Become a Top Wedding Planner - 4 Ways to Get the Experience You Need to Be Successful

Since you are interested in becoming a wedding planner, you will need to get experience planning and coordinating weddings and other events to learn some of the skills it takes to be a professional planner.

Here are 4 ways to get experience:

1) Volunteer to work for free

If you do not have any experience at all in this profession, start by offering to help family members and friends with their weddings and other events. You might also consider volunteering your time to organize charity fund raising dinners and gala events. Doing these things will give you practice in organizing and planning for large groups, working within time lines and handing all the details that make an event successful. Once you have planned some events for friends, you will need to get some experience working with seasoned professionals.

2) Intern with a wedding planner

As an intern you would work with a wedding planner and his or her team for very low pay or for no pay at all in order to learn the ins and outs of planning weddings and running a wedding planning business. Internships usually last for a specific period of time such as six months or one year. Be aware that many wedding planners accept interns expecting them to be interested in being a part of their team so be clear about what you want and be honest about your future plans to start a business.

3) Become an apprentice for a wedding planner

In an apprenticeship program you usually work along side a wedding planner to put together the final touches of a wedding. You might also work on the wedding day itself to get hands-on experience. Some programs include extensive training classes in addition to hands-on work so check before you sign up. Apprenticeships can cost you about $1000 or more.

4) Intern and apprentice with other types of wedding vendors

If you are not able to find an internship or apprenticeship program with a planner in your area, check other local wedding vendors, such as florists, photographers and caterers, who do a lot of weddings. See if they have programs or entry-level jobs that will give you opportunities to learn more about what it takes to create weddings.

With all programs you will be asked to complete a form outlining your previous experience and education and go through an interview process. Professionals are interested in people who have good attitudes, are willing to work hard and are serious about being in the wedding business.