Realizing that as a business, you are only as strong as your weakest link, consulting with current clients, references, and other wedding professionals goes a long way in helping sell yourself as a wedding planner. You must understand that wedding consultation is not just about answering questions and making recommendations. It’s important to create a rapport with your clients, understand their wants and needs, and listen carefully to what they have to say because they want their dreams fulfilled.

And to do that, you need to put forth your best effort during consultation sessions— whether that’s over email or via face-to-face meetings. If done right, you would have successfully secured a client before you walk into their home or venue! So how do you go about executing effective client consultations?

To help you improve your consultation skills as a wedding planner, we have compiled a list of our client consultation top tips for wedding planners. Keep reading to learn more about how to make your clients feel special and valued and earn more business from your personalized, thoughtful service.

1) Choose A Place for Consultation That Reflects Your Wedding Planning Business & Presents You As A Professional

They say the first impression lasts, and it’s especially true when dealing with prospective wedding client. Start off on a good note by choosing an environment that reflects your wedding planner brand and helps you present yourself as a professional who really cares about their business. A venue that compliments both your preferences and those of your client is ideal. For example, if your office is chic and minimalistic in design with modern furnishing, then so should be the space (like coffee shop) you choose for consultation sessions. Open cafeteria, with its ample quiet spaces, works wonders too.

The open space helps instill a sense of calmness, which is ideal considering how important wedding consultation is to the future of your business. Having said that, keep one thing in mind; always try to take into account your client’s comfort level while planning wedding consultation sessions. After all, your choice of location reflects your personal taste, your business standards, your work ethics, and values – things you want prospective clients to see in you! And please avoid venues where too many people are around, or it will end up disrupting meetings anyways; they don’t want to talk over loud music or listen to waiters talking while they try to concentrate on what you have to say!

2) Be Early And Greet Them With Handshake – Not Just An Email!

Arrive early; remember, punctuality is just another way of saying how much value you put into someone else’s time. Good wedding planning business etiquette dictates that you arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment starts. This allows you to be well prepared and ready to greet them with a hearty handshake.

Don’t skip out on handshakes because your hands are full; offer to take their stuff when they come in and walk them to their table or seat them yourself if possible! Make sure you know how to pronounce their name right too! These little things go a long way in making clients feel special and valued. Besides, what good is all your professionalism if it doesn’t reflect through body language?

Make sure to send follow-up emails as well thanking them for choosing you as their wedding planner (and don’t forget to set up dates for consultations soon!). These little touches go miles when it comes to creating personal connections with potential clients during initial meetings.

Having said that, do not ever get carried away with these courtesies and forget why they came over in the first place. The main purpose of these meet-ups is to figure out whether you can handle their particular kind of planning requirements or not. It’s imperative you pay equal attention towards achieving both – building rapport and finding common ground while showing off your skills as a professional wedding planner!

3) Dress Well for The Meeting

Attire is as important as anything else during initial consultation. It not only sets your work standards but also helps create a lasting impression with clients. And while we’re not saying you should go overboard and dress like you’re attending a tea party or going to church on Sunday – it is important that you remember to put some thought into what you wear to meet your client for the first time!

Again, don’t overdo things and leave yourself room to make some changes if needed; after all, no one wants their potential wedding planner looking ‘less than professional’ because of mismatched socks or bad haircuts! Anything that positively represents your brand image goes well here.

You can choose from formal suits to casual tees with jeans or formals, depending on which way you want your business to be perceived by prospective clients in order to send out a strong message at the initial stages itself about how seriously you take both business and personal relationships alike!

4) Showcase Your Wedding Services Samples, Albums In Style!

Let potential clients see that you as a wedding planner really care about them by using aesthetically pleasing ways to present your work! Whether you are showcasing your work samples, wedding day portfolio, or simply using space efficiently, the key is to make sure everything you use is smooth, simple, and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Your clients are paying you to plan their wedding, so make sure they feel like they’re getting the best value for their money. Again, avoid clutter and don’t overwhelm with a bunch of details; people’s brains can only take in so much information at one time (unless, of course, they’ve gone over all preparations in advance).

So unless you want to send out mixed signals during meetings with your client – you better pay attention towards setting up an aesthetically pleasing remote workspace and carefully chosen color combinations that not only grab a person’s attention but also look inviting enough to draw them into the conversation! After all, if something doesn’t stand out, then it generally does not get noticed in today’s world, where both traditional, as well as social media, give us something new every second of our lives.

5) Discuss If It’s Micro Wedding, a Pop-up Wedding, or a More Traditional Wedding

To give your clients the best wedding day experience possible, you need to make sure they’re making an informed decision from day one – something that includes understanding the type of wedding venue and wedding party they are looking at having.

Micro wedding (typical small intimate wedding) with their fast, simple setups and pop up weddings which often require no set up on the client’s end, will save couples money since there is no additional venue or extensive decoration expenses involved during these events; hence making it easy for them to save some money (which most people want in today’s world).

On the other hand, if clients have decided on a traditional wedding, then you might want to talk about how much effort goes into getting everything ready and whether they really want all that hassle in advance just so they can fit someone else’s definition of ‘perfection.’ This way not only will you be able to create honest conversations between you and your client but also help them feel like they’re walking into marriage with their eyes wide open instead of blind folded!

