UKAWP - THE LEADING INDUSTRY BODY FOR THE UK WEDDING PLANNING MARKET

Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

PR Workshop - last few places

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Tickets are selling fast for our PR Workshop taking place on Wednesday 14 September in London. We have only a few places remaining for this insightful evening so do book your place soon to avoid disappointment.

Nicola Russill-Roy, PR Director and Suzie Dixon, Social Media Editor from Propose PR will be passing on their essential PR tips and advice to help you succeed in this competitive market. Topics include: how to build press contacts, how to communicate effectively with the press and what to avoid.  Propose PR are the first and only specialist wedding PR agency in the UK.

Propose PR

The evening takes place from 6.30-8.30pm and tickets cost £55 for members of UKAWP and £60 for non members. To book your place, please GO HERE

We hope to see you there!

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!

Directors of UKAWP and course tutors

 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.

Flower workshop for wedding planners

Friday, August 5th, 2011

We are very excited to announce our first floral workshop taking place in the North of England on Wednesday 21st September from 6-8pm. Our flower workshops previously held in London have always been really popular with wedding planners looking to increase their knowledge on this side of things, not to become florists themselves, but to be able to deal with ‘on the day’ emergencies that crop up and to have a better knowledge all round for their clients on this aspect.

Recent London Flower Workshop

This floral workshop will be run by Ian Lloyd owner of The Flower Shop based in Wilmslow, just outside Manchester. Ian is a very talented florist having been voted one of the top ten florists in the country by The Independent newspaper, he also runs the UK School of Floristy.

So if you’re a wedding planner (member or non member of UKAWP), then do contact us asap to book as places are limited. The evening promises to be informative and fun as Ian shares tips of the trade with planners and advises on how to deal with those floral emergencies. Each planner will have some hands on practical experience too as Ian teaches us how to make a buttonhole. Afterwards there will be a networking opportunity.

Cost: £30 for members, £35 for non members.

Location: Wilmslow, Cheshire (104 Water Lane, SK9 5BB)

Tutor: Ian Lloyd (www.weddingflowerscheshire.co.uk)

To book: http://www.ukawp.com/booking-form-flower-workshop.php

Photo credit: Lloyd Dobbie

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).

UKAWP Training

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.

 ”The course is very informative and Bernadette is a brilliant trainer.  The content was relevant and up to date and I felt very confident throughoutDionne Thomas  

When can I attend?

Business Practicalities

10th & 11th Sep             - Central London
15th & 16th Oct             - Leeds
5th & 6th Nov                - Northamptonshire

Step by Step

8th & 9th Oct                 - Central London

19th & 20th Nov             - Leeds

3rd & 4th Dec                - Northamptonshire

UKAWP

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

I loved the practicals - even if the consultation was scary - it makes the course more real.” Stacey Marie Chalk

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

 ”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

To review more information on our courses please go to our website

   

Wedding Dress Disasters - What to Do

Friday, May 6th, 2011

img_0316Yesterday evening two of our lovely members, Kay & Lee Carey of Heading Up The Aisle and Andri Benson of Always Andri Wedding Design presented a very practical workshop for wedding planners looking at what can go wrong with regard to attire, and how best to fix it.

img_0317

We learned how to avoid bustles breaking, how to lace a corset and even how to tie a cravat, thanks to Lee, who modelled it so elegantly.

img_0326

Kay and Andri went to great lengths to explain to planners how best to advise their clients in terms of choosing a dress, alterations, how to avoid unnecessary costs and what to carry in that essential emergency kit.

 

Many thanks to Kay, Lee and Andri for their hard work and openness in helping us all build our confidence in this sometimes tricky area of wedding planning.

I want to be a wedding planner…..

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

The beginning of the year is a busy time for wedding planners with floods of emails coming through, this is generally when we pick up most of our new bookings but also suppliers call to chat about what’s new with them.

And we get an influx of CV’s from enthusiastic people wanting to become a wedding planner.  So here at the UKAWP we thought it might be helpful to give some advice before embarking on this wonderful and rewarding career.

Can I get a job?

Very few planners in the UK take on staff, some have part time assistants and freelancers in the peak summer season but if you think you will get a lovely, well paid job working for a planner think again. Unless you want to relocate to the US perhaps? It is for this reason that most planners start their own business but be patient - I’m coming onto that shortly!

So, if you don’t want to start your own business I suggest you contact large event companies or venues in your area that cater for weddings.  This gives you the opportunity to gain some experience whilst receiving the security of a regular salary.

