Wedding planning is a tough job for anyone, but if you’re interested in earning that event planner salary, you have to be able to navigate the common pitfalls of the most romantic event of a person’s life. These four wedding planner faux pas are common among couples who don’t hire wedding planning professionals, and new wedding planners alike. Here’s how you can avoid them and wow your clients every time:
Not Trusting Vendors
Micro-managing every tiny detail is a common trap that many wedding planner professionals fall into. As you learn to be more organized, you’ll find that delegating your tasks is essential for getting everything done. And one important thing to delegate right away is anything that your vendors can do for you. They are the professionals you chose for a reason! Let them handle the realistic expectations for the day, while you focus on keeping the overall picture in check.
Exceeding the Budget
One wedding planning faux pas that almost every couple is guilty of is not sticking to their original budget – or not making one at all. Sticker shock is pretty common when couples start to see just how much services will cost for the big day, and it’s easy to start to overspend fast. As a wedding planner, it’s your job to make sure that the couple has committed to the things that they won’t compromise on, so you know where you can afford to choose less expensive options.
Not Making the Guest List First
From the venue to the amount of food needed at the reception, nothing can be decided until you know how large the guest list is. Many couples can’t decide, so it’s a good idea as their wedding planner to have them make two lists – a “must invite” list, and a “want to invite” list. Then run the numbers so they know how much more they’ll have to budget if they include everyone on both lists. This can help them decide who they really want there.
3 Extraordinary Waterfront Wedding Ideas
Not Leaving Enough Time to Plan
Finally, many inexperienced wedding planner professionals fall into the same trap as couples planning their own weddings: they don’t leave enough time! Many vendors need to be booked a year or more in advance, and possibly even more if the wedding falls around a popular date, like Valentine’s Day. Always be sure that you are working with lots of time for all your vendors and venues.
If you want to learn more about earning an event planner salary, check out our wedding planner certification course. This online course is self-paced, so you can transform your career on your own time. You’ll learn how to avoid even more common planning faux pas, and how to create stunning events.