6) Will It Be a Destination Wedding

Potential client who want a destination wedding for their own wedding often have very specific ideas about what they want – and you will need to be on your toes at all times during meetings to avoid being caught unawares. Make sure you do your research before meeting up with any client, especially if they’re looking at having destination weddings. There is no point in meeting up with clients just to realize later that you don’t have enough experience or expertise to execute their vision of wedding; something that would not only demotivate clients but also make them feel like their investment has gone down the drain.

You may have traveled outside of your city and met up with interesting people on your way – but it doesn’t mean that’s how others wish to spend their time when planning anything big! Start with showcasing your samples from previous destinations that look amazing so that there are fewer doubts lingering. Then based on their feedback regarding destination styles, you can customize your presentation and show more options based on mood boards or pictures to help them visualize certain styles better, something which adds fun excitement and, most importantly, makes everything go more smoothly for both parties involved.

This extra care from your side goes a long way into ensuring positive results and happier couples who eventually become your customers.

7) Have A “Leave Behind” Sample Contract, Business Card & Some of Your Samples

One vital tool you should always carry with you during wedding consultation or first meeting is your contract. Not only does it help you easily show clients what they will be getting (not to mention how much they’ll be paying!), but it also demonstrates that you are organized and professional in your business dealings. You can even tweak and customize an existing contract from past clients to fit your specific needs if need be.

Additionally, make sure that during every meeting, you have a few samples to give out as well – especially if there are potential clients who aren’t ready to purchase but might like something at a later date! You never know who will become a future customer or friend! Always have some business cards on hand, too, since these do cost nothing and won’t take up any space in your bags!

8) Always, Always, Always Take Notes

Your attentiveness during wedding consultation is incredibly important – especially if you are meeting up with more than one couple at a time. It’s easy to become so engrossed in a conversation that you forget to take notes, but that is unacceptable!

Remember that your job isn’t just to listen but also to help clients figure out their plans and make sure they have everything they need! And note-taking helps with that process since you can quickly jot down details about what your clients want so you can find all of their needs in one place. This not only saves you time, but it also helps bring all of your potential future vendors on board easier when everyone can see each other’s schedules.

9) Be Upfront Yet Flexible With Your Fees

Your hard work and diligent attention to detail should be paid! But it’s not a good idea to immediately bring up fees during your first consultation with clients. Remember that you need to build trust and rapport with them before you can talk about money – something that will greatly impact your chances of getting repeat business in future years. Instead, keep your fees listed in a folder or notebook and only bring them out when necessary.

If you client has done their homework on you beforehand, then they’ll have an idea of what your costs are as well, whether it is through having met other vendors who have worked with you or by asking some industry colleagues who might have worked with you as well. Further being flexible with your fees goes hand-in-hand with these tips, too, since pricing does differ from year to year depending on the economy, location, and even event type, so don’t feel like you have to quote off of just one price if need be. Always give yourself wiggle room when working with clients!

10) Thank Your Client for Their Time

Make sure to thank your clients when you’re done with a meeting! Even if they didn’t hire you, then don’t be discouraged. Maybe they will come back around to you when it is time to start planning their event or have some new friends who are going to need help planning their own nuptials.

Also, consider sending a follow-up email with your business card and including your website/phone number just in case there was something else that got missed during your meeting that they might want to talk about further. These little things can go such a long way in helping you stand out from other wedding planners – which could ultimately lead to getting more work later on down the road!

The post Client consultation – Top 10 Tips for Wedding Planners appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

How to Keep Motivated as a Wedding Planner

A wedding is a declaration of love and a celebration of it. It’s one of the happiest moments of one’s life, and everyone wants to enjoy it to the fullest. But with the hectic lives that we all lead, planning a wedding can be a stressful and daunting task that can leave even the best of us frazzled. And for wedding planners, the stress level can altogether be overwhelming.

Managing countless details while pleasing clients, juggling multiple vendors, and ensuring that everything happens according to plan can be a daunting task. Plus, the pressure to nail down the perfect wedding for every couple can be immense – and the competition is fierce! This often causes wedding professionals to feel burnt out and less-than-comfortable with their own skins. But while burnouts are common, that doesn’t mean you have to let your emotions, or lack thereof, affect your passion for what you do.

To help you in your endless endeavor to make every bride and groom’s dream day come true, we’ve compiled a list of some proven ways to stay motivated as a wedding planner. So read on and discover the tips and tricks that will help you to achieve your wedding planning goals, with a smile on your face and satisfaction in your heart.

10 Secrets To Staying Motivated As A Wedding Planner

Staying motivated as a wedding planner can be hard when you have so many different things to juggle, such as managing vendors, clients, and your own personal life. But planning the perfect day doesn’t always go as smoothly as it does in the movies, so it’s important to find ways to stay motivated in order to keep yourself on track without burning out. Here are ten secrets that wedding planners use to stay motivated and productive during their busy days on peak wedding season.

1) Attend Event Planning Workshops

Attending workshops, conferences, and classes are some of the best ways to keep yourself updated on all that’s happening in wedding industry. The sharing of information helps you stay knowledgeable about all your craft and remain up-to-date with tools, trends, and ideas.

Plus, it’s a great opportunity to meet fellow wedding professionals from around your area, build relationships with new vendors that you can collaborate with within future projects, and rub shoulders with industry leaders who will give you a fresh perspective on everything you do.

And let’s not forget that learning something new is always fun – so if you aren’t sure where to start or what type of seminar would be most beneficial for you, why not attend a workshop? Don’t be afraid to ask friends or colleagues for their suggestions! Or just Google wedding planning seminars and browse through all the amazing choices at your disposal. It’ll be an experience worth every penny.

