"I Do"...Weddings: Guide To Starting Your Own Wedding Consulting Business

Book Description
"I Do"...Weddings covers everything you need to operate a successful wedding consulting business. You will learn everything you need to get started, different types of wedding consultants, business plan, on-line marketing, on-line advertising, how to select your advertising media, promotions, public relations, how to prepare a press kit, business management, organizing a home office for under $500, time management, legal aspects, fees, dispute resolutions, customer service, networking, professional organizations, selecting quality vendors, technology, steps to being creative, how to keep up with current and future trends, fifteen golden rules for the professional wedding consultant, and success stories from wedding consultants.


About the Author
Mayai N. Chatman-Whitfield is the owner of Wedding Day, Inc., located in New York City. She is an instuctor at various universities where she teaches "How To Start a Wedding Consulting Business," she also gives seminars to couples planning their own wedding. She received her B.A. from the City Universtiy of New York and, since 1995, has been a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants


Excerpted from "I Do"...Weddings: Guide To Starting Your Own Wedding Consulting Business by Mayai N. Chatman-Whitfield. Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
From Chapter 1: Many people who claim to do weddings are not true professionals. Here's your chance to learn all aspects of planning and executing weddings as a business. Some practical facets of this type of business include marketing, advertising, promoting and budgeting, as well as contracts, fees, filing legal documents, and negotiating with clients. What does I do weddings really mean, and where does one learn how to do them? This book will discuss everything you need to become a successful wedding consultant, from the business side of the business to the actual planning of the wedding day, which is the practical side of the business. First, you must ask yourself if you have what it takes to be a wedding consultant, because it can be very stressful. You will be constantly challenged with weddings from hell with nightmare budgets. You will only get one chance on the wedding day; there is no room for mistakes. However, being a wedding consultant can be very rewarding because you are part of the process; watching the weddings that you have helped create can feel like falling in love over and over. This book will tell you what you need to get started, how to prepare your business plan, where to advertise, how to reach and target your market, and the advantages of joining professional organizations. You'll learn how to prepare your business plan, prepare an operating budget, draw up contracts, set fees, handle negotiations, select quality vendors, establish networking opportunities and use the Internet. You'll also learn about wedding planning, coordination, consulting, wedding etiquette and the different roles a consultant plays. If you are to become a successful wedding consultant, you should be prepared to study the following subjects; business management, accounting, bookkeeping, marketing, business writing, computers, the Internet, art history, culinary techniques, interior decorating, photography, world religion, psychology, sociology, and fashion history. These subjects will provide you with the knowledge you will need to plan your first wedding. If you want to develop your wedding sense and become familiar with the latest designers and trends, I recommend attending bridal shows and reading at least 50 bridal, trade and interior decorating publications monthly. Search flea markets, craft shows, antique shops, garage sales, auctions, and swap meets to find china, silverware, odd and unusual serving pieces, wines and champagnes. Watch movies and visit different restaurants. Go to museums, theaters and night clubs. In short, if you are ready to hit the books and streets you are on your way to becoming a successful wedding consultant. I am often asked, What are wedding consultants? Wedding consultants are professionals who help a couple discover, implement and manage all of the necessary requirements for a successful wedding. Wedding consultants must function in many roles. They must be supervisors, working with the other professionals that the couples have chosen to make sure everything in their wedding happens just as they want. They must be advisors because they are wedding experts. They must be coordinators because they organize the entire wedding with their contacts in the wedding industry and will turn the couple's wedding dreams into a reality. They must also be financial planners, preparing a budget for the couple and helping them stick to it by suggesting creative ways to make their dollars go furthest. Often they must be mediators, helping solve disagreements as impartial third parties. Many couples planning a wedding wonder, What can a consultant do for us? In short, a consultant will save the couple costly mistakes, time and stress and will help execute their dream wedding. As a wedding consultant, you meet some wonderful people that will remember you for years because you were a part of a very important day of their lives. Unfortunately, you also meet some not-so-wonderful people as well, but this comes with the job. However, a wedding consultant should make it a requirement to treat all clients, guest and vendors like royalty. Your clients should get nothing but your best, because if you take care of your clients, your clients will take care of you. Is this business right for you? Most people are not adequately prepared to go into business. While they have the motivation, desire and talent, many have not taken the time to properly investigate and research the business that they are interested in starting. Like a game of chess, success in small business starts with decisive and correct opening moves. Although initial mistakes are survivable, it usually requires skill, discipline and hard work to regain the advantage.


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