How to Start a Wedding Coordinator Business

Wedding coordinators allow brides to become guests at their own weddings.

"Make the wedding of your dreams--a dream come true." The marketing slogan of the historic Milton Ridge wedding chapel and reception hall in Maryland sums up what wedding coordinators have to offer a bride: the perfect wedding that she's dreamed about since she was a little girl. With more that 2.2 million weddings occurring in 2010, according to fabjob.com, there are more opportunities than ever for the well-organized planner to help a bride through the sea of wedding merchandise and services.

Instructions

Steps to Success for Wedding Coordinators

1. Acquire proper skills or training. Successful wedding coordinators may work or apprentice with a more experienced coordinator or consultant, or may be a floral wedding consultant in a busy flower shop to learn the business. Coordinators seek additional training from organizations like the Association of Bridal Consultants, who've been offering buying power, home study courses, and training to it's over 4,000 members since 1955.

2. Create a portfolio. While apprenticing or working as a wedding consultant, create a portfolio of photos and letters of recommendations from satisfied customers. Also, work with your supervisor and offer to handle specific jobs that allow you to become well acquainted with the client. When you request a letter of reference, ask your customer to document the special services you supplied. For instance, if you coordinated fresh flowers with the bride's cake, have the bride detail how that special touch added to her day.

3. Design your business cards and marketing materials around a theme. Specialize in a certain area of wedding coordination--flowers, party favors, wedding invitations, or venue are examples to design your skills around. A theme is like your signature statement. It's convinces brides that you offer something special.

4. Develop a relationship with vendors. While working or educating yourself in the wedding business, introduce yourself to reception hall managers, flower shop owners, bakery managers, ministers who perform weddings (usually advertise online or in the phone book), and other wedding coordinators. Vendors are used to assisting other suppliers.

5. Determine your pricing. Cost out your supplies and add your mark-up to the vendors you'll hire. For instance, if your minister charges $215 for services, you should add 10 to 20 percent to the price. Wedding coordinators also may charge a flat fee for services. Create pricing sheets that describe all of your services.

6. Sign up for local bridal events and hand out business cards. If it the booth fee is too high, ask another vendor to share one with you. Offer a free consultation and allow brides to complete a short form with their name, address, telephone number, and email, so that you will have the contact information that you need.

References

• Fab Job; "Become a Wedding Planner"; 2010
• Association of Bridal Consultants; Membership Requirements;