I get a lot of questions about wedding planning and bridal consultant certification courses. You don't need a certification to be a wedding planner in the United States or many other countries. Most brides look first for wedding planners who have had experience planning the type of weddings that they want and who have a network of high-quality vendors.
But if you want to enroll in either an online or offline certification program, here are 8 questions you need to ask before you invest your time, energy and sometimes well over a thousand dollars of your money:
1) Are you ready to commit to attending classes or do you have the self-discipline and motivation it takes to complete online or home study training?
Before you do anything else, decide if you will take the time to complete a certification course. You will need to get to classes, work on online projects, read chapters in books, do homework and take tests. You probably already have work and family commitments so be sure you can take the time to commit to this also.
Doing classes online might be an advantage for you if your schedule is unpredictable, because you can complete the work according to your own schedule. Just make sure you can finish the course within the allotted time, usually six months.
2) Is the course by a reputable school or wedding planner and bridal consultant association?
In the United States, there are online and home study wedding planner schools that are accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), a legitimate accrediting agency which is recognized by the Council for Higher Education and the US Department of Education. However, that doesn't mean that any of the courses will be approved by your local colleges if you are also trying to get a regular degree. Check first, if this is important to you.
Other online and home study courses are offered by wedding and event planner and bridal consultant associations and although they may not carry accreditation, many are well respected in the industry.
You'll find offline programs offered by colleges and experienced professional wedding planners. Some local colleges have partnerships with online schools and you get a combination offline and online education.
Find a few schools and courses that interest you then do some research and investigation. Call and ask questions and get references. Google the school or course names and look for testimonials and complaints.
Caution - be careful when doing research, some names of wedding planner schools and associations are very similar. Make sure you are getting information on the correct one.
3) Who are the instructors?
You want instructors who are or have been wedding and event planners or are in the industry, for example, florists and caterers, who might give special training in their areas of expertise.
4) What level of support do they offer to you?
If you are someone who likes to ask a lot of questions and you are thinking of taking an online or home study course, find out if the program allows you access to an instructor or professional wedding planner when you want help. If not, check sites such as Facebook to see if there are any active online forums with students who offer each other support during the learning process.
5) Does the course cover the subjects that you need?
Some wedding planning courses are specific to one area of wedding planning, such as design or green weddings. Or, I've seen courses that include classes not only about planning weddings but also children's parties, sweet sixteen parties, almost any celebration you could name. Read course descriptions carefully and take notes to compare one to another. Make sure you will be getting the education that you want.
6) Do they offer hands-on experience, internships, and apprenticeships or support you after you have received your certificate?
Both offline and online courses with ties to local professional wedding planners may offer the opportunity for you to get experience. Wedding planner associations may give you membership after you complete your course so you can take advantage of some of their member benefits and attend their conferences.
7) Does it have a payment plan?
This might be a deciding factor for you. Some schools allow you to make payments as you complete the course, others may ask for your investment upfront.
8) Do they have a refund policy?
Find out if they allow you to change your mind after you have enrolled. Some may allow you to do it within a short period of time, if you have not yet utilized any class materials.
There are no regulations regarding wedding planning certification courses. Decide the type of training that you want to receive then take the time to do thorough research before you make your investment. And, don't forget, a certification is not a substitute for experience.
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