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Summer/Autumn dates now released!

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

We are delighted to announce new dates for our summer/autumn training courses AND with a brand new location of Gloucestershire in November.

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 about 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.

Bigger & Better

We believe it is our responsibility to give you the latest information relating to the wedding planning industry which is why the course content has been updated to make it even better for future students.

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.

 

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

What is the cost?

£599 or £1,078 if booking both courses

Earlybird Offer

Students booking the course 8 weeks in advance will receive a bonus booklet of discount vouchers to use on future UKAWP services.

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)

How to register

To register please complete our booking form which will then take you to the payment page

Recent Feedback

Thank you! Really helpful & inspired me to get going! Jeni Crabb – April 2012

Everything was amazing thank you. Matthew Hiscutt April 2012

 

 

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Great course over the weekend

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

Kelly and Sandy, ably assisted by the ever energetic Isabel Smith, had a great weekend course training 11 delightful students.

As ever we were thrilled not only to see the dedication of a lovely bunch of new planners, but also how well everyone got on/ hopes to collaborate etc.

Good luck to all who plan to launch soon – we look forward to seeing you again at one of our upcoming courses and/ or other events.

 

 

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Spring Training Courses – last chance!

Friday, April 6th, 2012

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 about what works and what doesn’t.

Directors of UKAWP and course tutors

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 from the moment you are hired until the wedding day itself.

step-by-step-show-round

What is the cost?

£599 or £539 if booking both courses

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)

ukawp-classroom

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

“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

“Excellent course. Plenty of time & opportunity to ask questions. Didn’t feel at all rushed” Karen Walker (Nov 2011)

“This is a fantastic course and I am convinced I want to launch in 2012″ Josie Orchard (Nov 2011)

Student taking notes
Warning!

We have just 1 space remaining on Business Practicalities 21st-22nd April and 4 spaces on Step by Step 19th & 20th May. These are the last courses until September.
To download our brochure or complete the booking form please go to our training page.

Photo Credit: Lloyd Dobbie

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WPE ’12 overview – Part 1

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

 

Seminar overview on WPE ’12 – Part 1

On the 2nd & 3rd March we held our 4th annual seminar for wedding planners at the beautiful 51 Buckingham Gate http://www.51-buckinghamgate.com/in central London. This annual seminar gives planners a chance to take a few days away from the office to not only catch up with friends and fellow colleagues, but also to learn from some inspiring speakers. This year we had 31 planners in total attending WPE which was fantastic.

wpe12-registration

Testimonials

Isabel Smith – “A bargain price for all the inspiration and motivation I need for the year!”

wpe12-planners-laughing

Nicola Jones – “Fantastic session, really enjoyed it and learnt a lot”

Catherine Sullivan – “very informative and a good chance to meet people

wpe12-planners

Laura Jayne – “Just wanted to say that I had a really brilliant time this weekend. I especially enjoyed Whitney’s and Lloyd’s presentations. I’ve now got an even bigger to do list, but that was always the point! There was lots of information I can refer back to and the evening was also a massive success! Thanks for all your hard work making it happen.”

Caroline Gould “My head of full of great ideas for taking my business forward and I feel inspired and empowered to get on with it”

wpe12-planners-listening

Speakers

We couldn’t hold WPE without the dedication and enthusiasm of our speakers many of whom travelled a great distance (the furthest being California!) just so they could pass on some of their knowledge to the planners.

Cloud 9 http://www.cloud9businessspecialists.co.uk/ray/

Tamsin Fox-Davies http://tamsinfoxdavies.com/

Top Left Design http://www.topleftdesign.com/

Debretts http://www.debretts.co.uk/

TT Tents http://www.tttents.co.uk/

IBarco http://www.ibarco.co.uk/

Lloyd Dobbie http://www.lloyddobbie.com/

Ellie Sanderson Bridal Boutique http://elliesanderson.com/

Event Crystal http://www.eventcrystal.co.uk/planner/home.action

Jules Cardozo-Marsh http://www.julescardozomarsh.com/

Mediterranean Occasions http://www.mediterraneanoccasions.co.uk/

Wish Wonder Dream http://wishwonderdream.com/

Some of the Highlights

The Business Panel – We introduced a business panel this year which included Ray Hutchin, Tamsin Fox-Davies & Keren Lerner. Getting a combined answer to the planner’s questions was incredibly beneficial.

