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Training Overview

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Before we all switch our phones off and shut down our computers we thought it was a good idea to remind you of the training courses taking place in the New Year.

Our training courses will be starting again from February.

We believe the most successful way to learn a new skill is by interacting with likeminded individuals which is why we only run classroom based training. Held at locations throughout the UK there should be a date and location convenient for you. We are registered by the UK Government’s Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP). We have a brochure which is available to download via our website .

Business Practicalities

This course is aimed at those wishing to start their own business. Primarily your research and marketing before moving onto the type of services you wish to offer and how to decide what to charge. We take you through the basics of PR and why this is so important for small businesses. One element that is always popular is the mock consultations we undertake with the students, this gives students the chance to understand how important it is to ask the right questions in a consultation. And finally we go through how to produce your proposal.

18/19 February in Northamptonshire / 21/22 April in Central London

Step by Step

This course literally teaches you how to plan a wedding from the moment you have been hired. We go through how to create a client budget and work out what % of the budget should go on certain areas. We advise how to create payment plans for clients and what to do if you have a client bank account. We show you examples of the different ceremonies in the UK and how etiquette plays a part in today’s weddings, albeit in a modern way. Then its time to discuss suppliers from how to find them to what questions to ask. The final part of the weekend takes you through the day from the ceremony up until the evening entertainment.

24/25 March in Northamptonshire & 19/20 May in Central London

Price

We have decided to keep the course price the same as it has been this year at £599. This includes your course notes, CD templates and some books. More information can be found via here

Photo Credits: Lloyd Dobbie

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Training and Using Your Talents

Monday, November 21st, 2011

On 15 and 16 October I trained an inspiring group of ladies all looking to enter the wedding planning industry. Although I’m the tutor I always learn or reaffirm something from every course which is wonderful.

It was fantastic to welcome back 3 UKAWP students who had done our Business Practicalities course previously and are ready to launch after completing this Step by Step training. It was also really great to welcome new students onto the course and what struck me most was the diversity of talent we have entering the wedding planning industry. One student comes from an interior design background, another is an event florist, another an experienced wedding photographer. Now you may well ask, why are these ladies wanting to enter wedding planning too? Everyone has a different focus, motivation and plan but mostly these ladies love the wedding industry they have already seen, recognise that they have talents for the planning and design side and want to tap into them. And good for them.

Although many of our UKAWP member wedding planners focus full time on planning, that doesn’t suit everyone and in these days of flexibility how marvellous that many are choosing to combine multiple and often complementary talents to make a working lifestyle that suits them. We don’t all have to follow the 9-5 plan.

A few planners we know who do this marvelously are:

Liz from Simply Elegant who is a balloon artist as well as running her planning business

Melanie from Cranberry Blue Weddings who offers a bespoke table plan design service.

Both of the ladies above were contributors to our successful The Wedding Sanctuary bridal event which will return in autumn 2012.

Then there is Helen from Bespoken Dreams who is a clever wordsmith and offers a “We Heart PR” service to those in the industry seeking to improve their PR presence so do have a look if you need help on that side of things.

And then we know a range of planners who whilst they don’t formally practice other careers, have very useful backgrounds in law, finance, marketing, PR and design. We really are rather a diverse and talented bunch if we say so ourselves!

Do you combine wedding planning with another business pursuit? Or do you find that wedding planning is more than enough of a day job?

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New UKAWP service - Webinar launch

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

UKAWP are delighted to announce a brand new webinar training service.

The webinars will be a combination of topics designed for new planners and for more advanced learning by already established planners. We hope that the flexibility of being able to join a webinar online will appeal to many who cannot travel easily to other training we organise or have missed a previous session.

The topics will include certain key sections of our highly popular face to face Business Practicalities and Step by Step programmes although are by no means a replacement for the face to face learning on our two-day courses. Not all topics in BP and SBS will feature. Initially we are launching one webinar during 2011 and we hope that a series will follow during 2012.

Details below are for our first webinar which we hope you can join. Ideal for candidates considering entering the wedding planning industry who have not conducted any formal training as yet and want to get started with their planning business.

Title: ‘Marketing your Wedding Planning Business including the importance of your website’

Tutor: Bernadette Chapman, UKAWP Director

Date: Weds 30 November

Time: 6pm-7pm

Cost: £60

How to book your place: go to our booking form here

Technical details: you will need internet access with speakers and will be sent an event invitation which will require you to set up a password. At the relevant webinar time you will need to log in. You will be able to hear the tutor deliver the session as well as be able to see a slide presentation on screen. You will be able to ask questions online via a chat page. Further notes will be posted to you also.

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UK Wedding Planners’ Mixing and Mingling!

