How to Become a Wedding Planner

In the UK, there are no specific qualifications required to be a wedding planner; however, having previous work experience in areas like event planning, hospitality, and business management is highly beneficial to planning the perfect wedding. Many people with a higher education qualification can start their careers in fields such as project management, public relations, event management, and marketing.

For training purposes, you can attend institutions such as the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners (UKAWP) (the UK sector’s leading body), where you can receive training from successful wedding planners in a range of environments. 

These can include workshops, one-on-one training sessions, and even webinars. As a side note, applying for membership in the UKAWP will help you stand out in this professional field and comfort new clients in knowing they will be working with a certified wedding planner from a leading organisation.

You may also choose to attend short online wedding planner courses. Specialist courses such as the Event Management and Wedding Planning to Business Pathway can help you get started on your career as a wedding planner. 

Before attempting to dive straight into a wedding planning career, it’s a good idea to first get a feel for the industry by finding a job in hospitality. This will give you a feel of what the industry is like and what sort of demands might be placed on you once you start working as a wedding planner.

Speaking to others in the industry can be a great way to learn more about potential routes into this career path. Bear in mind that wedding fayres can also be a great place to network and can you give insights into the inner workings of what goes into a wedding.

Work experience is best gained alongside a relevant course for the best results and a more rounded understanding. Working within a wedding business or starting on small projects yourself can help you get started. Remember that not everyone wants a huge and extravagant day, so you may be able to start with smaller occasions to get started. 

Any experience or background in events management can be helpful as well, as many of the same principles apply across different forms of celebrations and gatherings. Specialist expertise in organising weddings for different cultures and religions can also be essential in growing your client base. For example, Hindu weddings are often spread over three days, requiring far more planning and scheduling than typical western weddings. 

Any experience in this area can be a huge boost for client acquisition or could improve your standing when applying for roles within wedding planning agencies.

In order to be successful as a wedding planner, you’ll need a wide spectrum of skills, which should consist of:

Wedding planners are people who help organise a wedding day from start to finish, coordinating every aspect and ensuring that the needs and requests of your clients are all accounted for. Some aspects wedding planners need to take care of include flowers, photographers, seating plans, entertainment, and decorations.

You may also need to help your clients conceptualise their big day. Having a strong portfolio of examples you can point to is important, as they’ll need to be able to imagine what your vision will look like on the day.

If you’re self-employed, you will need to promote yourself. You can use social media and online advertisements. You may also need to get business cards and take an online course to spruce up your skills.

Wedding planners can earn between £17,000 and £29,000 a year, depending on experience, according to the National Careers Service.

Many experienced wedding planners are self-employed or run their own businesses. Your yearly earnings could increase significantly if you run your own business. Whether you work full-time or part-time, this career can be a rewarding and lucrative one.

The wedding planning industry is fast-paced. Roles within this industry can be wide-ranging and can require a large skill set and high levels of dedication, determination, and organisation. Before you get started, you will want to know what to expect.

Being a successful wedding planner involves juggling a wide range of different tasks.