Bridal Consulting Careers
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Bridal Consulting Career Overview
Careers in Bridal Consulting involve planning every aspect of a wedding, from the invitations through to floral arrangements, menus, and music. In addition, a Bridal Consultant will typically attend the event and reception, working behind the scenes to ensure every aspect of the wedding and reception proceeds according to plan.
Careers in Bridal Consulting require excellent interpersonal and communication skills, time-management and organization skills, and good attention to detail, as well as an eye for coordinating an entire project. A strong business background is very helpful, or at least some experience with budgeting and finances.
Search Bridal Consulting SchoolsBridal Consulting Training & Education
While Bridal Consulting careers do not strictly need any form of formal education, there are several short courses and accreditation programs available for Bridal Consultants, such as those offered by the Association of Bridal Consultants, the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants, and the National Bridal Association. Several vocational schools also offer courses in Bridal Consultancy, including aspects of design, management and business and financial aspects of running a small business.
Bridal Consulting Career & Salary
Job opportunities in the bridal industry have declined in the last decade, as fewer people are getting married, and those that do tend to marry later in life. However, along with this decrease in marriage rate, the average amount that people are willing to spend on a wedding has increased. While the volume of weddings may be slightly lower, therefore, the average amount spent per wedding is higher.
Salary for Bridal Consultant careers is largely dependent on the number of weddings an individual consultant plans each year, the size of each event, and the fee the consultant charges. A newcomer to the industry who handles ten weddings in a year at industry-standard fees of 10% to 15% can expect to earn between $20,000 and $30,000 per year, while an experienced consultant who handles a much larger volume of events may earn $70,000 per year or more.
Retail Bridal Consultants typically have a low starting salary of approximately $18,000 to $25,000, as there are no formal post-secondary educational requirements for the position. However assistant and management-level workers may earn salaries of $25,000 to $44,000 or more. In addition, Retail Bridal Consultants usually earn commission bonuses that are a percentage of their sales.
Career Fields/Specializations
Bridal Consultant Career
A Bridal Consultant is typically employed to oversee an entire wedding and reception, and to take care of every last detail, down to floral arrangements, invitations, music and menus, to ensure that every aspect of a wedding and reception is carried out according to the bride and groom’s wishes, and that the actual event proceeds smoothly without interruptions or problems.
Bridal Consultants typically work closely with the bride, providing advice on menu selections, invitations and other aspects of the event, and ensuring that she receives all the advice and knowledge needed to make the right decisions for the wedding and reception. During the event the Bridal Consultant must also ensure that contracted services are carried out according to the contract. In addition, they must ensure that every aspect of the wedding is carried out according to the wishes of the bride and groom, and that the entire project is completed within the allotted budget.
Anyone interested in a career as a Bridal Consultant should be a ‘people person’—someone who enjoys working with and helping people, and who is prepared to handle difficult interpersonal situations. Weddings are typically very emotional and stressful for the people involved, and a Bridal Consultant must have excellent interpersonal and conflict-resolving skills to deal with difficult situations. Excellent organizational, problem-solving and negotiation skills are also very important, and a background in business or finance is also helpful. Finally, the ability to remain calm and confident under pressure, and work according to tight deadlines, is necessary.
Wedding Planner Career
The role of a Wedding Planner involves planning every aspect of a wedding and reception, from invitations to floral arrangements, music, menus, photography, and details such as seating arrangements and guest lists.
The Wedding Planner’s primary consideration is, of course, the wishes of the bride and groom, as well as the budget they have for a particular wedding. They must be able to provide the bride and groom with all the information they need to make informed choices about all aspects of the wedding and reception, and will typically act as the bride’s representative in hiring contractors for catering, photography and other services. During the event, they must be present to ensure that everything proceeds according to plan, and contracted service vendors are providing the services they were hired for, and that any problems that arise are taken care of quickly and discreetly.
A Wedding Planner should be a ‘people person’—someone who enjoys helping people achieve their dream wedding, and who is able to cope with interpersonal situations that may become difficult. Preparing for a wedding is often very stressful and emotional for the people involved, and a Wedding Planner should be able to defuse potentially difficult situations with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and good conflict-resolution skills. Negotiating skills are also important, as a Wedding Planner will need to negotiate with service providers to obtain the best possible price for services such as catering and photography. Good business and management skills are also needed, as well as the ability to remain calm and confident under pressure, and to work to tight deadlines.
Event Planner Career
Event Planners are people who organize personal events such as parties, weddings, and other celebrations, and professional events such as exhibitions, seminars and conferences. Often an Event Planner may specialize in either personal or professional events, and may specialize further within each field to concentrate on one particular type of event (such as a Wedding Planner or Bridal Consultant).
The primary objectives of an Event Planner are to ensure that a given event proceeds according to the specifications of their client, without any interruptions or major problems, and that the entire project is completed within the allotted budget. Event Planners typically supervise aspects of an event such as developing a theme for the event, booking a location, obtaining items such as chairs and tables, creating a guest list and sending out invitations, and hiring contractors such as catering staff and photographers. In addition, they are typically present at the event to take care of problems as they arise, and ensure the event proceeds smoothly.
Event Planners must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, as well as problem-solving and decision-making skills. The ability to remain calm and confident under pressure is also important. Good negotiation skills and conflict-resolution skills are also very useful. Budgeting, management, and financial management skills are not essential to have when beginning a career as an Event Planner but are extremely useful.
Retail Bridal Consultant Career
Retail Bridal Consultants may work in wedding-oriented independent retail stores, or may work in larger department stores that include bridal departments. They work closely with customers who are typically looking for particular items, or for suggestions on appropriate items that meet their requirements, such as bridal gowns or jewelry. Retail Bridal Consultants may have additional administration duties such as taking inventory and ordering stock, depending on their experience.
Retail Bridal Consultants should have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and a good knowledge of bridal fashion trends. They must be able to work well both independently and in a team, and have good fashion judgment in terms of style and color.