2) Pinterest Can Be Your Best Friend

This fun and easy-to-use tool (social media platform) is an absolute must for any wedding planner. If you’re not already a member of it, create an account on Pinterest right now and start adding ideas to your Wedding Boards immediately. Because although we are aware that time is precious, trust us when we say that there’s no greater resource than a carefully-curated and well-organized board that will help you to stay on top of all trends and showcase examples of how you do what you do best – plan amazing weddings!

Besides, it never hurts to be inspired by other designers’ work every once in a while. Their unique perspective on planning weddings could inspire some new design ideas of your own, leading to fresh thoughts about old projects or even some new inspiration for dream wedding for your clients altogether. It’s truly one of those invaluable networking tools that every good wedding professional needs.

3) Make A Vision Board

Now here’s something different – but still just as important! As an event planner you’ll want to create yourself a physical vision board where you can pin pictures and articles pertaining to things or wedding day styles that inspire you or help put you in the mood for planning entire event or creating perfect spaces.

Yes, they may seem silly at first sight, but they’ll undoubtedly serve as potent reminders of why you love doing what you do so much – and why it makes sense to keep going despite challenges along the way!

The last thing we want is for a planner to grow bored with his/her job. It’s okay to take breaks, rest our brains and come back inspired with creative ideas. Because you’ll always be inspired when helping others create their own day of dreams… no matter how many times you’ve seen it happen before.

4) Enjoy Music

After long, exhaustive days at work, it can be a great stress reliever to unwind with some relaxing music. And when we say relaxing, we mean instrumental music – because, after all that hard work, you don’t need any inane lyrics or beats distracting you from your relaxation! You also want to make sure that you create a playlist specifically for stressful times so that you’ll always have something on hand when your mind needs to just chill out and focus on nothing but you.

5) Keep a Positive Attitude

We all have our bad days – but when they occur, try to take it easy on yourself. Learn from your mistakes and don’t beat yourself up over them; after all, we’re only human! The more you stress out about things that are within your control (like planning an amazing wedding for your clients), the more you’ll want to throw in that towel and give up on your dreams.

Niche Wedding Planning

But no matter how stressful things get, always remember why you fell in love with wedding planning in the first place – because it’s so much fun! And if you don’t believe us, think back to that last wedding that made your heart skip a beat and set your world on fire with its beauty and grandeur. Your journey to becoming a well-oiled wedding planner should be filled with passion and excitement… not doubt or fear. You got into wedding planning for a reason, right? So make sure to keep those passions alive by remembering why you do what you do every time life gets tough.

6) Set Goals and Prioritize

Never, ever forget that you’re a business owner now. So make sure to set realistic goals for yourself and work towards achieving them each day. Your client’s expectations are important, but don’t let them control your every move or lose sight of what’s most important in life – YOU!

Self-care is so incredibly important to be an efficient professional because it allows you to have a clear head, stay inspired and think things through more rationally. It also helps prevent burnout from happening too soon, which will only do harm to your hard-earned reputation as a credible wedding planner who knows what he or she’s doing. And if there’s one thing we know about weddings (especially destination weddings), it’s that nothing can go wrong – unless you let it! This is why it pays off to be prepared for anything on your to-do list by prioritizing tasks accordingly.

Always keep a tab on where you’re at and what still needs to get done; that way, you’ll never feel overwhelmed by impossible deadlines or last-minute changes in plans. You’d be surprised at how much stress a little organization could eliminate from your workday.

7) Focus on the Fun Parts

Don’t get us wrong; we completely understand that planning a wedding isn’t always sunshine and rainbows (especially when your clients are one of those couples who want their styled shoots and wedding to be bigger than the last royal wedding). However, even though you are running a business and meeting certain deadlines, don’t let all of that take away from what made you fall in love with it in the first place – namely, planning weddings.

That’s why you need to schedule time for some self-care. Whether it’s attending weekly yoga sessions or simply finding ways to unwind during your free time, doing things that make you happy will keep your mind fresh and ready for more action. After all, if you’re not happy about where you’re at professionally – how can anyone else be? And whether it’s going out to dinner with friends after work or reconnecting with your family over long weekends, you deserve happiness just as much as anyone else! So make sure to remember that – because as professional as you are, you’re also human!

8) Avoid Multitasking

Why would you want to do two things at once when you can only focus on one? If your answer is, “because I’m really efficient and can get more done faster,” well, then think again. Studies have shown that multitasking is actually less productive than doing a single task at a time, no matter how long it takes.

Avoid Multitasking

After all, people who multitask while they work are often perceived as less competent than those who do one thing at a time. What’s more, trying to juggle multiple tasks usually results in missing or forgetting some of them entirely because our brains simply aren’t set up to perform multiple tasks simultaneously; studies have found that brains become fatigued after about an hour of multitasking and take much longer to recover from distractions like these.

So if you’re looking for ways to improve your productivity and maximize output, you should concentrate on just one project at a time – it’s not easy (we know!), but it will prove effective!

9) Be Honest With Yourself

An often-overlooked part of being a successful wedding planner is being honest with yourself. This means that you acknowledge your weaknesses and focus on strengthening them instead of ignoring them altogether. You’re not going to be perfect, nor are you expected to be!

