Not everyone wants to be J.Lo in The Wedding Planner...Here’s why not every planner loves weddings.

We know you love a wedding, right? Who doesn’t…food, drinks, dancing, cake, friends and oh yeah….love. But, when you think about becoming a wedding planner are you sure you are getting into it for the right reason?

Wedding planning is the most glorified event planning specialty. I mean…have you ever seen a Blockbuster movie about a Non-Profit Event Planner? Probably not, but if you’re reading this I bet you’ve swooned over Matthew McConaughey half a dozen times when he saves J. Lo on that runaway horse. Us too!

Wedding planning looks glamorous and it certainly can be. But it requires grit and comes with its own share of challenges. Trust us when we tell you…it is NOT for everyone.

Are your event planning skills a match for weddings?

Wedding planners must have a very delicate touch with communication. While this is a skill that can come in handy with clients for all types of events, it is especially crucial when you are talking about someone’s BIG DAY. Emotions run unchecked and you need to have a savvy nature to settle a brides nerves, stop Aunt Peggy from picking a fit with Aunt Sue and ease the groomsmen away from the shots. The level of patience and compassion required is not mastered by everyone and you should be really honest with yourself here.

Do you love the idea of planning weddings or your wedding?

If you spent the last 25 years planning every detail of your wedding and you’re just waiting on the right someone to complete your storybook OR if you found executing the details of your or your sorority sister’s wedding ‘so much fun!’….then we are talking to YOU.

Sometimes these are the magical story beginnings of a great wedding planner, but more often than not, people realize that they love creating and designing exceptional experiences for themselves or their best friend/sister/cousins and cannot find that same passion when they do it for a client. The good news is you can always be the go-to-gal for coordinating the nuptials of people you know, but if you are going to make this your career you need to be certain that your passion for the job is not dependent on your intimate relationship with the couple.

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So maybe you got to this point and you’re thinking, “Well, geez, maybe wedding planning isn’t for me? What do I do now?”. Good news! There are tons of other event planning specialties for you to explore. From planning private parties in intimate settings, to billion dollar festivals, events come in all shapes and sizes. They require planners who are creative, driven and detailed – just like you! Here is short list of some of the options out there.

Non-Profit Event Coordinating – requiring expert skills in securing donations (aka Donor Relations) and widdling down expenses to fit within budgets (aka Cost Negotiations).

Corporate Event Planning – creating company-wide experiences for up to thousands of colleagues.

HR Event Coordinating – focusing on in-house team building and morale initiatives (i.e. company-wide Field Days, in-office trainings and team intensives).

Event Production & Operation Coordinating – for those interested in the large scale activations and logistics coordination…like if you’ve ever found yourself wondering the BTS details on the massive stages at festivals.

Private Events & Party Planning – creating intimate experiences for personal celebrations like baby showers, retirement parties and more.

Meetings and Conferences Planning – hiring planners detailed in tracking and creating flawless procedural systems…a plus if you are already a master at organizing a table of hundreds of nametags.

Brand Trade Show Planning – for those that love getting face to face with a consumer and creating unique interactions, requiring a skilled understanding of how customers think, feel and act.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenna Thompson

Jenna is a mountain based Yogi with a love for veggie focused foods. When she's not in Warrior Pose you can find her spending time with her Avalanche Rescue Dog Luna with a Matcha Latte in hand!

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