The Ins & Outs Of Becoming A Wedding Planner

I see that many of you are interested in becoming a wedding planner. I`ve been in this business since 1993 and can tell you - there`s a lot more to it than meets the eye!

Professional wedding planning requires three important attributes: The skin of an alligator, the patience of a saint and the soul of an artist. You`ll need to have the ability to take a lot off from people (clients/families/other wedding service providers), you will need to be the voice of reason in a sometimes chaotic situation and know how to bring order from disarray. Lastly - you will need to know how to use both sides of your brain simultaneously - true creativity occurs when you are open to every single possibility and when you are not afraid to "step outside of the box". Some of my most breathtaking wedding productions have occured when I looked outside the normal realm of what a wedding "should look like" and I focused on what it could be.


I am always happy to chat with people who are seriously considering this field - it`s a great way to own your own business, create the hours you`d like to have and to chart your own financial destiny. I have been a wedding planner since 1993 and left my full time, corporate job to devote all of my resources and energies to this industry in 1997 - and have not looked back since!! It is possible to earn a decent living and do what you love - but you will need to have a level of dedication that is unlike any other. Building a successful wedding planning career takes work - serious, hard, effort that will pay off in the long run. I always, highly recommend that new planners invest in an internship or apprentice program with a more seasoned consultant. It is really the best way to learn the ropes in a "real world" sense and see what goes on in the development of a nuptial production. I offer internships on a rotating, 3 year basis - and my interns have learned some incredible, valuable, "on the job" skills that cannot be aqcuired from a book or a class.

You also have to have a great deal of financial and fiscal savvy - that`s not to say you must be a C.P.A., but remember - this is a business first and foremost. Yes, weddings are beautiful events...but if you only focus on the "starry eyed" wonder of it - your bank account and the future health of your career will suffer. So understand how money works and what you can do with it - your clients are entrusting you with the management of some serious dollars, you`ll have to know how to give it justice and create an event that will be remembered for years.

If you`d like to see first hand exactly what goes on in the life of a full-time, professional wedding consultant - I invite you to watch my show on Style Network entitled "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?" which airs Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. Eastern. I am one of the featured consultants in this season`s casts - and really enjoyed showing the public what my job entails and how I create amazingly extraordinary events for my clients.

If you`d like more information about this field or to comment on the show, please feel free to email me at matrimonybiz@aol.com

Look forward to hearing from you!!

Linnyette