The only way you’ll get better at what you do is by recognizing and learning from past mistakes and moving forward stronger than ever before. And let’s face it – in any given field, there are always better people than you (no matter how good or how experienced we may think we are). So if someone compliments your work, don’t feel like they’re lying to make you feel better about yourself – believe them!

How To Motivate Yourself As A Wedding Planner

Celebrate that success and use it as motivation to plan ahead for further growth in your professional career as a wedding planner. Remember why you started planning weddings in the first place, and all those reasons will help you continue to push forward towards your ultimate goal of becoming a highly respected and sought-after expert in your field. After all, every great success story starts with failure; don’t let yours be any different!

10) Don’t Be Too Much of a Perfectionist

A desire for perfection can be beneficial in some instances, but it should never be your primary motivation for planning an amazing wedding. After all, no matter how hard you try or how much effort you put into it, there’s no such thing as perfect. And why? Because what is considered perfect to one person might not even come close to being so for someone else.

Let go of that dream and let yourself relax just a little bit – don’t kill yourself trying to please everyone with every last detail! If you do happen to miss something during your planning process, don’t waste time beating yourself up over it; instead, learn from your mistakes and move on without guilt or fear holding you back. The key here is knowing when enough is enough. This should help you remain motivated towards self-improvement rather than self-destruction.

Once you begin questioning your own abilities and whether or not you’re good enough for what you do (or even good at anything at all), then stress will set in, and those pesky doubts about your worthiness will start creeping around again. An important part of staying motivated throughout your career as a wedding planner is sticking true to who you are and remember why you started doing what you do in the first place. Remembering these things should always help guide your thoughts away from failure and back onto success.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you find yourself losing motivation and burning out on wedding planning as a career, there are ways to turn things around for yourself. Don’t give up! Remember that every great success story starts with failure, and remember to keep your priorities in order. Above all else, always remember why you started doing what you do in the first place – that passion will carry you through even when things get tough! Now get out there and start making a difference for some lucky couples out there – be sure to stay motivated along the way!

The post How to Keep Motivated as a Wedding Planner appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

Why? Because February is the second biggest day couples getting engaged. And 2022 and 2023 are set to be the biggest years for weddings since the boom in the 80s.

Like so many others we’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day but don’t expect wilting flowers and melting chocolates from us.

Oh no…we have something much more special in mind for you.

If you’ve ever imagined working in the wedding industry, you’re going to love your Valentine’s Day gift this year.

A FREE COPY OF OUR WEDDING PLANNER PROPOSAL TEMPLATE.

Yep a fully customisable copy of our template for you to use in Canva with your new wedding planning business.

This template literally took me hours and hours to get right – not to mention years of experience.

But you get a copy when you enrol on ANY Wedding Academy Course for the next few days.

PLUS…you get 15% discount as well. Just use the code VALENTINE at the checkout and it will deduct it for you.

Are you ready to do this ?

It’s time to take your career in both hands and make it actually happening instead of just dreaming about it.

You have the entire team here at the Academy behind you and an entire community just waiting to help you.

GET YOUR 15% DISCOUNT NOW >>>

The post The Valentine’s Day Wedding Planner Sale appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT HERE >>>

So what Wedding Trends will we be seeing in the year ahead?

Well move over Bridgerton there’s a new period drama in town from Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age, set in 19th Century New York City.

Originally billed as the prequel to Downton Abbey, and set three decades prior, this lavish production will no doubt inspire some trends in both fashion and décor, and personally I can’t wait.

And as if that wasn’t enough period drama for one year get ready for round two of my all-time favourite show, Downton Abbey, as it takes to the big screen once again.

Set in the 1930s we’re absolutely going to see more trends come out of this for not only 2022 weddings, but 2023 as well.

And what about the Marketing Trends?

7 Digital Marketing Trends with Kylie Lang (yours truly)

Social Media Trends with Tayler Cusick Hollman, Co-Founder of Sourced Co

Tayler will be sharing her thoughts on how to really make social media work for you and your wedding business in 2022 so you use it wisely without wasting any precious time.

TikTok Trends with Kate Beavis of Magpie Weddings & The Indie Practice

Love it or hate it TikTok isn’t going anywhere, in fact it’s only growing in popularity, but does it work for business? You bet it does and Kate is here to tell you how to make the most of this platform for your wedding business.

Facebook Ads Trends with Lauren Egeland owner of Lauren Egeland Marketing

‘Edutaining’ is the new word out there for short form video which is now playing it’s part not just in social media but in advertising as well.

Website Design Trends with Melissa Love of The Design Space

Our websites are our online shop fronts and it’s where the first impression counts in getting clients to take the next step. The design of your website is a big part of that and things change every year.

Pinterest Trends with Rachel Waring

Pinterest is the platform that’s like a fine wine, it keeps getting better with age and there are some great new features planned for this year that will help you to get more exposure and generate more traffic to your website.

Survive and Thrive with Meryl Snow

Meryl is one of the matriachs of our industry and one of the best sales experts around and in her article she shares her ideas on how to transform and perform with your sales.

Wedding PR Trends with Meghan Ely of OFD Consulting

Meghan is a specialist in wedding PR and she’s sharing the trends that are changing the media landscape in weddings for 2022.

Guest Podcasting with Victoria Bennion of Victoria Bennion Podcast Booking Agency.

Podcasting has been around since 2004 and it’s showing no signs of slowing down and guest podcasting is a great way to grow your wedding business and influence, the trick is knowing how.

And that’s just a small insight into what this year’s report has in store for you. I can’t wait for you to download and enjoy.

