So you planned your own wedding and now you want to be a wedding planner?  I totally get it!  This is a common theme among wedding planners and how they get their start.  I am right there with you.  Everything went wrong at my wedding and I didn’t have a planner.  I wanted to make sure that what happened to me on my wedding day NEVER happened to anyone else if I could help it.  Soon after my own wedding I started my career as a planner and I now teach other new and aspiring planners so they don’t have to learn the hard way like I did.

Starting a wedding planning business does not have to be a huge expense.  There are a few things I would invest in from the start to get your business set up the right way.

1. Education: It’s so important to educate yourself from the beginning so you know what you are doing.  So many new planners chose to figure it out as they go, but this is such a huge waste of time.  Do yourself a favor and get the proper education from the start so you can #1 charge your worth and #2 be confident in what you’re selling (yourself).
2. Decide how you will name your business and apply for a business license.
3. Establish your business entity: LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation.  Southern Productions is an LLC.
4. Register your business name with your Secretary of State.
5. Purchase a domain for your website.
6. Design your logo and website or have this done professionally.  If you are on a budget the least expensive option would be to pay someone to design your logo, then purchase a website template from Showit or SquareSpace.  These pre-designed templates are SO very easy to use and they look great too!  I use Showit and love how easy it is for me to edit my website at any time.
   
7. Have a brand photo shoot or at least professional images of you to share on social media and your website.
8. Open a business bank account.  You do not want to use your personal checking account for anything business related.
9. Network with local vendors.  Look for networking events in your area.  Join a Rising Tide Society group if there is a local group in your area (or start one for your town if there’s not!).  Tour local venues so you are familiar with them.  Introduce yourself to vendors in your town in person or by email or snail mail.
10. Plan a styled shoot with local vendors.  This is not something I did in the beginning of my planning career, but I think this would be a great way to get your name out there and would give you the opportunity to work with some local vendors.

xo, Terrica