Article: The truth about Planners

The below text was sent to me via email from the Australian Academy of Wedding & Event Planning.

I thought it gave a good overview of the industry in general.

So even if your not interested in studying events this general information may be able to help you (the potential client) get to know who you should engage for what.

I personally refer to my job title as an “Event Producer” from the concept to the delivery of an event.

The truth about Planners

Wedding...Planner, Consultant, Coordinator, Designer
Bridal...Consultant
Event...Planner, Designer

Excetera?

There are differences, believe it or not, so before you enrol on a course, you need to spend some time thinking about what services you want to offer to your clients.

Most of these titles are used interchangeably in the industry, depending on preference but for the purpose of this newsletter, I will stick to definitions of these titles. Others may disagree but this is how I see them based on my experience.

A wedding planner is someone who will plan weddings from start to finish. They will help their clients choose a venue, suppliers and any other elements for a wedding. They will also coordinate all the details of the rehearsal and wedding day as well as any other party & rsvp’s pre and post wedding.

On the day of the wedding they will be the eyes and ears as all the pieces are put into place before ceremony. During the ceremony and reception they will be the director of traffic to ensure a wonderful event.

A wedding consultant is someone who gives advice to the wedding couple and their families. Etiquette, religious and cultural requirements, budgets, fashion, decor etc., are some of the subjects a consultant will provide information on as a service.

A wedding coordinator comes into the picture usually after the venue and suppliers have been hired. If there are any suppliers left to hire, they will provide pre-qualified suppliers for their clients to hire on their own.

A coordinator will usually begin working with a couple 4-6 weeks out from the wedding day and will also provide email and phone support during that time. Time lines, production schedules and other wrap up duties are also provided with this service.

A wedding designer is someone who will design and execute an overall look for your wedding. Some designers will also plan, consult and coordinate but more often than not, they will limit their services to design and decor.

A bridal consultant is a title that isn't used as much anymore in describing a professional that performs the tasks listed above. These days a bridal consultant is usually someone who works in a bridal shop and helps the bride and the bridal party with their wedding day attire. (Bridal Consultant is the official title designation for members of the Association of Bridal Consultants. Many of the members call themselves wedding planner, consultant or coordinator when among the general industry population)

And finally... An event planner or designer is all of the above, but does other events AS WELL AS weddings. So you see there are many, many choices when choosing a title for yourself. Again, these terms are generally used interchangeably throughout the industry. It's the service you provide that matters the most.

For more information on the Australian Academy of Wedding & Event Planning visit http://www.aawep.com.au.