Don’t forget to share your trend predictions with us over on Instagram @WeddingAcademyLive and use the hashtag weddingtrendreport

The post Wedding Trend Report 2022 appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

So here are my top 5 tips to boost your creativity levels in 2022:

1. Experience the events you want to plan

Before you can create it you need to experience it. In the same way that you can’t pass a driving test without having driven a car, you can’t plan a wedding or large scale event without having experienced something similar.

So if you want to plan high-end corporate events you need to know how they feel so find a way of attending one.

Book a VIP package to a sports event and see how you are treated.

Stay at a five star hotel and see what it feels like and people watch how people interact. 

So you want to be a festival wedding guru then you better get out there and go to a festival or two!

Go and have the experience you want to create, keep your eyes open and take note of what you love and what you would change to make it even better.

2. Go to a wedding industry conference

The best thing I ever did at the start of my career was to travel from the UK to Las Vegas to attend the Catersource/ Event Solutions conference.

I first attended in 2012 when I had left my full-time job a month earlier and was 5 months into a new business that started with hiring wedding chair covers and sashes.

To say that 4 days in Las Vegas changed my life may sound very cheesy but the people I saw speak and the décor that I saw blew my mind and took my creative ideas to a whole new level that I could never have foreseen.

This is where I first heard of Preston Bailey and was blown away by his keynote address.

This conference took me beyond what I knew, it took me into an international world and showed me what was possible and that excited me and gave me a huge goal to aim for.

I also got to mix with people within the industry and ask lots of questions and make valuable connections.

3. Listen to the big names in the industry

Find out who the big influencers are in the niche that you want to work in and listen to what they say.

Read their blog, buy their books, watch their YouTube videos and interviews. Learn from them. Follow them on social media – they are more than likely sharing lots of information on all kinds of different topics.

Be inspired. If they say that something works, find a way of adapting that into your world and see if it can work for you too. Watch out for people interviewing them on podcasts too.

4. Live more – be inspired

If you surround yourself with the same people and the same activities all the time then you will have the same ideas all the time.

The way to being more creative is to be more inspired by things around you and to do this effectively you need to change things up regularly.

Whether this is a visit to a flower market, flea market, food market or a browse down a high-end fashion street – get out there and be aware of what is happening in the world around you.  Then if you can, go further afield either physically or virtually.

5. Look after yourself better

It’s hard to be creative or feel creative when you are overtired, stressed or hungry.

We are all guilty of not having enough self-care but the way to high performance and better creativity is to simply look after yourself better.

Sleep and hydration are the top two that most people think they can cut back on without any bad effects. But if you can increase your sleep by 50 minutes and drink more water during the day you will already have taken a small step to being more creative.

Remember that taking time out to relax and do the things that you enjoy with people you enjoy being with, is as important to your creativity as researching new trends.

So what simple steps will you take today and this week to improve your creativity?

Guest Post by DEE MCMEEKING

The post 5 Tips for a New Year Creativity Boost appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

I hope you’ve all had the most wonderful Christmas. Eating, drinking and being merry with your loved ones!

This is a magical time of year but I’m always surprised and a little glum when Christmas comes and goes again for another year.

But with New Year’s Eve on the horizon, we have another excuse to celebrate! And if you’re anything like me, it’s another reason to practice those styling skills.

Did you style up your home this Christmas?

One of my favourite things to do is to wander around my Mum’s house collecting props to use in a creative festive tablescape. Our family home is a treasure trove of antiques and handmade pieces that my Mum has collected over the years and I love playing around with them to create something magical for our Christmas feast.

And you could go one step further and style a magical New Year’s celebration too! If you’re hosting a party or dinner this New Year then it’s the perfect opportunity to flex your styling skills and have some fun.

To help you get started I have put together these 5 tips for styling a New Year’s Eve party:

Tell a Story

Consider the story of your event. Is it a themed celebration?

Perhaps it is inspired by an era, maybe it has a stylistic theme such as ‘Celestial’ or maybe it is topical such as a new years resolution party. Or you may want to make it simpler and base it on a colour story.

Think about how you will tell the event story through considered styling elements, props, menu and dress code.

Use Lighting to Create a Magical Ambience

I am a huge fan of using candles to create an amazing atmosphere. If you are hosting a dinner party you may want to fill your table with taper candles and tealights for a relaxed and cosy ambience.

Or if you live in the Southern Hemisphere you may be hosting an outdoor party so think about using lanterns, festoon lighting or fairy lights to create some magic.

Make it Seasonal

Make use of what is in season in the decor.

Here in the UK, I would be looking to use winter flowers such as Anemones and Hellebores or using evergreen foliage or Pussy Willow which can be found in abundance at this time of year.

If it is summer where you are, make use of the beautiful colourful blooms currently in season.

If you don’t have the budget for flowers make a statement with seasonal food displays such as a cheese and wine station or a summer fruit platter as a centrepiece.

Use Contrasts to Create Impact

Contrasts are a great way to create a visual impact in any event. Consider contrasting colours with the wow factor, mixing surfaces such as matte and metallic, and using contrasting textures.

Use this to add depth to a tablescape or space by layering up contrasting surfaces, colours and elements.

Add Some Shimmer

For me, New Year’s is definitely the time to go a bit wild with the shimmer and sparkles.

There are so many ways you can do this but to get you started you may want to look at sparkly linens, mercury glass elements, pearlescent glassware, metal elements (candlesticks, containers, flatware), metallic candles, shiny charger plates, edible glitter, neon lighting, etc.

