How to Open and Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant and Planning Business

John N. Peragine · John N. Peragine, Jr.

Jan 2008 · Atlantic Publishing Company

About this ebook

Weddings are big business. The Association of Bridal Consultants estimates that consumers spend a whopping $46 billion on their weddings every year. Today's bride is spending more money than ever before to ensure that her wedding day the single most important day of her life is planned to perfection. Once reserved only for the very rich, today's brides and grooms-to-be, often busy with dual careers yet wanting to make their wedding uniquely personal, are turning to consultants for help to help save time, money, and considerable stress planning a wedding.

A wedding consulting and planning career makes an ideal home based or part-time business. All you need is a calendar, a good organizer, a desire to succeed, and the tips for success in this book. A consultant's primary function is to help a couple learn, implement, and manage all the necessary tasks required to host a successful wedding event. Here is the manual you need to cash in on this highly profitable segment of the service industry.

Creating a dream wedding requires imagination and energy, a concern for detail, and a love of organization to make certain that things run smoothly.

You will help couples decide on a budget and help them stick to it. You will also help them select the wedding dress, set trial hair and make-up appointments, confirm wedding day appointments, prepare and confirm wedding reception toasts or speeches; update life, house, and car insurance policies; complete change of name and change of address paperwork; open joint bank account (if desired), determine who will return groom's formal attire, location, caterer, entertainment, wedding cake, and going away wardrobe. You will learn how to prepare for and run a successful wedding including determining realistic costs, helping with the guest list, setting the wedding date, organizing the wedding ceremony and the reception, acquiring bridesmaids' and groom's attire, ordering invitations and other stationery, and dealing with the gifts and thank-you messages.

This new book is a comprehensive and detailed study of the business side of the wedding planning and consulting. If you enjoy meeting people and planning parties, this may be the perfect business for you, but keep in mind this business looks easy, but as with any business, looks can be deceiving. The companion CD-ROM is included with the print version of this book; however is not available for download with the electronic version. It may be obtained separately by contacting Atlantic Publishing Group at [e-mail]

Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president's garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

Ratings and reviews

It all started centuries ago but not as wedding planners but in different names but similar roles they play. In olden days families used to consult an elder person who is termed as match maker to arrange, conduct and coordinate the weddings. After some time this work fell on the mothers since the marriages started happening at homes rather than temples, churches etc since people could no further afford the cost as they became expensive. As time changed woman started taking the positions of men, became equal to men started working, no time to look into household activities. Hence there began the feeling of importance for Wedding planners. People are willing to pay for the service but are unable to do it themselves due to lack of time, busy schedule etc. What are the requirements for starting a Wedding Business? Wedding business these days occupies the major portion. Most essential element for starting any business is money. Also business is started to earn money. Along with money an individual should posses some qualities which are below. Important skill required : 1.Sense of humor 2.Listening skills 3.Flexibility in case of emergencies 4.Like to deal with different people 5.Coordination, management skills 6.Commitment towards work and client 7.Tolerance 8.Innovative, creative, confident, goal oriented 9.Problem solving skill 10.Luck, high energy level 11.Networks and contacts. Tips to start or create a business image: a.Take an office for rent to show customers that you have an office not working at home. b.Keep a secretary rather than answering machine in phone so that clients can contact person than leaving message at phone. c.Hire an intern from college who can help you in small things. d.Can consider asking friends or family for help. e.Ask feedback about you with friends and family based on which you can change accordingly. Create your own business plan: A detailed description of a new or existing business, including the company's product or service, marketing plan, financial statements and projections, and management principles. Before starting this business if you have the below characteristics in you: i.Are you a Self starter or a dependent: should able to create wedding from start to end, coordinate. ii.Ability to get along with other professionals, different kinds of people- should have patience and stamina. iii.Decision making ability: quick, Immediate, accurate, independent. iv.Requires Working for extended hours v.Organization skills such as proper planning, organizing etc. vi.Support from family and should be able to maintain a balance in family and work life. vii.Business sense such as knowledge of market, latest fashion trends, able to throw legendary parties. viii.Should be able to plan budgets, maintain pass books, accounts, make prompt payments to vendors, dealers etc. This business may not be suitable if: a)Individual is unable to take risks as wedding business not only hold major portion but also has similar level of risks. b)If you are good at sales I mean if you can sell your idea then you are best person for wedding consultant. c)Can you delegate work and get the work done, lead others. d)Should have a eye on marketing. e)Should be able to negotiate contracts, maintain accounts, prompt payments to vendors, florist etc. f)Know how to develop budget and plan your expenses. Where to find clients: oWithin group of women. oWedding venue oThrough website or cards. oBased on demographics- targeting customers based on age of people, income level, place of living etc oPeople who are ready to pay, who knows value of outsourcing to professionals and do not have time to make arrangements themselves. oStart advertising your business in local newspaper, bridal magazines. oIn bridal fairs and wedding shows where brides usually go to consult wedding planners, here you can also develop contact with vendors etc, but do remember to have more business cards. oWord of mouth-tell friends and also ask them to communicate

About the author

John was born in Miami, Florida in 1970. He grew up in the Tampa Bay area, but attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, in Winston Salem NC, for High School. He attended Florida State University and got a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Appalachian State University. In August of 2007, he took the plunge. John had been a social worker in child protective services for far too many years, and had been toying with the idea of being a writer. He had written for a few national magazines and received positive responses for his work. He decided to quit social work and took a chance at writing full time. Luck was on his side, as his first year he was signed to write seven books for Atlantic Publishing Company.Since then he has been writing for a number of magazines including Herb Companion, Precognito, and Winemaker Magazine as well as freelance work to create workbooks, ebooks, articles, ghost write books, blogs and much more. He is now working full time filling requests and hope to get some fiction completed and published this coming year. He freelanced for the New York Times, Bloomberg News, and Reuters. He is working on an upcoming book about his adventures covering the John Edward's trial.