How to become a wedding planner?

Wedding Planning courses equip you with relevant skills. This increases your chances of finding employment or running your own wedding planning business.

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Last Updated : May 12, 2022

If you are someone who is interested in becoming a Wedding Planner, you can begin your journey through Matric College. We are a distance learning college that offers different courses including Wedding Planning Courses. You can complete the following courses in 4 to 12 months:

Once you have completed the Wedding Planning courses, we will award you a Wedding Planner Certificate Qualification, which you can use to find work or be self-employed. 

Why Do I Want To Be A Wedding Planner?

You may want to become a Wedding Planner for many reasons. Being a Wedding Planner is a unique career. It is exciting and rewarding. You should become a Wedding Planner for these reasons: 

  • You can be self-employed 
  • You earn a good salary 
  • You help people in love get married 
  • You plan beautiful events 
  • You are appreciated by wedding guests and families 
  • You feel good about your career 
  • You get to travel the world 
  • You experience different weddings 
  • You enjoy good food and music 
  • You have the opportunity to dress up 
  • You can make friends through work 

How Do I Become A Wedding Planner In South Africa?

You become a Wedding Planner in South Africa by doing the following: 

Why Study Wedding Planning At Matric College?

  • Home study 

We are a distance learning college and therefore, you get to study our courses from anywhere you are, including home.

  • Study Liberty

You are in charge of seeing your study schedule. You can set it to the study times that suit you best.

  • Skills 

While you study the Wedding Planning courses, you gain a set of skills that increase your chances of finding employment and being self-employed.

  • Qualification 

You gain a valid qualification at the end of your course as proof that you are a qualified Wedding Planner.

  • Work and study 

If you are already working, and you wish to study through us to increase or advance your skills, you can do so. You can work and study at the same time because you study whenever you want.

  • Tutors 

We have tutors to help you with your course assessments. You do not have to study alone while you are home.

  • Course Experts

Whenever you are in need of details regarding your course, we have Course Experts to help you with that information.

  • Study material 

We send you the study material to assist with your studies. This helps you to study, and find answers to assignments as well as other research related to your course. 

Is Being A Wedding Planner Worth It?

Yes, being a Wedding Planner is worth it because of the following reasons: 

  • Good Salary
  • Reward
  • Wedding Attendance
  • Appreciation
  • Travel

Good salary

As a Wedding Planner, you can choose to work for a company or be self-employed. Sometimes, you can be both. You can run wedding planning services part-time while working full time for a company. This helps you earn more money as your income is not fixed. 

Reward

You feel good about your work. You bring two people who are in love together. 

Wedding attendance

As you ensure that the wedding runs smoothly on the day. You get to attend a beautiful event and enjoy good music and food.

Appreciation

The wedding couple and family will appreciate your work and sometimes choose to give you a tip on top of the money you charged them. They will recommend your services to other guests and this will give you more customers. 

Travel

As a Wedding Planner, you have the opportunity to travel to different places. You will meet different amazing people and see new places.    

What Exactly Does A Wedding Planner Do?

These are the duties of a Wedding Planner: 

  • Plan the entire wedding 
  • Schedule vendor meetings 
  • Attend meetings with the couple 
  • Listen to what the couple wants for their wedding 
  • Make suggestions to the couple 
  • Estimate a wedding budget 
  • Come up with stylish ideas 
  • Contact people for catering, music and décor purposes 
  • Manage the wedding plans 
  • Oversee the wedding on the wedding day

What Skills Do You Need To Be A Wedding Planner?

These are the skills you need as a Wedding Planner: 

  • Organisation skills
  • Time management skills
  • Negotiation skills
  • Creativity skills
  • Communication skills
  • Knowledgeable skills

Organisational skills

You need to be an organised person to work well as a Wedding Planner. The couple will hire you to organise their entire wedding. You must offer good services because they are paying for this skill.

Time management skills

As a Wedding Planner, you may be asked to perform a lot of duties in a short amount of time. You must be able to work on these duties efficiently. You are expected to deliver things on time so that the couple is happy with your services. 

Negotiation skills

You will be required to book venues and hire things such as a catering company or music band. You must be able to get this without stepping outside the budget that the bride and groom can afford. You must negotiate prices that suit the wedding budget. 

Creativity skills

As a Wedding Planner, you work with stylish items such as flowers, décor and clothing. You must be creative to ensure that all things match and look appealing. The couple expects you to  deliver a wedding that is extremely beautiful. 

Communication skills

You must be a good communicator. This is expected so that you speak professionally with the bride and groom and give good advice where necessary. As a Wedding Planner, you must speak your mind and allow the couple to decide what is best. 

Knowledgeable skills

Most couples are having their first and last wedding. This means they do not have experience planning weddings. You must be knowledgeable enough to know what would suit them best. When they ask questions related to wedding planning, have the appropriate answer so that they can trust you with playing their big day. 

Where Do Wedding Planners Make The Most Money?

Wedding Planners make the most money in the following places: 

  • United States of America  
  • Europe 
  • India 
  • England 
  • South Africa 

How Much Does A Wedding Planner Earn?

R 13 500 per month

The average salary for a Wedding Planner is R 13 500 per month in South Africa.

Is It Worth Getting A Wedding Planner?

Yes, getting a Wedding Planner is worth it. This is because a Wedding Planner is a professional who deals with wedding planning for a living. They have experience and will plan your wedding best. A Wedding Planner will plan a wedding that suits your: 

  • Budget 
  • Style 
  • Tradition 
  • Culture 
  • Religious views 

You will not feel the pressure of planning a wedding because someone else will do it for you. This is an opportunity to relax and allow someone to plan your big day while you simply suggest what you want.  

How Much Is A Wedding Planner In South Africa?

There is no specific price to hiring a Wedding Planner. Each one is unique. However, prices usually range between R10 000 to R50 000. The price depends on the number of things you want at the wedding and the level of quality. 

How Long Does It Take To Plan A Wedding?

There is no specific timeframe for planning a wedding. However, it usually takes 2 to 8 months to plan. Couples may get engaged at the beginning of the year and have their wedding at the end of the year because they used the months in between to plan. 

How Do People Afford Weddings?

Most people afford weddings because they plan for them. Most couples get engaged and only get married 8 or 12 months after while they are busy saving money. Some couples are fortunate enough to have families that give them, money to plan their wedding day. The best way to afford a wedding is to do research before and see how much a wedding could cost you and save for it. 

What Is The Most Common Age To Get Married?

The most common age to get married is between the ages of 25 and 30. This is because, at this age, you are grown and mature. You are able to make solid decisions and understand that marriage is about commitment. At the age of 25 to 30, you are most likely financially stable, either working or self-employed and able to afford a wedding. 

What Is The Best Month To Get Married?

The best month to get married depends on what you want for your wedding. For example, if you are planning to have your wedding setting by the beach, you would want to do this during summer when the sun is out. This means you can plan your wedding for months, such as: 

  • December 
  • January 
  • February 
  • March 

Author: Mulisa Nethononda
Date Published: May 11, 2022
Editor: Connor Bergsma