I hope this post has helped inspire you to style your very own New Year’s Eve celebrations.  We’d love to see your NYE celebration photos so why not post to Instagram and tag us in @WeddingAcademyLive

By Martha Tobyn

The post 5 Tips for Styling a New Year’s Eve Party appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

If you’re thinking yes that’s me please don’t worry!

Any newbie to any industry will tell you that there is nothing like a conversation peppered with ‘industry terminology’ to make you feel like a complete fish out of water. It’s is no different when it comes to weddings.

We’ve all been there and heard words we’re not familiar with when ‘working’ a wedding or event.

That’s why we’ve put together this handy Glossary of Wedding Styling Terms. So you can avoid those blank face moments.

But this is by no means an exhaustive list of wedding styling terms. We could fill a dictionary with words and phrases associated with weddings.

What we have here is the foundation knowledge you can build upon as you move forward in your wedding styling career.

Wedding Styling Terms

Colour Palette:  A range of colours grouped together in a scheme, chosen because they complement one another.

Mood Board:  An arrangement of images, materials, pieces of text, etc. intended to evoke a particular style or concept.

Tablescape:  A table arrangement. This term is most often used when referring to the styling of multiple elements on the table.

Centrepiece:  A centrepiece is a central object which serves a decorative purpose on a wedding table. This is most commonly made from flowers and/or foliage.

Escort Cards:  Printed cards that tell guests what table they’ll be seated at. They are typically displayed at the reception entrance, or during cocktail hour.

Place Cards:  Printed or handwritten cards that are placed at each guest’s seat at the table they are sitting at. The Place Cards are one of the elements within the Tablescape.

Charger:  A large decorative plate that is placed under the actual dinner plate. The Charger is for looks only and helps to add colour and texture to a place setting.

Flatware: Utensils such as knives, forks, and spoons, used at the table for serving and eating food. In other words, cutlery.

Linens:  Linens are the cloths used to cover tables and the coordinating napkins. They come in a range of colours, patterns and materials.

• Chairs:  There are quite a number of different styles of chairs used for weddings. These are a few of our favourites:
  Chiavari – A faux bamboo style that is quite elegant.
  Ghost – A modern looking chair made of acrylic often clear but comes in a range of tinted colours too.
  Bentwood – A popular option associated with laid-back, effortless elegance.
  Cross-back  – A Tuscan-style chair with a natural wood finish and a signature cross-back design. Think rustic elegance.

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  Wedding Styles

You will often hear wedding professionals referring to style of a wedding.

Below are some of the styles of weddings that are popular with couples. But there are so many more so do some research to discover all of the different styles of weddings you can create for a couple.

Romantic: A wedding featuring an enchanted, vibe. Think soft and floaty.

Eclectic: A mix of different styles and colours and not tied to just one aesthetic.

Vintage: Inspired by the past, often using original props and decor.

Art Deco: Inspired by the 1920s era of The Great Gatsby.

Whimsical: Full of fanciful and charming details.

Minimalist: Clean, architectural lines with little to no embellishment.

Rustic: A more understated countryside aesthetic, popular in barn venues.

Natural/Organic: Includes lots of details that are found in nature such as wood, stones, antlers, branches, greenery, and more.

Boho: An aesthetic that is unconventional, creative, and free-spirited.

Lighting Lingo

Lighting can be used to great effect when styling a wedding. Below are some of the key terms you should know.

Pin Spot: A focused beam of light that shines directly onto an object, for example, a centrepiece, wedding cake, dance floor.

Colour Wash: A blanket of coloured light covering an entire area to create a mood or change the look of built-in décor.

Gobos: Circular stencils that are put over a light to project a design or pattern onto a wall, ceiling or floor. Monograms are an example of popular gobo designs.

LED (light-emitting diode):  LED lights use much less electricity than regular incandescent lightbulbs. They can also be wireless, which makes them even more discreet. LEDs are great for colour changes and vibrant hues.

String lighting: This comes in lots of lengths and styles and can be used to great effect. But whilst string lights can be a budget alternative stringing them up can be timely (think Christmas lights).

If you want to discover more of the ins and outs of wedding styling then you’ll want to check out our comprehensive course for aspiring Wedding Stylists.

The post Glossary of Wedding Styling Terms appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

At the Wedding Academy our Advanced Certificate in Wedding Planning, Styling and Business is one of our most popular courses. It goes into detail about the creative side of weddings. We have an entire section dedicated to tablescapes.

In these 6 steps to styling a tablescape we’re giving you the basics to get started:

No 1 – Nail your Client’s Style

Pin and collect images that truly reflect their colour combination and aesthetics. Then share with them on a site like Pinterest where they can collaborate with you. 

No 2 – Consider the Venue

Study the lighting, structure and design to determine the type of table, linen and colours you want to include. Then identify if you’re going for a natural and raw table or if you want to use tablecloths. This is the time to establish the base of your design.

No 3 – Select the Chairs

Chairs can make a statement, so make sure they complement the table, design and space creating harmony and enhancing the tablescape not conflicting with it.

No 4 – Design your Centrepiece

This is often the showstopper of the table so why not explore other items. Don’t just limit yourself to flowers. There are so many options including candles, greenery, lanterns, wood, statement vases, candelabras, to name but a few.

But whatever you do make sure your guests can still see across the table to the person sitting opposite them. Don’t block their view with your gorgeous design. 

