If you are considering the idea of starting your own wedding planner business, there are quite a few things that you’ll want to think about carefully before you start investing your time and money into that dream. You may have helped plan a few weddings with your friends in the past, but doing it professionally is an entirely different animal. All disclaimers aside, there are few things in this world more rewarding than being your own boss; especially if you get to do something you’re good at and love to do at the same time. Besides having a firm grasp on basic business operations and marketing, there is a unique set of contacts and business relationships that you’ll want to acquire before you open your doors for business. Here is an overview of what you’ll need to get going in the right direction and be successful as a wedding planner.
Venue Partnerships
By far, the most important relationships to work out ahead of time are those with the different wedding venues in your service area. Not only will this put you on good footing to get premium dates booked out for your clients, but you can also get discounts through certain venues that can act as a perk for couples that choose to hire you as their wedding planner. On top of that, knowing the local venue scene can help you pick the perfect venue for your clients based on their wishes, which also adds value to your planning services.
Preferred Vendors
Similarly, you’ll want to work out relationships with a set of preferred wedding vendors. These are people like wedding photographers, caterers, and florists that provide the bulk of the goods and services for the ceremony and reception. Having a great set of vendors on hand is crucial because you need to be able to rely on each and every one of them to do the job right, so getting to know a particular vendor and working with them on a regular basis can ensure that you know what you’re getting. There is nothing worse for your reputation than having a wedding vendor perform badly that you selected yourself, so knowing who is good and who is not can make your business stronger over time.
Wedding Supplies
Wedding supplies can get very expensive at even a modest sized wedding, so having good contacts in this area is a great way to pass savings onto your clients. Everything from wedding favors like bottle openers and sparklers for weddings to basic supplies like plastic cups and napkins need to be sourced, and usually you can work out wholesale or discounted rates since you shop for so many couples. Also, this will eliminate the need to search for certain wedding supplies at the last minute which will free you up to pay attention to more critical parts of the wedding planning process.
Entertainment
Every wedding reception needs entertainment, so knowing the best entertainers in your area is vital to being a great wedding planner. Some couples will prefer to have a DJ that plays their personal favorite songs. Other couples prefer to have a live band that plays popular music from a certain time period. Whatever your clients want for their wedding reception, you need to be ready to provide it and know that the entertainer will deliver a fun time for everyone.