Tips for budding wedding planners

By Prerana Agarwal Saxena

New Delhi (IANSlife): Weddings are joyous occasions filled with intimate moments shared between friends and family, but the months of work leading up to this event can be extremely stressful, specifically for the host families. This is where a wedding planner comes in -- to help the bride relax, for the family to enjoy the festivities, and share the burden of planning the grand event.

Want to become a wedding planner but don't know where to begin? Starting out in a magnificent field like wedding planning can be intimidating, especially if you do not know what to be on the lookout for. In order to help budding wedding planners with an entrepreneurial spirit, these are some tips duly followed by Theme Weavers Designs backed by over 13 years of experience.

Gain Experience -- Assist and Stay Updated

For anyone new to the industry, it is important to understand the business first. Start small and intern with established planners to learn the ropes. A lot can be said for gaining experience working as an on-site coordinator for a wedding planning company. Grab opportunities to work with a variety of wedding vendors as you get exposed to a wide range of event preparation aspects. Weddings involve many protocols and traditions with ever-evolving trends. To perform the essential responsible tasks of a planner, you need to understand the detailed tasks of creating event timelines and managing vendor teams. Each generation comes up with new styles and design themes they'd like to incorporate in their weddings. It is important, as a planner, to stay updated with the changing times and new trends. From the inclusion of millennial hashtags to planning intimate ceremonies due to the pandemic, a planner needs to stay prepared for any situation with unique ideas and design interventions.

Manage a Schedule -- Get Digital!

A wedding planner needs to stay on top of things. There are numerous aspects that go into a wedding to make it seem flawless. Keeping a handy checklist will save that extra hassle. No bride wants to spend unnecessary time, so a checklist aids in eliminating all the extras and helps you focus on the essential needs.

In today's digital day and age, keeping a track of essentials has become even more convenient. Wedding planners like TWD keep all the information briefly updated on a digital platform that is connected to the client and the team to gain easy access to work progresses.

A digital catalogue aids in keeping direct tabs on details regarding the catering, the event venue, the decor, and vendor information so everything can be updated timely. Additionally, it will also present you, as the planner along with the bride, a clear picture of what other elements need to be looked at. Thus seamlessly avoiding any pending and unscheduled mishaps.

Always be prepared!

A wedding comes with various events and even more guests. Hence always be prepared to handle any last-minute situation. A planner might need to defuse situations between workers over the wrong flowers being delivered or the cake, not the right flavour, or help the bride overcome pre-wedding nerves. While there can be unseen pauses, a wedding planner has to be in control of all the various departments that converge in the penultimate ceremony.

There might be instances where the guests, team members, or even the suppliers might need immediate assistance, such as a venue can be short-staffed or there might be a need for transport or an extra service requirement. A wedding planner is a one-stop solution for all these issues. From arranging the top stylist to the finest deliveries, ensure utmost exclusivity with custom curated design decors. As wedding planners supervise all the various work progresses being set up on the venue, it is always a good idea to have backup options in hand if the vendors are not prepared. It is of utmost importance to ensure all things get delivered timely and without any hitch.

Make Connections and Ensure Clear Payment Guidelines!

Building contacts is important in the industry, but connections are made over a period of time. Wedding planners with their vast experience and connections have expert insights into the vendor market of various locations which ultimately aid in guiding the clients well. Offer the client with transparent payment policies and clear contingencies when it comes to contract signing. The team at TWD always ensures no hidden costs are involved in their payment procedures while keeping any last-minute costs into consideration. This makes certain that a client never entails a bad experience when it comes to contracts and payments.

Give your Personal Touch

As a wedding planner, you have to understand and interpret your client's personalities and expectations into the wedding designs. While recreating the wedding of their dreams, don't hold back on giving your personal creative touch to the theme. Blend with the guests and ensure they receive top-notch arrangements whether it's related to food, stay, or travel. Suggest unconventional venues and destinations to the couple that will offer them picturesque views and stunning backdrops to make their day even more special.

Build familial relationships with the family and you will notice how easy it will be to give them the wedding of their dreams. By doing so, you will be successful at creating unique wedding themes and building strong bonds at every event.

Always be Presentable and Organized

Many new, young professionals enter this industry and get burnt out within a couple of months because they are always on the run and forget to take proper self-care. On the day of the wedding, things are bound to get hectic, so arm your team with snacks and energy bars that can be eaten on the go. Keep in mind, a planner has to look professional at all hours of the day so prepare yourself with a second pair of clothes that are more elegant and traditional for the assigned event of the day.

In these unprecedented times like the pandemic, when everyone took another look at how things function, be prepared to find new solutions to manage events. New trends keep coming up with each passing year but remember the classic designs as they never go out of style. There is no instant magical guide that can transform you into a successful wedding planner within a day's time. Take time and work hard while climbing the ladder. Having patience is a boon; it will take time to grow as a planner, but in the end, it will all be worth it.

(Prerana Agarwal Saxena is Founder THEME WEAVERS DESIGNS)

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