wpe12-business-panel

Ellie Sanderson – The interactive session by Ellie Sanderson was a lot of fun, the planners were split into teams and were asked to create a specific look using the dresses and accessories. 4 planners then acted as the judges to mark on whether they felt the brief was met. It was amazing how varied views were when interpreting a theme.

wpe12-ellie-sanderson-panel

Jules Cardozo-Marsh – this very talented make up artist gave director Bernadette a make over whilst explaining key points to remember when hiring an artist + she gave some fabulous insider make up tips!

wpe12-jules-cardozo-marsh

Whitney Wing Drake – has flown over from the U.S to give her insights into the American wedding planning industry. The planners could have listened to her for hours – if only we had more time.

wpe12-whitney

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UKAWP Business Tools

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

Following many requests by planners, the UKAWP offers a variety of types of support in the form of business tools.

Essentially, business tools are documents, products and services which should be beneficial and helpful to new and established independent wedding planning businesses. There are many templates, procedures and equipment which the founders of UKAWP have had to work their way through and find over the years they have been in business but would like to make it a little easier and more straightforward in the future. We are keen to develop more services and products over time so do let us know what you are missing and we will certainly consider what we might be able to put together.

In the meantime, a reminder of what is currently available:

Terms & Conditions/Business Contract @ £140

Business Mentoring Service @ £500 per year
(10% discount for signing up within 6 months of attending a Business Practicalities or Step by Step training course)

Business Support Hotline @ £60 per hour 

Freelance Staff Contract @ £115

For full terms & conditions, more information, or to purchase any of these tools, visit our Business Tools Page or contact Bernadette Chapman, Training Director on 01376 561544 or bernadette@ukawp.com

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Last chance to book…

Monday, February 6th, 2012

We just wanted to remind you about 2 events we have this week.

 

Wednesday 8th February 2012

Webinar for beginners on ‘The basics of organising a marquee reception’’

This webinar will cover the basics of organising a marquee reception, this is based on the presentation Bernadette gave at WPE ’11 and will be highly beneficial for those unsure of the logistics involved in organising a marquee event.

Title: ‘The basics of organising a marquee reception’
Tutor: Bernadette Chapman, UKAWP Director
Date: Wednesday 8th February 2012
Time: 6pm-7pm
Cost: £60

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. 

Thursday 9th February 2012

“Blogging for Business” Northern Workshop

brides-up-north

 

We are delighted to announce a collaboration with Julia Braime, the owner and editor of one of the UK’s top bridal blogs, Brides Up North ®. which receives upwards of 25,000 hits per month (95% of which are from the North of the UK), over 4,000 Twitter followers and nearly 8,000 subscribers.

 

Brides Up North

In her “Blogging for Business” workshop, Julia will share her top tips for creating and maintaining a successful business blog in any business sector, with a particular focus on the wedding industry. In this interactive session, devoid of “geek speak” and specifically geared to generate results for your business, Julia will focus on:

 

- Blogging for Business: Do you need a blog?
- Geek Chic: The technical side made easy.
- Writers Block: Getting started.
- Sell Yourself: Showing what you can do
- The C’s of Success: content, comments, contacts and consistency.
- Getting to the Top: Your blog and your Google search ranking.
- Show Me The Money: Using a blog to generate income.
- Social Marketplace: Using Twitter, Facebook and other Social Media to your advantage.

Venue: The Palace Hotel
Oxford Street, Manchester M60 7HA, UK

Time: 6:30-9pm
Cost: £30 members and £35 non members

This workshop has already sold 25 tickets so before you miss out book HERE…

Photo credit: www.karenmcgowran.com

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I’m already trading so why do I need more training?

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Here at the UKAWP we believe the only way to succeed as a successful wedding planner is to keep increasing your knowledge. Think about it, if you do the same in 2012 that you did in 2011 then your results will be the same, but expand your knowledge and think outside the box, and the world is your oyster. If you are ready and willing to push your business further ensuring increased profitability then take the plunge and commit to the various training options the UKAWP offer.

