Wedding planners are responsible for organizing, coordinating and helping couples deliver successful wedding events. Unlike a general event planner, wedding planners routinely focus their professional efforts on nuptial celebrations. Wedding planners work closely alongside couples and their clients chosen vendors to deliver breathtaking and memorable special event celebrations.

Tasks:

1. Find and rent ceremony and reception venues
2. Create a wedding budget
3. Create a wedding-day timeline
4. Recommend wedding professionals that match a couple’s style and budget
5. Review and negotiate vendor contracts
6. Manage guest list and RSVP’s
7. Secure accommodation for out-of-town wedding guests
8. Plan pre-wedding parties (engagement party, bridal shower, bachelor party, etc.)
9. Create seating chart for wedding reception
10. Direct the wedding rehearsal
11. Purchase bridal party gifts
12. Accompany couple on wedding vendor appointments
13. Design wedding look/theme
14. Oversee all wedding day activities
15. Coordinate newspaper engagement announcements
16. Plan honeymoon

Key skills for wedding planner:

• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to work on more than one task at a time
• Good communication and 'people' skills
• Good customer care skills
• Problem solving skills and the ability to deal with the unexpected
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Sales and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage a budget
• Administration and IT skills
• Ability to work as part of a team and also on your own initiative
• Enthusiasm, motivation and an outgoing, approachable personality
• Confident and determined manner.

Average salary (2013):

The United Kingdom: starting salaries with wedding and event planning companies are around £16,000 to £20,000 a year. With experience, senior wedding and event planners can earn £25,000 or more.
The United States of America: part-time planner can earn between $40,000 and $60,000 per year, planners can estimate a salary between $75,000-$90,000.
Australia: AU$47,478 per year

Qualifications and training required:

The wedding planning profession has no fixed educational requirements. As such, successful planners typically build their career on experience, referrals and recommendations. A top notch wedding planner will be detail oriented, a skilled negotiator and communicator and possess strong business knowledge. A college degree in related areas of business or hospitality can give a prospective wedding planner a strong start in the field. With the growing popularity of the field, many community colleges and institutes of higher education are now offering certificate programs. As wedding planners are commonly self-employed, classes in owning and operating a business would be important.
More important than an educational background in wedding planning is true on the job training and experience. Apprenticing or interning under a skilled planner is an excellent way for wedding planners to receive the necessary skills to continue in the field. Additionally, attending trade conventions and networking is important for idea exchange and offering clients unique and memorable, cutting edge events.