Wedding planner: who is he and how can he help?

The profession of a wedding planner occupies the top positions in the lists of “dream jobs” of girls and women around the world. Of course - after all, this is a holiday that is always with you! At least that's what people think. We talked to professionals who have been organizing weddings for many years and debunked the most popular myths about this difficult craft.

Who is a wedding planner?

The main function of a wedding planner is to relieve the newlyweds of the hassle, hassle and haste associated with preparing for the wedding. Its main tasks are:

• Drawing up a basic wedding preparation plan, assistance in choosing a concept and color palette
• Budget optimization and its correct distribution
• Assistance in choosing a venue for the ceremony and banquet
• Selection of specialists for the wedding, that is, the entire dream team from stylist to pastry chef
• Organization of entertainment and recreation areas at a wedding - selection of artists, show programs, technical and sound equipment
• Resolving all issues with the site administration
• Selection of a hotel or alternative location for the bride’s preparations and morning shooting
• Solving transport issues, developing daily timings
• Assistance in choosing a wedding look for the bride and groom
• Assistance in choosing the image of bridesmaids and groomsmen
• Wedding day coordination
• Resolving all organizational and force majeure issues on the wedding day and the day before
• Meeting of contractors on the wedding day
• Control of the removal of dishes and the conduct of the wedding evening
• Seeing off guests, monitoring the collection of decor and the departure of the newlyweds from the wedding dinner

Trying on a wedding dress, choosing hairstyle and makeup - all these are pleasant chores that you want to spend time on. But what to do with calculating alcohol, choosing specialists, viewing numerous portfolios, traveling for many hours to sites and endless communication with managers? This is where the organizer comes to the rescue. You enjoy the holiday, and all complex issues are dealt with by a professional!

If you decide to prepare for the wedding on your own, use our Organizer, which will lead you step by step to the wedding of your dreams!

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Seasons and daily routine

The working year of a wedding planner is divided into season and off-season. The season lasts approximately from April to October, when there are many weddings. Low season is the period from November to March, when there are almost no weddings. However, everything is different for each organizer. Some people can work hard even in winter, but usually these are representatives of the economy segment; such weddings are the most common.

In the cold months, we usually meet future clients, sign contracts, prepare concepts, look for venues and contractors, and in the warm months we hold weddings. But this does not mean that the preparation or signing of contracts stops. Yes, it is quite a difficult time, but it brings joy and nourishes throughout the year. After all, our main income comes during the season. In the off-season we take an advance payment, but it is impossible to live on it alone.

While I was working alone, I could take on 10–16 projects a year, but this year I started collaborating with a partner. It’s hard to say what will happen with it and taking into account the launch of advertising. In my opinion, one organizer can manage two or three large projects a month, otherwise there will be confusion in the head, confusion, and dissatisfaction among couples. If you have assistants, you can take more.

I don't have a standard daily schedule. There may be several options here. On the wedding day, I've been on my feet since four o'clock in the morning. First I get ready myself, then I go to the site or to the couple’s hotel. We photograph the morning of the bride and groom, then a photo shoot in wedding looks. This is usually followed by on-site registration or a ceremony at the registry office, and then a banquet. My work ends around midnight, when all the guests have left. I help the couple get ready and leave for the hotel and then I leave myself.

If it’s a day without an event, then in the morning or afternoon I prepare for weddings: I write options for budget distribution, draw up concepts, send contractor options to the couple, communicate with the team, go to choose dresses and suits, pick up some orders for the wedding. The evening is usually reserved for meetings with potential clients or introducing couples to contractors.

This is what I like about my job - the variety. Yes, the organizer is essentially the wedding administrator, which involves a lot of control and paperwork, respectively. But at the same time, there are a lot of new acquaintances and a lot of beauty. I can also shift my schedule and give myself a day off on Monday, for example.

What is difficult to deal with is stress. I am very imbued with people and the process, so I can experience problems very deeply. They may be small, but everything should be perfect! This is not entirely the right approach, as you can quickly lose your health. So I have something to work on.

Responsibilities of the organizer

The most important and primary responsibility of the organizer is to make your day perfect and give you the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of celebration, warmth and romance. The organizer will help you draw up a plan for your wedding day: he knows the idea of the celebration, its concept, nuances and tricks very well, and will advise how much time should be devoted to this or that part of the evening.

On the wedding day, the organizer can decide the following issues:

• Following the timing of the day – organizing the bride’s morning, meeting the team (photographer, stylist, decorator)
• Control of registration of wedding transport, as well as its timely arrival
• Control of delivery of small floristry – bouquet, boutonniere and other accessories
• Monitoring the work of decorators within the framework of timing and the overall concept
• Control of the location of printing and wedding details - from ring cushions to glasses
• Meeting with guests
• Coordination of the ceremony, photo shoot and reception
• Meeting of other wedding specialists - host, artists, pastry chef
• Resolving issues with the site administration
• Organizing correct mutual work between wedding contractors
• Assistance in delivering flowers and gifts to the newlyweds’ room

The wedding planner is someone you and your fiancé will spend a lot of time with, so look for someone whose tastes and views on the wedding are exactly the same as yours!

