On the 2^nd & 3^rd of March the UKAWP held their 4^th annual seminar. As training director WPE is my ‘baby’ thus I spent many hours organising speakers & getting partners on board to create the perfect mix of business vs industry specific topics. Each year WPE is getting bigger and more exciting though with 31 delegates we are still not at the level of the U.S conferences which attract hundreds of planners from across the world. Maybe one day we can hold WPE in the Cayman Islands instead of London!

I headed to London on the 1^st March with my wonderful co-director Sandy Moretta so we could start stuffing the swag bags and work with 51 Buckingham Gate on the room set up. We were lucky this year to have so many fab suppliers on board for the bags.

We had cake (GC Couture) cake pops (NOTHS) bottle openers (iBarco) scented candles & massagers (51BG) magazines (brides & your London Wedding) greeting cards (cutture) cookies (the cake house) and of course chocolate (artisan du chocolat)

After a wonderful breakfast on the 2^nd we made our way to the seminar room to greet Simon & Victoria from Euphoric Flowers and James from Wedding Creative who were our WPE partners. Between them they created a sparkly blue backdrop for the stage & a pedestal of flowers inc. some wonderful blossom. On each table Euphoric had provided small cubes of plants as we didn’t want anything high, it was a conference after all! We then placed some cute lasercut butterflies & schedule provided by Cutture into the displays.

When delegates arrived they were given a delegate folder before enjoying some tea & pastries prior to the seminar starting. It was so nice seeing friends and colleagues from all over the UK, with many WPE is the only chance we get to see each other like Andrea from Cheshire and Nikki from Yorkshire. In fact I did have to keep telling the ‘Northern planners’ to behave during the seminar as they were rather enthusiastic!

Over the 2 days we had 11 speakers, too many to summarise here, but I did enjoy…..

Lloyd Dobbie – who explained post processing and what a difference it can make to the end image. It was fascinating seeing the difference of before & after shots. I till can’t understand why he can’t make me look like Angelina Jolie when he takes my picture but that’s another story altogether!

Jules Cardozo-Marsh – explained the key things to remember when hiring a make up artist but also gave us some great tips on makeup for us personally as wedding planners. And the best bet? She decided I’d be her muse for the demonstration.

TT Tents – Andrew was very enthusiastic with his presentation, when I saw the number of slides I did think how will he cover it all but we were able to whizz through. His presentation style was very entertaining and I know the planners learnt a lot from him.

IBarco – I use Debbie for many of my marquee and barn functions and I have a lot of respect for her. I think we all enjoyed the Thunder toffee vodka shot at the end of day 1. Some planners more then others!

Ellie Sanderson Boutique – Ellie runs 2 wonderful bridal boutiques (wish one was in Essex) and she explained abut trends she is seeing for dresses and accessories. She split us into teams and asked each team to create a different look , my team had to dress the model as if the wedding was in a Helsinki Cathedral. We had fun building the look and didn’t agree with the judge’s low scores (I think Ellie agreed with us though!)

Whitney Wing Drake – I have been liaising with Whitney for a joint Dream Occasions and Wish Wonder Dream project, and was delighted when she agreed to present at WPE. It was fascinating hearing about trends in the U.S but also the different services offered to brides.

 Photo Credit – Lloyd Dobbie

The beginning of the year is a busy time for wedding planners, we are meeting with potential clients and finalising the planning for current clients. We are spending time on our business marketing before the busy period really kicks in and wishing our suppliers a ‘Happy New Year’.

The start of a year is the time people start to reassess their career, maybe this is the year they will make that step to change their life. To some the career of an event planner is glamorous so perhaps it’s unsurprising I get contacted frequently by those wishing to enter this exciting industry. The questions I am asked are invariably the same each time, in fact it was from advising so many ‘newbie’s’ that the idea of the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners first came about back in 2004.

So if you wish to become an event planner read on for my advice:

Approaching other wedding planners for advice

Ok I mentioned I get contacted a lot? So here are the pet hates of mine, a sure way for me and no doubt other planners, to hit delete! 

