Fox will include the Fox broadcast station along with FS1, FS2 and BTN.

While no price has been determined, a logical starting point could be $45 or $50 per month with introductory pricing lower to entice signups, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions around the service have been private. A second person added that even with promotional pricing, the service will cost more than $30 per month.

The companies' longer term goal is to make the platform a home base for sports programming. Hypothetically, independent networks such as The Tennis Channel could be added to improve the offering, one of the people said. While Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox each will own one-third of the company, the rights fee revenue sharing will be proportional to what the cable networks charge pay TV providers, a second person said.

"The launch of this new streaming sports service is a significant moment for Disney and ESPN, a major win for sports fans, and an important step forward for the media business," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. "This means the full suite of ESPN channels will be available to consumers alongside the sports programming of other industry leaders as part of a differentiated sports-centric service."

The launch of the product will not stop ESPN from offering a full direct-to-consumer streaming product, which Disney is still researching and remains on schedule to debut by 2025, according to a person familiar with the matter. ESPN has previously said it plans on releasing that product this year or next year.

The competitors expect to form the joint service at a time when the value of sports media rights is spiking and viewers have moved away from watching on traditional cable even as ratings for the National Football League and National Basketball Association have spiked.

"While we look forward to learning more about this new venture, we're encouraged by the opportunity to make premier sports content more accessible to fans who are not subscribers to the traditional cable or satellite bundle," an NBA spokesperson said.

Comcast 's NBCUniversal and Paramount Global weren't approached to be a part of the joint venture, according to people familiar with the matter. NBCUniversal likely would have balked at the idea of unbundling its sports networks from its other entertainment cable channels, one of the people said.

Still, the new skinny bundle may chip away at the number of cable subscribers for both NBCUniversal and Paramount Global . Both companies offer streaming services — Peacock and Paramount+ — that offer additional sports, including live National Football League games. That may mitigate potential revenue losses for NBCUniversal and Paramount Global.

Disney, in particular, has sought new ways to reinvent the sports business and ESPN, including searching for strategic partners such as the NFL and NBA. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO:

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COMMENTS

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  6. How to Start a Wedding Planning Business

    1. Look for educational and networking opportunities Although you don't need formal training to plan weddings, taking courses or attending conferences can help strengthen your knowledge of the industry. The more you can keep up with current trends, the better you can provide high-quality services for your clients.

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    1. Conduct Wedding Planning Market Research Market research is essential to building a successful wedding planner business plan. To become a wedding planner you need insight on your target market, local market saturation, trends in wedding venues and services, and more. Source

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    It should answer: What are your goals and vision? - How does your wedding planning business stand out from your competitors? Do you cater to a niche market, offer flat-rate packages, or have a particular design focus that can woo customers? What steps will you take to achieve your goals? - Do you have potential business partners?

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