1. Attend our annual seminar WPE which is only for ‘working wedding planners’ no enthusiasts or suppliers allowed!. Sometimes we spend all our time working IN the business, i.e. planning weddings that we don’t spend time working ON the business and this is what WPE helps you focus on.

logo12

2. Bit hazy on marquees or unsure about marketing your business? Look out for our series of webinars. The next one is ‘the basics of organising a marquee reception‘ and will be held on the 8th February at 6pm. To register go to our booking form

A UKAWP Director leading a training session

3. Always wondered how to make an emergency bouquet or what should you do if the wedding cake collapses? Attend one of our evening workshops to find the answers. Keep checking our events page  for details of the next one. Have a topic in mind? Email Bernadette@ukawp.com

Wedding planners workshop

4. Already run a successful business but not sure on how to actually plan a wedding? Or perhaps you are a venue co-ordinator looking to launch independently? If so consider our training courses, more information via our brochure

Photo Credit: Lloyd Dobbie

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Events 2012 Overview – 1st Quarter

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012

As always the UKAWP are going to be incredibly busy with events throughout 2012 so we thought we better start telling you about some of the plans for the first few months of the year!

WPE ’12 – Wedding Planning Excellence

WPE ’12‘Wedding Planning Excellence’ was first established in 2009 and in essence is a training seminar for wedding planners. The directors of the UKAWP along with our members devised a specialised programme designed to inspire and educate you with your business, there are 2 days of intelligent, inspirational speakers for you to learn from.

WPE is held over 2 days Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd March 2012 at the fabulous 51 Buckingham Gate in Central London. There will be a Friday night dinner off sire which again is optional, more details to be published on the dinner in the New Year.

UKAWP member rate – for one day £170, for both days £320 / non member rate – for one day – £180, for both days £350 / Dinner is £45

We suggest you visit the beginners guide to WPE and will leave you with just one testimonial:

Testimonial

UKAWP “did WPE inspire you for 2011?”

WPE Delegate “Hell yes – thank you” & “Yes, yes, yes”!

Training Webinars

Following our successful webinar launch in November we will be running a series of additional ones throughout 2012. 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.

Please keep checking our blog and website for details as and when we announce them.

Title:  ‘The basics of organising a marquee reception‘ – based on the presentation given at WPE ’11

Tutor: Bernadette Chapman, UKAWP Director

Date: Wednesday 8th February 2012

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 following your registration.

Testimonial following our marketing your business webinar

“I think it’s an excellent way to offer a bite-sized training course as it means it’s easily accessible. This is really important for those of us that are trying to juggle other responsibilities such as jobs or children, as it’s often difficult to get away for a full day. I really liked it that you talked around the slides/course notes rather than just reading them verbatim. The discussion gave some really valuable insights into starting your business.”

Workshops

We held various workshops in 2011 both in London and Wimslow. Topics have included: Floral Emergencies, Fixing the Bridal Dress, PR Basics

We plan to run the workshops again from April 2012, if there are any topics you would like us to cover let us know!

In the meantime save the date for the 9th February in Manchester for a Northern PR Workshop hosted by Julia from Bridesup North

Training Courses

The successful training courses run by the UKAWP start again in February 2012.  See below for the planned dates. To find out more information, to download the brochure or indeed to book please visit our training page

Business Practicalities: 18th & 19th February (Northamptonshire) and 21st & 22nd April (London)

Step by Step: 24th & 25th March (Northamptonshire) and 19th & 20th May (London)

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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

ukawp-classroom

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

step-by-step-show-round

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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A little useful reading …

Monday, December 5th, 2011

Today we would like to bring a free e-book to your attention. If you source and book entertainment then this engaging, highly practical e-book is all encompassing and should make your job so much easier. Ideal for newer wedding planners, it is also a useful reminder to those who have booked a lot of entertainment already. UKAWP Director, Kelly Chandller, wrote the foreword for this e-book which is available here:

 http://www.facebook.com/LM2Entertainment.


The author, Brad is founder and MD of LM2 Entertainment, a professional function band management company. Brad also writes extensively on the topic of professional function bands through his LM2 Entertainment blog . He shares his knowledge and experience by serving as a mentor and running occasional master classes for music degree level students and alumni looking to pursue a career in the professional function band market at one of London’s foremost music institutions.

We hope you find it useful.

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