• “I REALLY enjoyed planning my wedding; everyone said I’d make a fantastic planner.” Do you know HOW many times I have heard this line? Go on, take a guess… lets estimate 5 x p/w x say 50 weeks x 9 years = 1,250. Can you hear me scream? Please don’t say that line to me!
• Dear Sir/Madam – I have a name and yes it is plastered all over my website, twitter, facebook. Please just call me Bernadette
• I really want to be a planner, how do I do it, where do you get your clients, what should I charge, what services should I offer, where should I advertise….. the list goes on. Any planner out there will tell you I’m always happy to give advice but be specific, ask me a question and I’ll normally answer you but within reason!
• Can I see a copy of your proposal – err no! When conducting the training courses for the UKAWP we teach you what should be IN a proposal but don’t give you one to use. Imagine if we did, they’d be hundreds of planners out there using the same format – it needs to sure your creativity and personality.
• Can I see a copy of your contract – again no but you can purchase one via the UKAWP
• What is your profit? Just why would I tell you, seriously?!
• Pretending to be a bride – big no no, it’s disrespectful to small businesses out there. I know some online training courses suggest you do this but at the UKAWP we feel this is very bad practice.

Can I get a job?

Very few planners in the UK take on staff, some have part time assistants and freelancers in the peak summer season but if you think you will get a lovely, well paid job working for a planner think again. Unless you want to relocate to the US perhaps? It is for this reason that most planners start their own business but be patient – I’m coming onto that shortly!

So, if you don’t want to start your own business I suggest you contact large event companies or venues in your area that cater for weddings.  This gives you the opportunity to gain some experience whilst receiving the security of a regular salary.

What about work experience?

Well this is tricky, I get probably 5 C.V’s per week from people wanting to work for free to gain some experience. But in the government’s wisdom of supporting small businesses & young entrepreneurs like YOU, this is not possible as we would have to pay the minimum wage  of £6.08 p/h  

So even though YOU want to work for free for just a week or two part time, you can’t. Another possibility is to be a volunteer whereby you choose the hours & days you assist the planner, for more information on the definition go to here. It is frustrating as planners know you want to see what it is like for a wedding planner day to day but independent planners can rarely afford to pay £6.08 for an untrained helper.

So how can I become a wedding planner?

If you are serious about becoming a wedding planner and not approaching this as a hobby or whim then you need to do some serious research and get prepared! Here are my top tips but I have seriously condensed it (for proper training go to the UKAWP) 

1. First step is sign up to the UKAWP Business Practicalities course, I know I’m biased as the training director but I think the courses are fabulous. This course really explains how to launch as a wedding planning business. View here for more information. Don’t believe me? Just look at how super fabulous our members are, most of whom have attended our training courses. We run the courses spring and autumn, all the tutors have been in business for at least 9 years so we do know what we are talking about. We pass on real life experiences throughout the weekend and answer any questions you or the other students have. Do view the brochure for more information; don’t forget if you don’t attend the spring courses you will have to wait until the autumn….

2. Research into planners in your area, what is their websites like? What services do they offer and what prices do they charge? What is their USP? How can YOU be different? How can you stand out from them?

3. Start playing with company names, jot down ideas on a notepad and keep with you for those random moments when in bed/on the train/cooking dinner when you suddenly think of an idea! Then check if this name is taken via companies house + also check if the domain name is free. Don’t choose a name you can’t have the matching website to! Make sure it is easily spelt, not too similar to another and not cheesy as the name needs to grow with you as a business.

4. Ensure your website is professionally designed, after all you want to start your business professionally.

5. Meet other planners for coffee in your area, far better to be friendly then start your business under animosity. Attend events run by the UKAWP which include an annual seminar, evening workshops and social evenings.

6. Subscribe to the UKAWP blog for tips and information on industry events

7. Sign up to twitter and start following some respected planners & suppliers out there.

8. Really think about your pricing and take into account any costs, i.e telephone, broadband, travel, stationery & your time

9. Attend the UKAWP training courses – did I mention that already?

10.  Be patient, it wont happen over night

I hope this helps – best of luck for those embarking on this rewarding career.

