The best wedding planner courses will prepare you for all facets of wedding planning from basic people skills to negotiating vendor contracts to trouble shooting issues on the big day. There are many different instructional methods for wedding planner courses, and you should choose the one that works best with your budget, learning style, and schedule. As a wedding planner, your job is to orchestrate a complicated event according to the wishes of the bride, groom, and family. You'll have to work with a budget, vendor contracts, color schemes, bridal showers and other parties, and oversee every aspect of the day. If an issue arises, you will be the go-to person for its resolution.
The best wedding planner courses will give you practical and useful advice for running your business. They will include information on presenting yourself to clients, conducting client interviews, creating a contract for your services, and marketing your skills. In a face to face course, you should have many opportunities to practice your interpersonal skills through role playing and other projects since the majority of your job as a wedding planner will be working with people.
You should also receive extensive training in the behind the scenes work of the wedding. This includes finding the right vendors and negotiating their fees and contracts. A good wedding planner course will also develop your aesthetic skills and knowledge of etiquette so that you can advise the bride, groom, and family as the need arises.
Typically, video and online courses are less expensive than traditional face-to-face courses or private instruction. Both video and online methods offer a great deal of flexibility. You will be able to work at your own pace, review concepts, and complete the course at home.
The disadvantage of online and video courses is that you do not have immediate instructor feedback. You will probably find that you have questions that haven't been answered during the course. While an online course may have an instructor available, it may only be through email or chat. You may be unsuccessful with an online or video course if you are not self-motivating and able to work on your own.
Traditional classes are offered at educational institutes. Typically, they meet once or twice a week for two to four hours for 16 weeks. These classes cover the same material as video and online classes and offer an interpersonal component. You will be able to interact with your instructor and classmates, practice your people skills, and gain valuable insight from your instructor for your specific situation.
A face-to-face class is the best choice for individuals who have extra time and need external motivation to complete their work. The schedule of classes plus the regular assessments from the instructor will provide the momentum necessary for completion. A traditional course is also a good choice for the individual who finds interaction with other people stimulating.