Indian weddings are renowned globally for their grandeur and lavish celebrations that start a few days before the wedding and continue till the final W-Day. A talk of the town, the wedding of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son, Anant Ambani, and Radhika Merchant, daughter of pharma tycoons Viren and Shaila Merchant. With an estimated expenditure of Rs 4,000-5,000 crores, Ambanis, according to media reports spent just about 0.5 per cent of their net worth. An average Indian family on the other hand usually ends up spending way more than their net worth to organise a grand wedding on societal standards.
A destination wedding is always trendy not just for common people but for Bollywood celebrities too such as Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra’s wedding in Jaisalmer, Hardik Pandya and Nataša Stanković’s in Udaipur, Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal’s in Sawai Madhopur and many more.
A destination and dreamy wedding who doesn’t want, but for the proper execution, you need a planner or organizer so here is a planner who acts as the bridge between the families organising a wedding and the vendors involved. As a Wedding Planner, you will discuss the requirements with your client, give them an approximate cost, and formulate a detailed plan for successfully organizing the wedding. For example, you will have to make a comprehensive plan for the decor and lighting of the wedding ceremony after understanding the client’s requirements and giving them a budget for the same.
Essential skills and qualities
It takes a special kind of effort to become a successful wedding planner. You need to be a juggler, effortlessly moving from one task to another, anticipating problems before they occur and arranging all the fine details that most people would overlook. The main skills and qualities you’ll need to have are outlined below.
- Patience and stamina: While dealing with bridezillas, you need to have a calm nature to be able to handle them and allow them to ramble on without taking anything personally, you’ll also need a great deal of stamina to keep going, as you’ll be working long hours, sometimes through to the evening.
- Budgeting and negotiating skills: You might be good at haggling the local market stool seller into giving you a lower price, but can you negotiate lower contracts with vendors each time?
- Organisation and planning skills: Youchall should have great organisation skills being able to stick to a tight schedule when you’re planning several weddings.
- Time management skills: As a wedding planner, you won’t only be managing your schedule, but you’ll also be planning the most important day of a couple’s life and ensuring everything runs smoothly and according to plan.
- Networking skills: A wedding planner should be able to work in any room effectively. They’ll be laughing with the father of the bride, consoling a drunk bridesmaid and ensuring their number one client is enjoying every minute of the day.
The Roles and Responsibilities
- Calculating the cost of the entire wedding after understanding the requirements of the couple to be married and also the quotation from various vendors. For example, you will have to get quotes from the lighting and decor vendors, get the caterers’ budget and make an approximate costing for the client.
- Preparing a wedding masterplan including the details of arrangements like music, decor, lighting, food, seating and entertainment.
- Liaising with the vendors for lighting, decor, food and catering.
- Ensuring work is completed as per the set timeline.
- Ensuring everything gets winded up properly post-wedding.
- Winding up after the wedding. You will ensure that the vendors wrap up their belongings, pay off the vendors and ensure that the venue is left in good condition.
Challenges To Expect as a Wedding Planner
Before entering into a career as a wedding planner, there are certain challenges you can expect.
The first challenge is getting experience. Any prior experience will help you build your wedding planner portfolio. Working for a catering company, a hotel, an event venue, or an event rental company will give you valuable experience to use in your wedding planning career. If you have business or marketing experience, that will be very helpful as well.
Another challenge is deciding what type of qualification you need. There are wedding planner courses, wedding industry conferences, business conferences, marketing classes, coaching and mentoring programs, and many other resources available for your wedding planner education. While certification in wedding planning is not required, it can give you credibility and knowledge if you do not have previous experience in the wedding industry.
One final challenge you might encounter on your path to becoming a wedding planner is the financial expectations you have for this career. Most successful wedding planners have sustained a long-term career because of their passion for planning events and for helping couples plan one of the biggest days in their lives.
How to start a career in wedding planning?
- Gain experience by doing internships or working part-time: To stand out as a wedding planner in a competitive field, it’s essential to focus on both personal and professional growth. Initially, gaining a deep understanding of the industry is key in evaluating what your strengths and interests are, and what you can bring to the light. Being personable and knowing how to build strong relationships with clients is also invaluable.
- Gain Hands-On Experience: Hands-on experience is mandatory in becoming a professional wedding planner. Having a successful track record in organising various types and sizes of events matters more than formal qualifications. This hands-on approach not only builds your skills and stamina but also gives you confidence in managing diverse aspects of event planning, making you a reliable and capable professional in the field.
- Build a strong network of reputable vendors: The suppliers you work with can make or break your events. Whether they provide catering, flowers, entertainment, or specialised services, their quality and sense of urgency directly impact how well you deliver on your client’s dreams. It’s vital to choose vendors who share your values and style and have a good professional rapport.
- Understand the client’s needs: Understanding your client’s needs is crucial in event planning. Each client is unique, with specific goals and visions for their very special occasion. By listening carefully and understanding what they want, you can create a personalised and memorable experience that exceeds their expectations.
- Realise that it is about what the client wants and not what is trending or what others like: As a wedding planner, it’s very important to prioritise what the client wants over what’s trendy with others. Every wedding is unique because every couple has their vision and preferences. By focusing on understanding and fulfilling the client’s desires, along with implementing your expertise, you ensure their special day reflects their style and dreams.
To become a wedding planner requires a dedication to continual learning and professional growth. Successful professionals in any field understand the importance of ongoing education and adaptability. Challenges and unique situations will inevitably arise, but viewing them as opportunities to improve your skills and expand your knowledge is key. The diversity of the role is one of its most rewarding aspects, as you’ll work closely with diverse couples, each with their vision for their special day. This variety offers ample creativity and personal satisfaction, making wedding planning an ideal career for those who value both professional growth and client-focused creativity with maintaining a proactive approach and remaining adaptable, one can build a fulfilling career by creating memorable experiences for couples on their wedding day.
