How I Found my Dream Job as a Wedding Planner
Today I’m sharing the story to the question I get asked most often: “how did you become a wedding planner?”
Growing up I was one of those girls who was obsessed with weddings. My obsession, however, had nothing to do with prince charming; it was about the wedding dress, the flowers, and the design of the day. I’d imagine and create different weddings depending on the seasons, different colours, and themes. I loved to plan out the whole day and I’d often sketch engagement ring and wedding dress designs (in fact, one of my earliest career ideas was to be a bridal wear designer).
As I grew up I put those passions aside to pursue a career in legal administration. After working in the legal field for a few years, I realised that while I loved the planning, logistics, and organizational aspects of my job, I missed tapping into my creative side on a regular basis. I sometimes planned birthday parties, bridal showers, and baby showers for family and friends, and really enjoyed that. I started to think about what the next chapter of my career could be over the course of several months and then it hit me as I attended my brother in law’s wedding.
He and his bride are some of the hardest working people I know and they paid for their wedding day entirely themselves by saving up over a few years. The location they chose came with a venue coordinator who was supposed to assist them in ensuring the day went smoothly. Unfortunately, the coordinator who they originally met with quit shortly after they signed their contract and put down a hefty deposit, so they were stuck with a new coordinator. This new coordinator gave them a lot of headache leading up to the wedding and they knew they could not rely on her. What they did not expect however, was for her to entirely skip set up, arrive late and intoxicated, and then leave shortly after and put the bartender in charge for the night. I’m happy to say that their wedding party members rallied to pick up the slack where they could and they did not let this one person ruin their day.
When I realised what was going on, I was outraged. This couple deserved so much better from this ‘coordinator’ and from the venue. I thought to myself: “I could have planned this for them!” and had my eureka moment. It was as if I could see a lightbulb hanging over my head. I’ve had some pretty strong intuitive moments in my life that have never led me astray, so I knew this was the answer I had been searching for.
I researched wedding planning and how to become a planner, and I found The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC). They are Canada’s only licensed institute and they are the only body to regulate their members – meaning someone can be stripped of their title if they act unethically (much like a lawyer or doctor can lose their licence). I immediately signed up for their certification course and once I became a certified wedding planner, I spent the next 6 months assisting other planners at their events to gain further insight into the industry.
Although it’s been challenging at times, I have loved every single moment of my journey and know that I have found a truly fulfilling career, helping other couples bring their dream day to life. I would be so thrilled and honoured to be a part of the most important day of your relationship.