Photo Credit

Kerry Morgan and Lloyd Dobbie

We are very excited here at the UKAWP because our first bridal event (The Wedding Sanctuary) is literally just days away.  Ticket sales have been phenomenal proving that there was a need for something unique in the wedding world. It’s not too late to purchase your ticket by going online to the booking form , single tickets are £10 or bring a friend for £15.

Practical Information

The event is on Sunday 20th March split into 2 sessions, 11am-1pm and 2-4pm. Please select either the morning or the afternoon session. This is so that we can ensure every guest has a great experience and benefits from lots of personal attention. Guest numbers are limited for each session .

After the show why not pop along to the magnificent One Marylebone for a spot of afternoon tea at The Luella’s Boudoir Wedding Fair. With lots more fabulous suppliers to see and a fashion show showcasing the latest wedding dress, accessories and bridesmaids dress designs, this is the perfect opportunity to solve all your wedding dilemmas in one day. Combined tickets to both events are available at special discounted rates of £20 (single) and £30 (double).

You will find me on the day in the ceremony room where the talks will take palce, do come and say hello.

I’m so excited to tell you about an event that the UKAWP are running alongside some FABULOUS suppliers. As a director for the UKAWP I am immensely proud of this event and I sincerely hope you can join us there.

The Wedding Sanctuary is a bridal event being held at the stunning Somerset House on the 20^th March. This is not a ‘wedding fair’, it is a ‘wedding show’ designed to offer top design inspiration alongside practical workshops from the UK’s leading experts. Don’t believe me? Let me explain more…..

OUR PARTNERS

We have teamed up with some of the UK’s most inspirational suppliers whose enthusiasm is infectious.

Julia Boggio Photography, Amanda Austin Flowers, Sternberg Clarke ,Gorgeous Film Productions, Staggered, Table Talk , Zoe Clark Cakes , Cutture Stationery,

Some suppliers will be paired with the fabulous wedding planners who make up the UKAWP to offer top tips and the opportunity to ask specific questions regarding every element of your wedding day.

And if you think this is yet another ‘fair’ for grooms to be bored at you’d be wrong  because international bloggers, staggered will be on hand to assist them with their suits, stag dos and speeches.

The Wedding Magazine team will also be there to chat through your ideas.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

The UKAWP will also be offering a range of talks addressing the trickier issues when planning your wedding like how to set and stick to a budget, and how to get the best from your suppliers. You can find me in the ceremony room where I will be overseeing all the presentations. Please do come and say hi!

DESIGN GALORE

We want you to be relaxed so sip champagne and nibble delicious canapés courtesy of renowned event caterers Table Talk whilst browsing the inspiration zone for design ideas. 5 stunning dining tables will be styled by wedding planners of the UKAWP alongside Zoe Clark Cakes and Cutture Stationery, displaying the very best of what is available to hire for your wedding reception, with pricing guidelines and practical information included.

HOW DO I LOOK

Brides in need of style advice can meet in the boudoir where the likes of Sassi Holford and Emmy Shoes can dress you from head to toe whilst hair and make-up expert Elle au Naturel and top personal stylist Katrina Choat offer consultations on how to look and feel your absolute best on the day.

BOOK ME A PLACE

To book your ticket please go to The Wedding Sanctuary website Tickets cost £10 for a single ticket or £15 for 2.

PRIZE DRAW

There is also a prize draw we would love you to enter:

Luxury travel to the show by Mechgem Luxury Wedding Cars
(from addresses within the M25)

Free double entry to either the morning or afternoon session

A private 1 hour consultation with a top wedding planner
during The Wedding Sanctuary

A personal shopping experience with stylist Katrina Choat

On Saturday I helped at the UKAWP stand at the National Wedding Show.  The day was sold out with brides queuing to get into the show. There were so many faulous suppliers there with imaginative stands. I had a great time chatting to potential wedding planners about our courses but also brides themselves.

It gave the UKAWP a chance to explain wedding planners can assist with partial planning if brides dont want to hand over all the wedding plans. Many were interested in Wedding Day Management services whereby a wedding planner would attend on the day to project manage the wedding. To find out more about what this service includes visit our services page.