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Natalia Kudenko, Special Wedding Agency

— How did you get into the wedding industry?

I got into this field quite simply - by organizing my own wedding in 2012. Moreover, we started with a list of 12 people in the Moscow region, and ended with a list of 90 people on an island abroad, and it was crazy :) This is where it all started. In another life - in the life “before” - I was a lawyer, engaged in corporate law, and this helped me a lot in my future work.

— How would you describe your profession in one word?

Solution. After all, in the process of work I have to take them constantly - from the most insignificant to the very important.

— Tell us about the funniest incident from your practice

We have some reason to smile in every project! However, the first thing that comes to mind is that I had one very wonderful couple. The groom, who has preferred a casual style of clothing all his life, decided to buy himself a tuxedo for such an important occasion as a wedding - and this was indeed a very important step for him. Moreover, the couple went abroad to buy a suit and dress. And now, imagine the wedding day: I come to pick up the groom, he solemnly puts on his tuxedo, and suddenly we both realize that in the joy of shopping, he forgot to hem his pants! (The pants were 40 centimeters longer than the groom). Of course, in the end everything worked out for us - everything was pinned and hemmed. But it was a real challenge, albeit a pretty fun one.

- Many girls dream of such a profession - creating weddings. How and where (and, most importantly, is it possible at all) to learn this?

Now there are many courses and portals. Usually I watch foreign, American portals. But I cannot give any specific recommendations, since everything in my practice was obtained only from my own experience.

— The main difficulties of the profession. What to expect and what to fear?

The most dangerous thing is the lack of room for error. There are no second chances to do a wedding well - you have to create the perfect fairytale day the first time.

— How does a wedding planner’s day begin? And how does it end?

My day starts with checking my email. Since we have many foreign projects, and, for example, in China the day begins much earlier than here, there is quite a lot of mail in the morning. Then during the day there are meetings with clients and contractors. The day usually ends the same way: checking mail and paperwork, painstaking work.

— How does your family react to an irregular schedule?

In this case, I am incredibly lucky because my husband has the same crazy, irregular schedule that I do. If it weren't like that, it would be difficult. Of course, I try to save Sunday for my family, but, unfortunately, this does not always work out.

— “A constant holiday”—this is exactly what your work looks like to an outside observer. But is it?

Any holiday from the inside is a big, difficult job. This is a profession in which you are constantly, work 24/7. This is work, including with money, with contractors, with accounting, with taxes - that is, the same business as any other.

— Professional burnout and how to avoid it. Do you manage to maintain a balance between work and hobbies?

Until now, I have not experienced professional burnout. I guess I'm lucky - I really love my job. And almost all of my hobbies in one way or another have something in common with work - I live by it. This is probably more a question about family: how to maintain balance. With the arrival of a child in my life, it is very difficult to maintain such a balance, because, of course, I want to devote a lot of time to him. But clients and contractors require the same amount of time from me.

Support and support

Preparing for a wedding is stressful, and not every bride is able to cope with the flow of information associated with the organization, as well as the many complex issues that must be resolved every day. A professional will not only help with organizing the holiday, but will also become a true friend for you. Psychological support and confidence that everything is going according to plan is exactly what every bride needs.

A huge cloud of tasks that require constant attention, monitoring the implementation of the preparation plan, organizing meetings and complying with all agreements is something that not everyone can cope with, but this is exactly what awaits the bride before the wedding. Thanks to a professional organizer, the bride will be able to relax and enjoy the preparation process.

Don’t be afraid to call the organizer when you just give up and it seems that everything is not going according to plan. A good organizer is a good psychologist! The main thing is to observe etiquette when choosing the time to call.

Problem-solution: mutual respect between couples and professionals

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Details

Choosing a wedding dress and hairstyle

... trying on a dress is a very pleasant, albeit troublesome process, which young people do with pleasure, but, for example, communicating with managers, discussing working conditions, selecting professionals, calculating the required amount of alcohol, etc. - is a completely different matter. It is in these matters that the help of a wedding planner is needed. Only a good specialist can cope with a large flow of information (remember even the most insignificant wedding details) related to organizing a celebration. Newlyweds have many other tasks at the preparation stage, so they themselves need psychological help. You can always rely on a good organizer; he will not only help solve all problems (organize the necessary meetings, monitor the implementation of agreements, etc.), but also become a faithful friend of the young couple.

Of course, there are force majeure circumstances that even the most experienced specialist cannot change (for example, traffic jams), but he can choose an alternative solution - for example, make a change to the wedding program plan. He always has a backup option, and this will help save the newlyweds’ nerves.

