Wedding planners often attend bridal fairs to meet with brides-to-be. For wedding planners who are new to the profession, these fairs are a valuable resource for finding their first customers. They also offer an opportunity to network with wedding vendors.
Good writing and communication skills are important. Planners typically spend a great deal of time on the phone and on the computer, reading and sending e-mail. Cell phones are useful for keeping in contact with clients when not at home or in the office.
A wedding planner's business cards, brochures, and other marketing materials must be attractive and look professional.
Planners need a nice wardrobe with a range of outfits. They attend all kinds of functions, from business meetings to simple outdoor weddings to formal, black-tie events.
A wedding planner's hours and earnings depend on the budget of the weddings they plan. In general, their fee is 10-15 percent of the wedding's total cost.
Wedding planners are normally busiest in the late spring and summer months. In general, there are fewer weddings in the fall and winter. However, planners remain busy year round with marketing, promoting, bookkeeping, and planning for future events.
Most wedding planners are self-employed. However, some inns, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and gardens that are popular for weddings have an "in-house" wedding coordinator. In many cases, in-house coordinators are not involved in all aspects of planning. They generally focus on the services provided by their employer.
Source: Illinois Career Information System (CIS) brought to you by Illinois Department of Employment Security.