If you are passionate about the romance and beauty that come with weddings, then chances are that you will jump at the idea of becoming a wedding planner. Wedding planning is an exciting field and a good business opportunity for those who have been looking to start a business of their own; because aside from the financial gains, you get a chance to express your creativity and get a feeling of satisfaction seeing the beauty of your handiwork. Hundreds of weddings are held in your locality every year and it's been known that the least amount spent on the average Nigerian wedding, is approximately 1.2 million naira (this is just an estimate for a small wedding excluding middle to highbrow weddings). Having said that, below are proven tips on how to start a successful wedding planning business.
1. Learn everything you can about weddings
There are a lot of things and opportunities involved in planning a wedding. You can learn all these by visiting wedding ceremonies, reading wedding books/magazines and browsing on internet. Talking to newly married couples and other wedding planners is also a way to gather relevant information about the business. As you learn about the business, it is advisable you carry out feasibility study and write a business plan. If you enjoy what you are doing, you will find the wedding planning business fun-filled and very rewarding. You need strong organizational skills, keen attention to detail, a level head, and patience to deal with emotional ups and downs that may start even before the Big Day. Always bear in mind that some things are bound to go wrong no matter how well you plan. The maid of honor’s shoes might break, or the florist might send the wrong flowers. It’s your duty to set things right and make sure everything goes smoothly.
2. Know your wedding vendors
Also, use that opportunity to know a number of individuals you will be working with while planning a wedding, such as caterers, photographers, florists, and so on. After linking up with many of them, you need to find out the differences in price, specialty, reliability, and quality of service delivery.
3. Get certified as a wedding planner
It is important that you find out if there are colleges or universities around you offering wedding or event planning programs. Many other institutions offer full certification programs that may span weeks or a few days. While certification is not a requirement for starting the wedding planning business, it will help you get a crash course in planning and make you more credible. Certification programs may be somewhat expensive, but the benefits that come with enrolling with one far outweigh the cost.
4. Plan your business
Decide on the structure of your business and what services you will offer. Will you plan entire weddings or only handle specific parts such as venue set up and decoration? You will also need to find a good name for your business—one that is clever and easy to remember. You can surf the web for wedding planning business name ideas. Also, you will need to work on the rest of your business’s image, which entails your logo and fonts you will use in your marketing. You will also need to determine from the start if you want to venture into the wedding planning business full-time or part-time. Whichever option you choose, you must bear in mind that it may take months to years for your business to get off the ground, and even longer before you start making decent profits.
5. Make your business legitimate by incorporating and getting a license
It is advisable that you consult with an attorney about the possibilities and advantages. The attorney can provide valuable advice when it comes to determining which business structure (sole proprietorship, limited liability company or corporation) will work for you, and also registering your business in the state you want it to be registered. He or she can also review documents you plan to use in your business, such as your client contract.
6. Develop yourself in the area of fashion
Fashion, beauty care, event planning and wedding planning go hand in hand. To become a successful wedding planner, your feet must stand strong on good fashion. You may be lucky to have many friends and family members who will allow you to plan their wedding and learn from the process.
7. Let your image or handiwork reflect your style
Planning a wedding is all about style, because the bride in particular is actually trusting your eye and your ideas to make her wedding beautiful and memorable. Therefore, your company’s image, starting from your business name to your logo and to the colors and fonts you will use in your marketing tools, must showcase great style and draw attention.
8. Develop a marketing strategy
To really kick off in business, you must create a marketing strategy that can be executed at low cost and yield high returns (profit). This can be achieved by advertising your business online and otherwise. After putting everything in place, you can start advertising your business. Tell your friends and relatives about your business and implore them to help you spread word about it, especially at weddings. You can also advertise you business by doing free jobs once in a while for your clients especially when you are starting up newly; and those individuals you did jobs for freely will advertise your business through word of mouth and referral. Since most businesses now attract customers online, you’d be better off with a website. This will give all the information they need to know about your business. Don’t forget the good old business cards, too.
In conclusion, it is important you have at the back of your mind that your success rests more on building relationships. So try investing your time and energy into developing bonds with other wedding planning professionals around you and clients as well.
Edited Article (Original Source)