| Wedding consultants are making fairy tales come | | | | promises that you can be ready to work at |
| true, now more than ever. According to Gerard | | | | home as a wedding and event planner in as little |
| Monaghan, President of the Association of Bridal | | | | as four months. You’ll be taught to negotiate |
| Consultants, there are about 10,000 wedding | | | | the best prices for yourself and your clients, as |
| consultant businesses nationally, although it’s | | | | you organize everything from weddings to |
| hard to find an exact number. One out of every | | | | intimate family gatherings to huge dinner parties |
| eight retail dollars is spent on wedding-related | | | | for hundreds of guests. They’ll even show |
| products and services according to Monaghan. | | | | you how to set up and start your own |
| Individuals have several avenues to choose from | | | | home-based business as soon as you graduate. |
| in order to enter the field of event planning. | | | | International Wedding & Event Planning Institute |
| According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, | | | | offers both weekend and correspondence |
| many planners are promoted to the position after | | | | courses. All IWEPI instructors are known leaders |
| successfully working as an administrative assistant. | | | | in the event and wedding planning industry with |
| The bureau notes that most event-planning | | | | broad experience in the field. Occasionally guest |
| training occurs on the job, regardless of the | | | | instructors are invited to speak to students about |
| individual’s education background or work | | | | specialist areas. The benefits are: |
| experience. | | | | IWEPI courses will lead to a higher level of |
| The Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality at Georgia | | | | understanding of the wedding and events industry |
| State University is ranked among the top 25 | | | | Students can make better decisions about |
| hospitality programs in the nation, and is the | | | | the direction of their future career, as the |
| perfect launch pad for your career in wedding | | | | courses give valuable insight into the many |
| consulting/event planning. The curriculum helps | | | | different areas of event planning |
| prepare you for either an entrepreneurial or | | | | Setting up meetings, trade shows, and special |
| corporate career. | | | | events backed by companies, non-profits, and |
| An online training option is the Institute of Event | | | | other organizations is a $100-billion a year industry. |
| Planning. Operational since 1998, the Institute | | | | Event planner/wedding consultant may be the job |
| serves the needs of people who are or want to | | | | title you have been looking for if you are in |
| become event planners. The instructors are | | | | search of a profession that is stimulating, |
| full-time event planners, and they bring on-the-job | | | | worthwhile, and challenging. Whether you work in |
| experience to the course. From its lessons and | | | | health care, non-profit, a government agency, |
| subscriptions, to lectures and published material, | | | | public corporation or privately held business, if you |
| the Institute is completely financed by its | | | | are in charge of organizing meetings a certificate |
| members. | | | | program in event planning will give you new skills |
| Another option is the US Career Institute, which | | | | to work more competently. |