Monday, November 7th, 2011

Today I’m writing on the recent Mix and Mingle Events which took place on 20 October across the country. We were rather ambitious in our plans to get wedding planners together across various regions of the country on the same night and were delighted with the results.

We had over 35 planners attend the largest London event with smaller, but equally successful, events in the Midlands and Cheshire taking place on the same night. The format of the evenings were informal and an opportunity for wedding planners (many of whom work alone) to get together with others running the same kind of business in their area. Whilst many of our UKAWP members regularly network with each other and meet at lots of our events, we welcomed lots of recent students, newcomers to the industry as well as more established planners who wanted to get to know their industry colleagues.

UKAWP Directors Brief Welcome

Planners dig into delicious bowl food by BMA House

Venue showround

Fragranced champagne candles by Sandy Bay

Wedding planners catch up on the summer season

Wedding planners in Cheshire at their mix and mingle

And the Cheshire planners were treated to goody bags by Molton Brown

Our enormous thanks to all of the venues who so kindly agreed to host us. In London we were welcomed by BMA House (where most of the above photos were taken), in Cheshire at Doubletree by Hilton and in the Midlands at Hampton Manor.

Also thanks to Sandy Bay London and Molton Brown for their wonderful goody bags as well as the ever-fabulous Lloyd Dobbie Photography for capturing images from the London event.

The below comment from one of our guests sums up the ethos of UKAWP we feel -

‘I wanted to write to say thank you for organising such a lovely evening. It was a real pleasure to meet new and established planners who shared their experience and knowledge. Being new, I felt slightly apprehensive about the idea of meeting so many lovely ladies who would probably have so much to say about their businesses while I had relatively nothing to say. I was so pleased to notice, however, that everyone was exceptionally friendly and helpful!’

Future events - Our annual social event will return next autumn 2012. In the meantime do look at our Events page for more on upcoming seminars, workshops, training and learning opportunities with UKAWP, whatever stage of business you’re at.

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Business Practicalities last chance!

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

The UKAWP are well known for our in depth and honest training courses for those wishing to become wedding planners. With so many training schools out there it can be hard to know which one is right for you. We believe the most successful way to learn a new skill is by interacting with likeminded individuals. We are registered by the UK Government’s Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP).

All tutors are full time wedding planners so can teach you honestly about the industry, giving tips on what works and what doesn’t.

The support we give you doesn’t stop with our courses as we hold regular events throughout the year including an annual seminar, educational workshops and social evenings. The UKAWP are very much a community and this is why our courses are so popular.

What training courses do we offer?

‘Business Practicalities’ is recommended for those thinking of becoming a planner or to newly launched companies. It goes through the practical elements of how to conduct your research and how to ensure you launch successfully. It reiterates that this is a business and should be treated as such.

‘Step by Step’ is designed to help students understand the process of planning a wedding day to day. We run through the moment you are hired until the wedding day itself.

What is the cost?

£599

What is included?

Full lunch & refreshments on both days

Concise bound notes to take away

Certificate of attendance

Logo to use on future marketing material

CD of useful templates

Do your own PR workbook (BP) Flower Handbook (SBS)

Don’t just take our word for it

“I just wanted to say a massive thank you for two fantastic training weekends. I’ve learnt so much, it’s insightful to hear from real wedding planners, you give answers to all my questions and have given me the confidence to launch my own business. Looking forward to staying in touch.” Gemma Foster

” Thoroughly professional and inspirational, a perfectly sized group” Susan Leverick

”it exceeded my expectations as it allowed us to address any concerns about weddings and ask questions specific to what we are doing.” Alexandra Moseley

Warning!

The last Business Practicalities for 2011 is this weekend, if you miss this date you’ll have to wait until March 2011.

Step by Step

19th & 20th Nov - Leeds

3rd & 4th Dec - Northamptonshire

To download our brochure or complete the booking form please go to our training page.

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I am an orange!

Monday, October 24th, 2011

One of our members Aimee Dunne sent us the wonderful article detailing her thoughts on the business of wedding planning, we hope you like it.

As a wedding planner I come across many wedding blogs; most of which I read for inspiration and to keep up with trends. However, I recently came across The Business of Being Creative blog and while it isn’t filled with pretty pictures of cakes and dresses, it inspires me in a different way. The blog is written by Sean Low and offers practical business advice for those in the business of being creative.

I recently read a post on Competition which I thought was particularly thought provoking and worth sharing. Most of us in the wedding industry are here because we want to be creative, be it wedding planners like myself, to florists, lighting, or stationery companies. This is great, and it is often the main reason we have set up our own businesses, but at the same time we are faced with the challenge that we are running a business and we need to balance this with our passion and love of what we do.

