Wedding Planner and Events Management Diploma

Weddings in the UK are big business – the industry itself is worth over £4 billion annually, the average wedding costs over £20,000 and brides take approximately 250 hours to plan their dream day.  However, a combination of the need to get the best for their money, the desire to put together a spectacular day and the ‘money rich, time poor’ society that we live in means that more and more couples are turning to wedding planners to help them put together their wedding for them.

The wedding planner can be involved at various levels in a wedding day – from planning and preparing every single aspect of the event to simply finding one supplier or being there on the day to manage everything.  The most success wedding planners have a huge knowledge of weddings and trends but also of business management.

This course is designed for those wishing to pursue a career as a wedding planner or a wedding planner’s assistant, either on a sole trader basis or as part of a larger wedding planning organisation.

This is a 12 unit course which encompasses a variety of wedding planning and events management subject areas.  For example; the function of a wedding planner, wedding ceremony venue selection, preparation of overseas weddings, themed weddings, planning of goods and services and setting up a home based wedding planning business.

This course is written to give those interested in entering the wedding planning and events management industry (or indeed those already in it) a full and detailed look at the numerous tasks and roles a wedding planner can be asked to perform whilst also learning how to start a wedding planning business.

Unit 1 – The Wedding Planner Role

By the end of this unit the learner will be able to:

• Describe the key personal skills required to operate as a wedding planner.
• Discuss the ways in which the wedding planner can build good relationships with clients.
• Describe the ways in which good communication can be carried out with clients.
• Explain the essential facets of customer service that a wedding planner should adhere to.

Unit 2 – Church Weddings, Civil Ceremonies and Civil Partnerships

By the end of this unit the learner will be able to:

• Describe the process for organising a church wedding.
• Explain the civil ceremony process.
• Describe the organisation required for co-ordinating a civil partnership ceremony.
• Explain the process for ascertaining which is the most appropriate type of wedding ceremony for clients.

Unit 3 – Preparing a Wedding Overseas

By the end of this unit the learner will be able to:

• Describe the elements required to plan an overseas wedding.
• Discuss the potential hazards involved in organising a wedding overseas.
• Identify and describe the different types of overseas wedding packages available.
• Discuss the various types of marriage laws that may be encountered when planning an overseas wedding.

Unit 4 - Preparing a Themed Wedding

By the end of this unit the learner will be able to:

• Explain the ways in which a wedding planner can work with clients to design the perfect wedding theme.
• Describe the process for identifying the most appropriate suppliers of goods and services.
• Describe the issues that may need to be taken into consideration when planning a themed wedding.
• Describe the different types of unusual wedding locations that may need to be sourced.

Unit 5 – Planning of Goods and Services Required

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Describe the various considerations required when purchasing wedding party outfits.
• Discuss the different types of flower arrangements that may be required for the various types of weddings that may need to be planned.
• Describe the different types of entertainment that a wedding planner may be required to source.
• Identify and describe the additional items that may be required to be planned for a wedding.

Unit 6 – Setting up a Home Based Wedding Planning Business

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Discuss the process for setting up a home based wedding planning business.
• Identify and describe the necessary financial documentation required for a small business.
• Describe the strategies that can be used to market a wedding planning business.
• Identify and describe the various pieces of legislation that a wedding planner may need to abide by.

Unit 7 – Getting to know your employees

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Explore the personal characteristics that are relevant to event management.
• Discuss the concept of Employment Value Exchange.
• Identify the fundamental personal characteristic indicators.
• Introduce employment behaviour preferences.

Unit 8 – An overview of event management

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Introduce the concept of event management on a general level.
• Explore the functions of event management.
• Identify the human relations skills associated with event management.
• Discuss the characteristics of a successfully planned event.

Unit 9 – Planning in event management

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Identify the types of planning required by event managers.
• Examine the framework that is used to build all planning.
• Introduce the importance of the planning model.
• Explore the characteristics of the planning process.

Unit 10 – Human relations

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Examine an awareness of human relations relating to management functions.
• Identify the management functions of an event manager.
• Introduce a working model for human relations in event management.

Unit 11 – Catering and food services

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Explore the general planning process for Catering, Food and Beverage administration.
• Investigate the role of the event manager.
• Identify the factors that should be considered when planning a menu.
• Describe the importance of alcohol and beverage planning.

Unit 12 – A career in the field of event management

By the end of the unit the learner will be able to:

• Summarise the inter-connectivity between the five functions of event management.   
• Analyse the considerations for the event planning process.
• Identify the personal characteristics that are required to succeed in the field of event management.