Of course weddings are all about the love and although many event managers choose wedding planning because they’re passionate about delivering dreams, being a professional also means being paid! So, yes can tell you what salary you can expect but also there are some other important factors to consider….
1. What is the average salary wedding planners?
2. Do freelance weddings planner earn more?
3. What different types of wedding are there?
4. Do I need a qualification to be a wedding planner?
If you’re starting with entry level job your salary will be around £18,000 – £25,000 a year starting salary. Jobs include wedding planner apprentice or wedding assistant either for a venue or private wedding planning company. Don’t forget though, starting at the bottom brings opportunities for important on-the-job experience to build your CV and contacts.
Once you gain experience you will be moving up to a salary of £35,000 + a year and gaining more responsibility, creativity, and decision-making . Jobs include with roles like Wedding Coordinator or Assistant Wedding Planner.
And finally the top tier of Wedding Planners, particularly in the Luxury sector, the sky is the limit. Think £50,000 annually, particularly if you are willing to travel and facilitate weddings around the world. As such, highly experienced wedding planners who can offer a strong record of expertise, word-of-mouth recommendation and positive client testimonials could access salaries beyond this average.Another important consideration for salary is location. If you are in a high demand area, like London, New York or Mumbai.
Freelance wedding planners and salaried wedding planners have very different wage structures. Here are some of the key considerations:
If you are freelancing or working for yourself, usually the weddings are charged at a flat rate. This can range from £1k for an inexperienced planner up to around £5k for some one with more experience. The fee will also typically depend on how complicated the weddings is and also the different services the planner offers.
Working freelance you will have more control over the fees and how many weddings you choose to do but don’t forget this is definitely a seasonal job so there will also be some months over the summer when you are significantly busier. Summer holidays might not be an option! Typically a successful wedding planner is earning from around £30,000 to £100,000 per year.
However, if you are not freelance but on an annual salary then you are likely working for a hotel, venue or agency. You have no control on pricing or how many weddings you do per year, you may even be running multiple weddings at the same time in a large venue for example. Despite this larger workload you may benefit from some additional bonuses tied to your performance. Generally a salary would be more in the range of £25,000 – £30,000.
When you are working as a wedding planner you may decide to specialise in a particular type of wedding. This can add an extra dimension to your business as well as attract more clientele.
Here some ideas…
The short answer is no you don’t. However gaining a qualification will not only boost your earning potential but also deepen your knowledge in the key aspects of wedding planning.
If you are able to gain do a course you will not only be able to demonstrate your expertise to clients but it also increases your credibility, engenders trust in your abilities and your professionalism on your clients most important day.
There are a number of different courses available from short courses to longer event management degrees that will take around 2/3 years.
One of the main reasons for doing any type of course is that you will gain specialist in depth knowledge on some core topics. These include how to deal with suppliers, risk management and legal considerations. This knowledge will help you to manage the complexities of larger events and give you confidence. Some courses will also help you with soft skills; creativity, confidence & teamwork – all of which are crucial. Plus it’s important to consider a course that will give you a qualification that employers or clients value – an accredited qualification.
Freelance wedding planners with formal qualifications can often charge higher rates because clients are willing to pay more for someone with proven expertise. A degree or certification may give clients more confidence in your abilities, especially for luxury or destination weddings.
