WEDDING PLANNER

PRESENTATION

From social networking sites to films and television programmes, the job of wedding planner can be found on every platform. they are starting to become more popular in France. Unlike in the United States, the market is still open. How do you go about training to become a wedding planner, and what are the specifics?

WHAT IS A WEDDING PLANNER? 

Although the number of weddings has fallen sharply in recent years, the wedding industry is still flourishing. With a turnover of nearly €3 billion a year, the industry provides a livelihood for many different trades, including florists, caterers, stylists, make-up artists and hairdressers. The average budget is estimated at €8,142, according to the Sofinscope barometer, but it varies enormously depending on the couple.

This profession of wedding planner comes straight from the United States and is now beginning to make inroads in France. In recent years, the use of a wedding planner for weddings has become increasingly popular, even though it only accounts for 2-3% of weddings in France. Wedding planners have been able to adapt to new trends such as the do it yourself approach, and to suit all budgets. The French wedding planner is still a relatively unregulated entrepreneurial profession.

WHAT ARE THE WEDDING PLANNER‘S TASKS? 

The wedding planner is one of the professions involved in event management. They are considered to be the project manager or conductor of the event. They are responsible for organising a wedding from A to Z.

During the first meeting with the future bride and groom, the wedding planner must understand their needs and desires in order to meet their requirements. Their main constraint is the budget, which they have to manage. Based on the information gathered, the wedding planner will create a schedule that must be adhered to in order to meet the deadline.

In the run-up to the ceremony, the wedding planner works with service providers to take care of the various aspects. With experience, the wedding planner builds up an address book of service providers that he will adapt according to the budget, theme and wishes of the future bride and groom.

The wedding planner assists his clients throughout the entire process, from the reception venue to the staging and decoration of the wedding. They act as advisors and can give their opinion on their clients’ choices. Weddings go beyond the ceremony to include other events. They may also be involved in preparing the stag and hen parties, the honeymoon and the vin d’honneur.

The wedding planner also has administrative duties. As well as taking care of the wedding’s accounts, he or she may be in charge of paperwork at the town hall, invoices and signing contracts, as the suppliers deal directly with him or her.

On the big day, he plays a vital role. They must ensure that the day runs smoothly and take care of the final preparations. On all fronts, he must be able to act quickly. In the event of unforeseen circumstances or problems, he is the first person to be contacted. In some cases, they can even act as officiant at a secular ceremony. Their day does not end until all the guests have gone home.

WHAT QUALITIES AND SKILLS DO YOU NEED TO BECOME A WEDDING PLANNER? 

This profession requires a certain versatility, and there are many qualities needed to become a wedding planner.

The most important quality of a wedding planner is his or her organisational skills. A wedding is an event that can take place over several days. The wedding planner must therefore coordinate every aspect of the wedding to create the most beautiful day of the future bride and groom’s lives.

In order to offer a personalised service in line with the wishes of the bride and groom, the wedding planner needs to be a good listener. As well as creating a relationship of trust with their customers, they must demonstrate their professionalism in order to establish a reputation for themselves. This profession is mainly known by word of mouth. Creative, they must also stand out for the original and unique ideas they propose to their customers.

Communication and interpersonal skills are other important qualities in this profession. In direct contact with customers and suppliers, they must be able to assert themselves in the event of disputes. In the same spirit, wedding planners need to know how to negotiate. Keeping to the budget is one of their priorities, so they need to be good with their words.

Stress is an ever-present factor when organising a wedding. For the wedding planner, it’s twofold. As well as having to manage the event, they have to manage the couple’s stress. This resistance to stress must be accompanied by a certain reactivity when problems arise. There’s no such thing as a trouble-free wedding. So the wedding planner must be quick to intervene and react to resolve the problem in question.

All these qualities can be found in many event-related professions.

WHAT ARE THE SALARY AND PROSPECTS FOR A WEDDING PLANNER? 

As this is a relatively unregulated profession, it is difficult to know how much a wedding planner earns. As a self-employed entrepreneur, wedding planners set their own rates. Their salary varies according to the service they offer and the number of weddings they organise.

Generally, wedding planners are self-employed, but they can also work for an events agency.

Thanks to the versatility of their profession, wedding planners can move into marketing, communications and events by becoming event planners. The wedding planner profession is relatively new. It is often seen as a second career or a professional reconversion.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A WEDDING PLANNER? 

To practise this profession, it is possible to take several training courses. However, there are few diplomas that provide direct training for the job of wedding planner. Courses in events management, business management and hospitality management are the best way to get into this profession. They enable students to learn about project and event management.

The courses offered by CHM provide training in the various technical and professional skills required of a wedding planner. The various diplomas provide training in the management and running of an establishment. In addition, the entrepreneurial spirit is developed so that students can set up their own business.

What’s more, taking a hospitality course gives future wedding planners the opportunity to familiarise themselves with wedding service providers: restaurateurs, caterers, florists, waiters, etc. Studying at CHM gives students the chance to specialise in the organisation of luxury weddings, as they are immersed in this world.

WHERE ARE THEY TODAY?