The blog post on Competition talks about how we are faced with looking at our business competitors whilst also maintaining our creativity. There are many other wedding planners out there, and as I’m relatively new to the industry I have to admit I do find myself comparing my business to others; sometimes this is good and sometimes it is nothing but a distraction. I come from a banking background, many years spent studying business and working in the City, and by nature I know I need to understand and learn from my competition. This is particularly true when first setting a business up and learning about the industry and what is ‘typical’ practice and ‘expected’ by clients. However, this article talks about the fact that competition will always be there and if we all strive to be like our competitors, albeit just better than them, then we are losing what makes us individual. I love this and whole heartedly agree. I set my business up out of a passion; I offer something individual that only I can offer, that’s why I called my business by my name!

Of course I need to learn from competition and be aware of the industry and that’s why I love being a member of the UKAWP as we have a Code of Business Practice and planners learn from each other; but I should never forget what makes me individual and that what I’m selling to my clients is what only I offer. Yes, I would like to be an an orange; not another apple among all the other apples!

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Business Practicalities Course

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

I spent this weekend training a delightful bunch of ladies in London, from all over the UK.

It was great to see how well everyone interacted and to discuss the similarities and differences between geographic areas and target audiences.

If you are interested in training with us, we have a number of courses across the country in the next three months, some of which still have availability.

It never ceases to amaze me the variety of backgrounds and previous work and life experience our students have, each providing a different start point and approach to wedding planning.

Good Luck to those students who are about to launch their businesses!

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What you’ll really learn - new wedding planner training

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

We like top tens here at UKAWP. It’s obviously the love of ” to do lists” which a top ten sort of feels like. We couldn’t help sharing with you 10 things that we know you’ll learn if you join us on our Business Practicalities Training Course for individuals looking to enter our lovely industry.

After two days with us you’ll know:

How many jobs a good wedding planner really works on per year
How the client relationship really works
What prices you should charge and what services to offer
How to get started in a very practical way - what you actually need to do (and it’s not tasting champagne or meeting dress designers)
Your first year of marketing spend - what to focus on
What materials you actually need and what’s a waste
Pitfalls and problems you encounter in dealing with the emotions of weddings
How long it takes to get up and running and turning a profit
How different your industry colleagues are and the importance of a unique selling point
The importance of ongoing education, industry friends and boundless energy!

Of course there is much more besides that we cover in our highly practical, intensive two-day course. For the full course brochure including dates and costs please take a look here.

And if you’d like to speak to one of the course tutors in advance, please contact Bernadette, our training director on bernadette@ukawp.com or 01376 561544.

We only have a couple of places left on our London course on 10/11 September so please book soon if you’re keen.

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Wedding planners Mix and Mingle - Booking Open

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

It is with much pleasure that we announce our fabulous and varied host venues for the wedding planners Mix and Mingle night this autumn and open bookings. Numbers are limited within each venue so please book early to avoid disappointment.

All events run simultaneously as follows:

Thursday 20 October

6.30pm-9.00pm (please come for a short while or stay for the duration)

Format: informal drinks and canapés; each individual venue will be adding their own personal touches

The only exception to this is the Yorkshire event which will run on Wednesday 19 October from 6.30-9.00pm.

London

Hosted by BMA House

Organised by Kelly, UK Alliance of Wedding Planners

New Forest/South Coast

Hosted by Chewton Glen

Organised by Suzanne, RSVP Wedding

Midlands

Hosted by Hampton Manor

Organised by Carmen, Carmen Weddings

Cheshire

Hosted by Doubletree by Hilton Chester

Organised by Caroline, Pomp and Ceremony Planning

Yorkshire

Hosted by Cedar Court Grand

Organised by Nikki, I Do Designer Weddings

Scotland

Hosted by Blythswood Square

Organised by Louise, Louise MacPherson Wedding Design

Tickets for all events are priced at £10 for members of UKAWP and £15 for non-members. All independent planners (established and new) are welcome for an evening for fun, ideas sharing and camaraderie within our very unique slice of the wedding industry. There will be opportunities to view each of the wonderful venues who have kindly agreed to be our hosts for the evening and meet their in-house teams.

To book your place, please follow this link http://www.ukawp.com/booking-form-mix-mingle.php

We can’t wait to see you there!

Photo credit: www.lloyddobbie.com

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Autumn Training Dates now released

Monday, July 11th, 2011

The UKAWP are well known for our in depth and honest training courses for those wishing to become wedding planners. With so many training schools out there it can be hard to know which one is right for you. We believe the most successful way to learn a new skill is by interacting with likeminded individuals which is why we only run classroom based training. Held at locations throughout the UK there should be a date and location convenient for you. Our courses are very business focussed and highly practical, in essence we teach you what is important in order to succeed as a planner in today’s competitive market. We are registered by the UK Government’s Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP).