Novice Pitfalls...and How to Avoid Them

By Toni DeLisi, MBC™, Memorable Events, Ramsey, N.J.The mistake some novice wedding planners make is thinking that the only experience they need to open their own wedding planning business is that of planning their own wedding. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A wedding planner’s job is not to bark orders at others who are doing their job, it’s to ensure that everyone involved works together to accomplish a seamless and stress-free day for the bride, groom, and their family and friends.  A wedding planner is the glue that holds everything and everyone together.What are the other common mistakes made by wannabe wedding planners? And how can you avoid them?1. Misunderstanding the skills required for the job.Wedding planning requires many skills, to name a few one must be a:•    Top negotiator•    Skilled interviewer•    Specialist in conflict resolution•    Designer•    Skilled administrator/manager•    Budget cruncher•    Great listener because at times you may think you’re a therapist/    mediator for your bride, her bridal party, and her mother.To get started on the right path, get a four-year degree or take business and design courses at your local community college, join a professional association like the Association of Bridal Consultants, and take advantage of their professional education courses and conferences.2. Not having insurance for your business.Many so-called wedding planners put the cart before the horse, meaning they actively promote themselves as being in business before completing the necessary steps.  Operating your business without insurance is a no-no. Not only does it put you at a liability risk, but it makes you a hypocrite. How can one counsel a bride to obtain wedding insurance to protect her investment and provide peace of mind without having general liability and errors and omission insurance of one’s own?3. Not having an attorney review your contract.While there are sample contracts available online, you, as a professional, need to have someone educated in the law of small business in your state, city, or country review the contract to determine if anything is missing and help you understand what each clause means. It’s also helpful to have your attorney review clauses in other professional’s contracts to find out if any could be detrimental to your client.  Remember, planners are not legal counsel but should be able to recognize items in a contract that could present a problem.4. Using images of someone else’s event as your own.If you are assisting a professional wedding planner to gain hands-on experience, don’t assume that entitles you to take pictures of their event and publicize it as your own.  If you want photos to use on your website, ask the planner, the photographer, and the bride if you can use some of the images. Be sure to provide photo credit for the photographer/studio that covered the wedding.5. Trashing the competition.As obvious as it may seem, talking badly about other planners and vendors in your area is never a good idea, even if what you say may be true. Why? Not only is it unprofessional, but it winds up reflecting poorly on you and your business.6. Not providing full disclosure about your fees.Planners are compensated in a number of ways. Some charge the client a percentage of the overall budget, some are paid entirely by vendors who pay a fee to the planner that brings them the client, and some charge a consulting fee.  Whichever way you charge, you owe it to yourself and your contemporaries to let clients know that wedding planning is hard work that requires countless hours of research, education, time, and energy—and it doesn’t come free of charge.7. Not joining an association or having a mentor when you first start your business.As much work as you put into starting your business, there invariably will be things you forgot or didn’t know to question. Situations arise that you’re not 100 percent sure how to handle.  Belonging to a professional wedding association, like the Association of Bridal Consultants, gives you access to hundreds of professionals throughout the world with whom you can network. Your questions and concerns will be put to rest when you have a network of professionals whom you can go to when needed.By learning what not to do and following the tips and suggestions above, you will be well on your way to a successful career as a professional wedding planner.