How to Be a Certified Bridal Coordinator

Good bridal coordinators make great weddings look effortless.

According to a 2001 article by “Entrepreneur,” there are about 2.4 million weddings every year in the U.S. To help make dream weddings a reality, Nancy Tucker states in an article for website Team Wedding that there are approximately 10,000 wedding planners in the country. While the wedding-planning profession is not regulated and does not require any special certification, a professional certification can help prove your qualifications and expertise as a bridal coordinator. Gaining a bridal-coordinator certification helps prepare you to work with clients, choose the right vendors, set a budget and run a business.

Instructions

1. Have the right motivation. Working as a certified bridal coordinator means more than just enjoying planning large parties. As a coordinator, you must be willing to work with difficult and emotional clients, have the ability to multitask and pay attention to details, enjoy all the aspects of wedding planning and always have a backup plan.

2. Take bridal-coordinating courses offered by a bridal association that grant a certification upon completion. Such courses will teach you about the wedding traditions of different cultures, efficient wedding planning and facilitating special needs or requests. Because every wedding is unique, bridal-coordinating classes teach you how to personalize each occasion, work graciously with difficult bridal parties and plan for the unexpected. Some bridal-coordinating courses grant certifications upon completion. The American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (aacwp.org), Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants (acpwc.com) and the Wedding Planning Institute (theweddingplanninginstitute.com) offer certification programs for aspiring bridal coordinators.

3. Take bridal-coordinating courses offered at a community college that grants a certification upon completion. The bridal-coordinating courses offered through community colleges teach about integrating wedding customs from different cultures, how to work with officiates, coordinating pre- and post-wedding parties and bridal fashions. The Wedding Planner Certification Program at Northern Essex Community College (necc.mass.edu) also teaches about industry practices, how to start a bridal-consulting business, color choices and creating timelines. The Certified Wedding and Event Planner Course at Everett Community College (campusce.net/Everett) offer hands-on training, allows students to assist with local wedding events and teaches about etiquette and ordering vendor services. Students can take the Certified Wedding and Event Planner Course at Everett Community College online or at the Everett, Washington campus.

4. Set up a bridal-coordinating business. Some professional wedding-planning associations only grant certifications to those who have a legitimate business. To make your bridal-coordinating business official, register it with your secretary of state, as well as your city and/or country so that you can obtain a business license. To help your bridal-coordinating business look even more legitimate, order business cards, create a professional website and advertise your services.

Tips & Warnings

• A good way to gain initial experience as a bridal coordinator is help friends organize their own weddings, assist an already-certified bridal coordinator or assist the wedding coordinator at a large church.

• In addition to using a business license to become a certified bridal coordinator, such a license can help you gain access to conventions, shows and wedding-related events at special rates.

• If possible, mention your bridal-coordinating certifications in your advertisements, as well as on your website and business cards.

References

• Team Wedding; Become a Wedding Planner; Nancy Tucker
• "Entrepreneur"; How to Become a Wedding Consultant; June 2001
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Jobs in Weddings and Funerals: Working with the Betrothed and the Bereaved; Elka Maria Torpey; Winter 2006-2007
• Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants: Course Description
• American Association of Certified Wedding Planners: AACWP Certification
• The Wedding Planning Institute: Become a Certified Wedding and Event Planner
• Northern Essex Community College: Wedding Planner Certification Program
• Everett Community College: Wedding and Event Planner Certification