Wedding Planning Course

Course Outline

The IWPP™ course covers everything you need to know to start your own successful business as a professional wedding planner. The program is divided up into four units. Each unit includes full-color course lesson booklets, instructional movies on DVD, and a workbook of assignments designed to test your knowledge and develop your planning and organization skills.

In addition, you'll receive a collection of supplementary learning materials to enhance your training and prepare you for success as a wedding planner. Your materials include full-color reference books, a CD packed with electronic templates, forms, checklists, and spreadsheets, and Organizer Pro—business software to help you manage your projects, appointments, and contacts.

Unit A

• The World of Wedding Planning: An overview of the duties and responsibilities of a wedding planner, a look at the personality traits and characteristics of successful planners, and a list of basic wedding planning services.

• The Wedding Step-by-Step: A summary of the events that take place before, during, and after the wedding.

• Wedding Roles: A look at the people involved in a wedding, from the bride and groom to the wedding party and important family members. A full description of the responsibilities of each person is included.

• Working with the Wedding Party: Different situations you might encounter with brides, grooms, and attendants during the wedding planning process and tips for how to handle each one.

• Starting Your Own Business: How to register your business and website domain name, how to set up your office, how to build your event planner's kit, and how to write your business plan.

Unit B

• Religious Wedding Variations: A look at the wedding customs and traditions of the largest religious faiths.

• Civil and Cultural Wedding Variations: The basic practices and requirements for a civil marriage ceremony and a detailed examination of cultural wedding customs from around the world.

• Getting Started: Early Planning Tools: A complete wedding planning timeline. Includes planning forms, checklists, and handouts to give to the bridal party.

• The Wedding Budget: How to set the wedding budget, examples of budgets for many different sizes and types of wedding, and tips on how to spend money wisely. Electronic wedding budget templates and examples accompany this lesson on the Business and Planning Templates CD.

• Marketing and Promotion: Detailed descriptions of the different types of wedding planning services you can offer. Includes information on how to price your services, how to advertise your business and develop your marketing materials, and how to find people who need wedding planning services.

Unit C

• Pre-Wedding Parties: Help your clients plan engagement parties, wedding showers, bachelor and bachelorette parties, stag and doe parties, and the rehearsal dinner.

• The Guest List and Wedding Stationery: How to set and manage the guest list, how to select and design wedding stationery, types of wedding stationery, and printing options. Invitation etiquette and wording is also discussed.

• Attire and Aesthetics: Detailed information on how to help your clients select engagement and wedding rings, the bride and groom's attire and accessories, and professional hair and makeup services.

• The Ceremony: A look at various religious and non-religious ceremony venues and the additional challenges of planning outdoor wedding ceremonies. An outline of a typical wedding ceremony, including poetry and readings, music, the marriage vows, and the rehearsal. Wedding flowers, ceremony decorations, and guest seating are also discussed.

• Introduction to Project Management: A look at the five phases of a project: planning, scheduling, controlling, executing, and closing. How to effectively manage delays, changes, and problems.

Unit D

• The Reception: How to evaluate and select the reception location, including information on special event permits and regulations. Choosing the menu, the refreshments, and the wedding cake or dessert. Decorating the reception location and organizing the events/activities. Working with wedding vendors, including caterers, photographers, videographers, and transportation companies.

• After the Wedding: Closing the reception site and transporting the gifts, dress and flower preservation, thank you cards, name changes, and the honeymoon.

• Special Topics: Second marriages, vow renewals, and destination weddings. Tips for planning on short notice and what to do when the wedding is called off.

• Working with Clients and Vendors: A look at the wedding planner's personal skill set, as well as how to sell to potential clients, close deals, conduct consultations, and negotiate with vendors.