No 5 – Choose the tableware

This is your chance to really tell the story of your design. Select plates, flatware and glassware to create a setting that not only complements but invites the guest in and makes them want to take a seat.

There are no limits here from beautiful coloured glasses to matt gold cutlery, the options are endless and a good rental partner will help you fashion your design.

No 6 – Accent your tables

These are the finishing touches that complete your tablescape and should be used sparingly and not overdone. A folded napkin with a menu card sat on top can add that extra pop of colour and enhance your design to its fullest.

Another element, which we love, is votive candles that provide atmosphere and warmth.

Want to practice your skills? We’re running a fun Xmas Tablescape Competition and we’d love you to take part. CLICK HERE FOR THE DETAILS…

The post 6 Steps to Styling a Tablescape as a Wedding Planner appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

So now it’s December we have a little something to get us all in the Xmas spirit, it’s time to start planning and playing with our Xmas tablescape designs.

Yes, you guessed it! From the 6th to the 17th of December, we’re hosting our popular Xmas Styling Tablescape challenge.

We want you to get creative, challenge yourself and practise your styling skills with your very own Xmas tablescape.

This challenge takes place on Instagram and all entries must be posted to your feed with @WeddingAcademyLive tagged in the post to be counted.

The deadline to post your Xmas styling is December 19th at midnight and the winners will be announced on December 20th on Instagram, so stay tuned to your grid.

The Academy mentor team will then pick one winning tablescape design each. That’s FIVE potential winners!

So, what happens if you win?

You get our ‘Social Media Made Easy Masterclass‘ completely FREE! This will really get you ahead of the game and help you start 2022 off with a bang knowing you have social media nailed!

What is it that we’re looking for?

We want to see your dream Xmas vision come to life. Whatever comes to mind when you hear “Xmas”, we want to see it in your own designs!

Whether that be classic Xmas themed with red and green, winter wonderland, a traditional white Xmas or something completely unique and unexpected. We want to see it all.

Use whatever you have available to create a festive table, take some snaps and post to Instagram. Consider centrepieces, place settings, stationery and decor!

To give you a helping hand we’ll be posting tablescape design and styling tips here on the Wedding Planner blog and on Instagram throughout the festive period.

Need some help?

Register for our FREE Tablescape Guide and it will take you through a step-by-step process on how to create a tablescape scratch, no previous experience required.

DOWNLOAD THE TABLESCAPE GUIDE >>>

Many of us have been apart from our loved ones (and some still are) for the last year and a half. So whatever your Xmas plans, let’s go big and make the most of it this year!

Plus this is your chance to show off all of your wonderful new styling talents to your nearest and dearest. So have fun with it and try something new!

We hope you all enjoy the challenge, and we can’t wait to see what everyone creates!

The post Xmas Styling Tablescape Challenge appeared first on The Wedding Academy.

Because it’s naive to assume that these wedding celebrations are just going to revert back to normal – the pandemic has altered the way we head to the altar, and how weddings in the past were held, and you have to change too, as event planners, if you want to ensure your event planning business succeeds.

How To Get Clients

Some of these wedding changes are due to unavoidable technicalities: there are definitely going to be more weddings at home, for example, because a lot of wedding venues are booked solid with a backlog of rescheduled events.

‘People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.’ – Maya Angelou

But many of these changes are a reflection of your brides’ redefined values; there will also be more weddings at home because, over the past months, your client realized how much more meaningful it is to marry at home amongst a lifetime of their intimate memories and family stories, rather than at an impersonal hotel ballroom.

So, where do these changes leave you as a professional wedding planner who is keen to get your wedding planning business back on the road with potential clients?

To deal with the wedding industry’s changes post-pandemic is to rethink your own business strategies and marketing plans, and to create a wedding planning service that is open to change, and is, therefore, able to attract the ideal clients to your event planning business and the services you are happy to offer…

Wedding Planner

So, the key to thriving and surviving as a professional wedding planner is to get full exposure to your event business so that you attract the ideal clients.

As event planners we are usually full of fantastic ideas and different ways to hold the ideal wedding for your customer, so adapting to the market of today, shouldn’t be too difficult.

The key is to find more ways you can get your name in front of your ideal potential customers, so the more clients you will have…

Event Planning Business

Marketing Tactics for Wedding Planners

Establish your niche

When you’re trying to grow or kick-start your wedding business, your first instinct may be to attract as many new clients as possible. But, before you start marketing for a new business, take a step back and make sure you have a clear event niche.

How To Get Clients For Your Wedding Planner Business

It’s essential to remember that engaged couples have an enormous number of vendors to choose from, so you, as event planners need to set yourself apart by having a speciality or wedding niche. You need to establish what sort of weddings you’re interested in and who your ideal clients are.

So, do you prefer to plan non-traditional weddings or destination weddings? Do you prefer big, traditional weddings, or more intimate celebrations?

Whatever niche you decide to focus your efforts on, make sure your marketing reflects this…

Make connections

While you have your area of ideal expertise, it’s not just what you know, and it’s also who you know. Referrals are essential in the wedding game, and not only from your satisfied clients, but from other wedding professionals as well. You’ll want to network with hairdressers, florists, caterers, etc.

So, perhaps attend local industry meetings, wedding shows, and expos, and reach out to wedding professionals you’ve liked the look of online and related posts.

