Tips to Starting a Wedding Consultant Business

Theres a growing demand for consultants who can produce a brides dream wedding

Wedding consultants have a knack for calming frantic brides. They’re adept at hammering out contracts with vendors. And, they have the know-how to size up tuxedos and reception halls with equal authority. You can start a business as a wedding consultant without much start-up capital. But to thrive in this competitive field, you need an agreeable personality, a passion for meticulous organization and stamina that won’t quit.

To get started:

If you’re new to the wedding business, offer to serve as an unpaid intern for an established wedding consultant or planner. Make it clear that no task is too mundane. You need to learn the business from the ground up
Expand your knowledge base by taking courses offered by one of the wedding industry associations.
Get to know the vendors who service weddings in your area.

Become a certified wedding consultant

Take classes and get enough practical experience to become a certified wedding consultant. Certification enhances your credibility, which is a key to building your client base.

Find the best caterers, photographers and more

Visit deejays, florists, photographers, limousine services and other local professionals you may be working with. Evaluate their services and fees. If you’re not sure who to contact, get referrals from friends and acquaintances who have hosted weddings in recent years.
Business.com provides a list of suppliers for the wedding industry.

Know what’s hot and what’s not

Is it passé to hand out disposable cameras at wedding receptions? Are hip brides now walking down the aisle to Jimi Hendrix songs? Your clients will look to you for the last word on what’s in and what’s out.

Market your wedding consultant services

As soon as you start your business, spread the word among family, friends and colleagues. When you talk to wedding vendors, hand them extra business cards and ask them to keep you in mind when customers ask about wedding consultants. Be visible on the Web.

Manage your wedding consultant business

If you’re not a numbers person, don’t despair. Take advantage of the many software programs that help you plan, calculate and strategize.

Don’t just market to brides. Include the bridal couple’s parents in your marketing plan. This is especially important if you live in an area where couples stay put for decades. Their adult children may have moved away, but they’re likely to return home for the wedding.
Consider establishing a merchant account at your bank so that your clients can pay you with a credit card. It will help ensure that you get paid on time.
Before establishing your fees, find out how much wedding consultants in your area charge. Your fee can be a percentage of the wedding budget, or you can charge a flat fee or an hourly fee.