Lifesaver

Wedding day. Excitement, trepidation and haste – this is hardly what you want your holiday to be filled with. But these emotions await you if you do not prepare in advance for force majeure situations:

• The place for the wedding ceremony suddenly found itself in the middle of a rainstorm
• Wedding cake delivery is delayed due to car breakdown or traffic jam.
• The groom forgot the documents for the morning visit to the registry office
• A button on a wedding dress has come off, etc.

For any bride, each of this news can be shocking and very upsetting. But if you still decide to trust the wedding planner, then the solution to these problems will not take long to come. Of course, the organizer will not be able to control traffic jams, but he will adjust the schedule of the wedding program or send new transport for the long-awaited sweets.

He will be able to organize a new site for the ceremony and help sew on the ill-fated button. He always has dozens of necessary and important contacts at his fingertips - phone numbers of stylists, taxis, photographers and decorators. Just one call from the organizer will save you from headaches and solve even the most complex problem.

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Internship at a wedding agency

Get an internship at a wedding agency to gain invaluable experience. Do not hesitate to offer your help for free, and an experienced organizer, for his part, will become a kind of coach in the business that interests you.

Ask the planner to give you carte blanche to run one element of the wedding event. Organize so that the mosquito does not undermine your nose. If possible, increase the percentage of independence.

Study the wedding industry in detail so that you can help the bride choose a dress, advise how to decorate the hall and photo zone, which photographer to call, which car should be rented, where to order a buffet, find a host and choose the most delicious and beautiful cakes. Practical knowledge and experience are better than a letter of recommendation.

Proven team

By contacting a wedding planner, you will not only get a carefully thought-out day, but you will also be able to find all the specialists necessary for a stylish and beautiful holiday. An experienced organizer always has a treasured list of proven professionals with whom he has worked and whom he can safely recommend.

Listen to the opinion of the organizer, even if you have already chosen a team - he will be able to tell you about the pitfalls of a particular site, the disadvantages or advantages of the work of photographers or videographers, the nuances of working with decorators and florists. By collaborating with a reliable team, the organizer can guarantee the quality of work and the impeccable result that you will receive on your wedding day.

WEDDYWOOD PARTNERS

Correct work with contractors: 5 recommendations

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Features of the vacancy, its advantages and disadvantages

Before you become a wedding planner from scratch in Russia, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with all the pitfalls of this profession. Such a vacancy is not suitable for everyone, because a specialist must be sociable, courageous, active, understand fashion trends and have organizational talent. If the reader has all the qualities described above, he should consider the aspects of this work in more detail.

The advantages include the following:

Constant communication with people, the opportunity to find new influential acquaintances.
The activity is exciting, it allows you to show creativity and creativity.
Excellent salary, which is many times higher than the salary of an employee in standard positions.
Great demand in any region. Regardless of the economic situation in the country, people often get married.
Due to the nature of his work, an employee gets acquainted with many national traditions, learns about interesting competitions and receives communication.
It brings people great joy and gives them the best moments in life.

Among the shortcomings are:

The performer bears a serious responsibility, so he will no longer be able to retire in the event of illness or other unforeseen circumstances.
Drunk high-ranking guests often cause serious problems, and the organizer’s task is to correctly resolve conflict situations. Due to their professions, these people may carry firearms. It is necessary to check this in advance and ask all guests to hand over dangerous items to security.
You have to work 12 hours a day or more. During the execution of an order, there are practically no days off; any personal holidays and concerns have to be postponed.
The activity involves constant movement around the city, regardless of weather conditions and the health status of the performer.
During the cold season, people rarely hold weddings, so a specialist may be temporarily left without orders.
Not all partners and clients are friendly. The employee will need good restraint in order to resolve conflict situations and not enter into confrontation with problematic interlocutors.
High competition requires good self-promotion. At the start, you will need to seriously work on promotion and constantly ensure that customers leave only positive reviews. People pay a lot of money and want the event to be held at the highest level. They will be very upset if any difficulties arise during the celebration.

Knowing all these features, the reader will be able to prepare for a difficult job and decide whether it is suitable for him. The responsibility is very high, so you should not make quick, rash decisions. Think about how you held your own wedding and practice organizing a celebration for your relatives and friends. This will bring valuable experience and give a real understanding of the responsibilities of a member of this profession.

Time manager

A prerequisite for a well-organized holiday is a detailed action plan. It is the organizer who will carefully ensure that the stages of wedding preparation proceed gradually, without delays or missed deadlines. He will remind you of your appointment with the stylist, make sure that the florist receives a timely reminder of the order, the guest list is sent to the decorator on time, and the restaurant receives a detailed menu for the banquet.

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Wedding coordinator

The important day for which you have been preparing for a very long time has arrived. Usually, the organizer’s services also include wedding coordination, which means the celebration will take place without any hiccups! The manager himself will greet the guests, help coordinate the plans of the newlyweds and the work of the host, and resolve hundreds of issues that arise on the site during the celebration. All you have to do is be yourself, spend time with each other and your guests and not worry about the little things.

What are the responsibilities of other wedding vendors?

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