“Going to the chapel and we’re going to get married….” Yes, it is bridal season and wedding dreams are in the air. On January 24, I had the pleasure to interview Deborah Moody, Executive Director of the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants. She shared with our listeners “What It Takes To Be a Wedding Consultant.”
This is wedding season. Multiple celebrities have announced their engagements and there are hundreds of bridal shows scheduled over the coming months. If you have ever dreamed of coordinating weddings or are a bride and simply want to understand what it takes to work with a consultant, our interview today outlined the role of a wedding consultant as well as how a bride can best work with a Wedding Consultant.
What does it take to 
be a wedding consultant? First, if you are considering becoming a wedding consultant you should have these key personality characteristics: Excellent communicator and listener, organized, detail oriented, creative – being able to bring the brides vision to fruition, have a calm, and patience demeanor, willingness to create your own “style,” be a team leader and team player, and be assertive, but not aggressive.
Second, it is important to be professionally trained to become a Certified Wedding Consultant. In order to achieve this you need training, education, knowledge that can only be gained through approved wedding certification programs, like the Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants.
What are Deborah’s secrets to being the best Certified Wedding Consultant?
1. Knowing that you don’t have to work with every bride that comes to you – knowing its ok to say no to a bride. This first secret is key. It is best when a consultant and a bride have a good connection from the start. You will be working together for up to a year, possibly longer while preparing for the wedding and you want to start off with a similar ideology.
2. Having clear expectations of yourself and your bride’s responsibilities. Clearly communicating what you will be doing for the bride, what the bride will be expected to providing to you and when (such as contracts vendor’s contact information), and having what you need to be sure the wedding is successful.
3. Staying on top of trends. The industry is fluid and trends occur that will affect different elements of a wedding, such as a color trend or theme. It is essential that wedding consultants continue their education every year to stay abreast of what is happening in the industry. Brides are savvy and they expect consultants to know what’s in and what’s not.
4. Develop your own creative style. There are many well known wedding consultants, like Sasha Souza or Preston Bailey that have created their own style. Rather than copy their ideas and mimic what others are doing, stand out and be yourself, create your own “signature style.” Only you can do you.
5. Know your worth and charge accordingly – realize your value by knowing what your experience level is, education, and knowledge is of the wedding industry, your special talents, years of expertise and your “signature style.” When you stand out and recognize your value and charge what you are worth, you will attract your ideal clients.
6. Have an escape clause established in your consulting contract. There may be a time when, for whatever reason, you feel it is best to part ways with a bride, rather than face a potential lawsuit.
In our discussion today we talked about how much wedding consultants charge for their services. It is quite clear that the price is dependent on several key factors: the region one chooses to get married in, location of the wedding (hotel, backyard, winery, etc.), expertise, skill set and experience of consultant, size of wedding, cultural standards for a wedding, if it is full-service consulting or Wedding Day Management, and much more. The best advice for a bride is to interview several consultants and select the one that best aligns with your ideology. Present the same requirements for what you want in your wedding to each consultant.
Another valuable fact about being a wedding consultant is that the business is portable. It means you can set up your business anywhere. This makes it ideal for military personnel and families. If you are in a job transition or have a job transfer you can easily more your wedding business to other areas. It is a great career for stay-at-home moms as well as those transitioning into retirement.
If you’ve ever dreamed of coordinating weddings for a career, full or part-time, or if you are a bride looking for a professionally trained Certified Wedding Consultant, the ACPWC, Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants, can help you.
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Wedding Consultant
Check out: The ACPWC live course offering February 27-March 2 or home-study programs.
Contact Deborah Moody at the ACPWC (Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants) 408-227-2792 or visit www.acpwc.com
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Bonnie Marie Kuhn
Bonnie Marie Coaching, Solo Pro Radio Host, Every Tuesday 10-11am (pst)
www.bonniemariecoaching.com
