Hi, I am looking into doing a diploma in wedding planning with the institute of wedding planners with a view to running my own planning business. Does anyone know if this is a reputable company/qualification? I would also like to know how much wedding planners charge on average for their services and if they are in enough demand to make a career out of it (and decent money!) How many of you are using wedding planners and what are you paying if you don't mind me asking?
Thanks, Laura
CommentAuthorkrisw86
wedding planners usually charge about 10% of the overall budget I think. I was gonna do this course but due to medical issues I decided against. but the company looks really good x
CommentAuthorXLittleMissMe!X
I'm pretty sure someone has done this before so if you use the search you may find it as they had all the details on there that might be helpful for you.
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
Yea thanks jo, found some stuff about companies but no-one seemed to mention anythign about prices/earnings so thats why i started a new one :-) thanks Kris
I have just qualified with the institute. It is great however they don't always keep a proper check on which assignment you have done. If yet go for the paper course then try to do one online it is as if you are two separate people doing the course. When I enrolled the book that band with the course was the sand castles guide but that was for setting up business go us a which is not relevant. Other than that my tutor left half way through forgetting to 'claim' for my grade so until I sent a copy of my response off they didn't know I had done it and completed the course adding an extra month to the receipt of my diploma. I have been a planner for two years now. I have given free planning to people along the way however I am yet to receive a true customer (one I don't know) I'm paying for advertising but this is not paying off either. I have 15 years of relevant experience through performing arts, catering, waitress, I directed plays and yet for some reason its not paying off.
Institute is the best course about but you need to decide if it's worth it.
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorKatya
Sorry for all the mistakes I'm using my phone with predictive text
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
That's a shame you're not seeing any payoff yet. I'm hoping to have finished the course by the time I leave my current job (teaching) and will start advertising and looking for customers around or before that time. I think I will give it a year and if I still haven't made anything I may have a rethink.
CommentAuthorKatya
your better off trying to do the planning around your job then seeing if its worth taking it on full time. the only reason i am not "in work" is because i was on maternity leave when they removed me from their employment (this was mackys and upon asking them for an explanation they told me i cant do the job) its frickin mackys anyone can do it! anyway so i didnt go back and ended up doing this instead whilst staying home to care for the kids
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
That would be an ideal way of doing it but with teaching i literally dont have time to do all the work that involves now, never mind a 2nd job on the side, i would never cope! Secondly i hate teaching and want out of it asap!! I'm looking at starting a family straight after the wedding as well so being self employed would make that easier hopefully. I have friends who have already said they will hire me and wev agreed on doing it on a cheap rate rather than free so at least i'll get something :-)
CommentAuthorKatya
at that point you want a contract written and signed asap then huh? and i would suggest a max of 50% for them. what course did you choose then?
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
Yea I will get it in writing when the time comes lol, nobodys word is good enough when it comes to money and business no matter how good friends they are lol!! I've got the diploma course from Institute of Wedding Planners, it's really good so far.
CommentAuthorKatya
thats who i studied with, what area r u in? who have u got as ur tutor? my origional one left.
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
Im in the Hampshire area, my tutors name is Debbie Diggle. She seems good so far, got back to me quickly with the first assignment.
CommentAuthorKatya
Have not heard of her, I had jane then carolyn. As jane left with only 2 assignments left. Have you looked at the software? What do I make of it? I have to say I felt pretty let down by it. I feel it could have been better.
Find out who you are & do it on purpose!
CommentAuthorlaurabrown83
Yea I wasnt overly impressed with it, ill be better off just using excel i reckon!!
CommentAuthorKatya
That's what I'm doing. What did you get with yours? I got ...
Manual assignments software sandcastles guide (not too impressed as its irrelevant to uk) folder inserts dvd (not great) I think that's everything but this was 2yes ago now