And, of course, weddings themselves are a fantastic opportunity to find new business, as when you deliver your best, other wedding-goers and fellow vendors will take notice. So, always think about how you can go the extra mile.

Networking is a serious must in the wedding and events industry – it’s essential to have a marketing strategy for networking as this allows you to find the right clients without wasting your time in the wrong places.

Make Connections

There are a number of national and international event industry organizations that hold networking meetings in numerous cities. ABC ILEA and NACE are just a few of the biggest wedding organizations and event professionals who are brimming with ideas for you to share, so search for what’s around.

If you plan events in addition to weddings, attending your local chamber of commerce meetings puts you in front of businesses that may be hosting events – search online for the next meetings.

Another good idea is to find a Meetup group in your local area that caters to those in the event planning industry, such as venues, photographers, bakeries, etc. If there is not a local Meetup group for those in the event industry, consider taking the lead and organizing one. After all, you have the skills necessary to plan, use them to your advantage to gain more business.

When you’re networking for your wedding planning business, take it a step further and ask if you can set up one-on-one time with the people you meet. This gives you time to build a connection, go through your services, and learn more about what they offer as well. Go on – promote yourself!

Partner with Wedding Vendors

By partnering up with different venues, florists, caterers, designers, music, bands, and other wedding vendors who are also involved in the wedding planning industry, will help increase your exposure as well as help you find new clients – you need to promote your business when and wherever you can.

By linking with these other wedding business services you can establish agreements that allow you to send referrals to each other. Often this is in the form of preferred vendor lists that are passed on to potential clients, and if the clients use the preferred vendors on this list, they can be given a discount or some sort of incentive, perhaps a discount or a gift card, to strengthen the bond between your two businesses – you gain the business and the couple gets a discount. Win, win.

Perfect Your Social Media

The wedding industry is a multibillion-dollar industry, and whilst there’s loads of opportunity for entrepreneurs, the competition is stiff, which is why your social media and online presence is essential to maintain.

You should regularly update your website and social media accounts to showcase your wedding work. And it goes without saying that you should make sure it’s easy for potential clients to find you.

Perhaps you could:

• Create images specifically for Pinterest that are targeted with wedding keywords
• Use niche-specific hashtags on Instagram
• Make sure your website is easy to find through organic searches by using SEO best practices including keywords
• Post on your own Facebook page once every other week about your new business – let your friends and family know what you’re up to.
• Ensure your website is easy to navigate and has clear contact information or a booking system so that potential customers can easily schedule a consultation with you
• Join sites like Wedding Wire or The Knot – you’ll have to pay for your listing, but it will put you in front of a wide, relevant audience in your area.

Provide a Service that’s Second to None

Once your new wedding leads have found you, you need to make a good, lasting professional impression – everything about your wedding planner business from your business card to your website to your business email should communicate that you’re someone that couples can trust to do the job.

Wedding planners want to make the whole event convenient for their clients. Event planning is stressful, but you can help your clients by showing them that they’re in good hands, and that wedding planners are essential to help get the show on the road.

Provide A First Class Service

You’re more likely to get new clients if you show you are organised, professional and willing to listen to what your client needs and wants for their special day.

Make your costs clear

Let’s be honest, budgets are a major constraint for most wedding event decisions. We all know that weddings are usually outrageously expensive and that most of your prospective clients will be extremely budget-conscious. Not all wedding planners cater for the rich and famous! So, be upfront with your costs early on, so your clients know what to expect, and there won’t be any unpleasant surprises.

If you’re clear with your event planning costs from the outset, you’ll attract the clients you want, and they’ll appreciate your transparency – put together an attractive free brochure of your service, and you’ll get your first client in no time!

Write a Blog

Wedding planners who really mean business write well-thought-out free blogs as they are a great way for you to establish your event planning expertise and get your name out there. They are great free marketing tools, so create a list of relevant subjects you could write about.

When you share event planners’ inside tips and ideas via blogs, articles and photos for weddings and other events, you gain credibility. Your blog content can be also be found through Internet searches on Google and Bing, with the right keywords, which brings more traffic to your website.

To increase the effectiveness and reach of posting blogs and articles, you could share free links to all your related social media. You could also pay to boost the posts on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook so that more potential clients see them.

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Make lots of new friends in the wedding business! Look for Facebook groups for local wedding professionals, and begin following the local event pros on Instagram, or identify the local wedding associations in your area and join them.

It’s a really great marketing tool to write guest posts for blogs that are already established in the wedding and events industry, as many photographers, venues, and florists would love to have a helpful guest post with photos to share on their blog without having to write it themselves. When you write a guest post, make sure you include your name, what event services you offer, and a link to your website – this is another great free marketing asset.

Go on Television

Public relations is another great way to market your services – for free. Local television show producers are always looking for unique and real-life stories that would interest their viewers – and everyone loves a wedding day story.

Think about marketing an event story idea that gets loads of event vendors on the show. You could submit a marketing proposal to your local morning show producer regarding 2021 trends in the wedding industry…

\Get involved in Wedding Shows

Get in front of potential clients by bagging a booth at a wedding show. Exhibiting can be expensive and it may make sense to share a booth with another exhibitor in a related industry.

You will want to make a big effort to engage in conversations with potential clients and have your events’ brochures ready to hand out.

With these marketing tips, you will be on the path to success in no time, by attracting more clients to your wedding planning business.

That’s the Name of the Game…

The post How to Get Clients for Your Wedding Planning Business… appeared first on The Wedding Academy.