Approaching other wedding planners for advice

A sure way to annoy planners when contacting them

  • “I REALLY enjoyed planning my wedding; everyone said I’d make a fantastic planner.” Do you know HOW many times we have heard this line?!
  • Dear Sir/Madam - planners have a name, check their websites and don’t send a standard email to numerous planners, make it personal.
  • I really want to be a planner, how do I do it, where do you get your clients, what should I charge, what services should I offer, where should I advertise….. the list goes on. Any planner out there will tell you the UKAWP are always happy to give advice but be specific, ask us a question and we’ll normally answer you but within reason!
  • Can I see a copy of your proposal - this is personal to every planner, if we all showed the same type of proposal there would be no creativity or individuality
  • Pretending to be a bride - big no no, it’s disrespectful to small businesses out there. I know some online training courses suggest you do this but at the UKAWP we feel this is very bad practice. 

Show me how to start

So if you are serious about becoming a wedding planner and not approaching this as a hobby or whim then you need to do some serious research and get prepared! Here are my top tips but I have seriously condensed it (for proper training go to the UKAWP

  1. First step is sign up to the UKAWP Business Practicalities course, I know I’m biased as the training director but I think the courses are fabulous. This course really explains how to launch as a wedding planning business. View here for more information. Don’t believe me? Just look at how super fabulous our members are, most of whom have attended our training courses. We run the courses spring and autumn, all the tutors have been in business for at least 8 years so we do know what we are talking about. We pass on real life experiences throughout the weekend and answer any questions you or the other students have. Do view the brochure for more information; don’t forget if you don’t attend the spring courses you will have to wait until the autumn….
  2. Research into planners in your area, what is their websites like? What services do they offer and what prices do they charge? What is their USP? How can YOU be different? How can you stand out from them?
  3. Start playing with company names, jot down ideas on a notepad and keep with you for those random moments when in bed/on the train/cooking dinner when you suddenly think of an idea! Then check if this name is taken via companies house + also check if the domain name is free. Don’t choose a name you can’t have the matching website to! Make sure it is easily spelt, not too similar to another, not cheesy and I advise not to limit yourself to ‘wedding’ as what happens if you want to do parties? Just my personal opinion.
  4. Ensure your website is professionally designed, after all you want to start your business professionally.
  5. Meet other planners for coffee in your area, far better to be friendly then start your business under animosity
  6. Subscribe to the UKAWP blog for tips and information on industry events
  7. Sign up to twitter and start following some respected planners & suppliers out there.
  8. Attend the UKAWP training courses - did I mention that already?
  9. Be patient, it wont happen over night
  10. Really think about your pricing and take into account any costs, i.e telephone, broadband, travel, stationery & your time

We hope this helps - best of luck for those embarking on this rewarding career.

Sales meeting tips

Monday, February 14th, 2011

 

Today we hear from Ray Hutchin of Cloud 9 with some practical tips on holding the perfect sales meeting or consultation with potential new clients.  Over to you Ray:

Now I don’t claim to be an expert on Sales Meetings for Wedding Planners, however I believe the best way to learn and change something for the better is to get a better understanding and to do that, what better way than asking yourself some questions.

So here are some questions to ask yourself about your sales meetings and it may just help you, to find a way to get better results:-

1)      Where do you hold you Sales Meetings and do you know where you get the best conversion rates?

2)      When you know where you get the best results ask yourself, why do you get the best results where you do?

3)      How do you deal with distractions during the meeting if any?

4)      Do you help them to buy or do you sell?

5)      Do you know the benefits from buying from you, over your competitors (your USP and guarantee)

6)      Do you have a purpose statement script (to frame up the meeting and therefore stay in control of the meeting)?

7)      Do you know your 10 biggest objections (and have all the answers off pat)

8)    Are you comfortable with your close and do you spot buying signals?

9)       When was the last time you read a book or attended a sales workshop?

10)   Do you have a complete and up to date sales pack with you at the meeting?

11)   How many times have you spoken to, emailed, and phoned the prospect before the meeting to build rapport?

12)   Do you always get permission at the end of the meeting to contact them again if they haven’t made a decision?

 To gain even more insight into the Sales Process book today for Wedding Planning Excellence where I will be presenting on the Sales Process on Saturday morning.

Cloud9 run regular half day and day workshops, covering all aspects of business and as well as offering a money back guarantee, also UKAWP has negotiated a £50 discount for its members on each workshop. For more details please email sam@cloud9businessspecialists.co.uk or visit our website which will be launched later this month.

 

 

 

 

Flower Workshop

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

On the 20th January we held the first in a series of workshops, starting with floral emergencies led by Simon & Victoria of Euphoric Flowers.  Tickets sold out very fast and I know there were a few planners disappointed they couldn’t attend so I thought I would give you a little taster.

The evening started with Simon explaining how to make buttonholes using the appropriate florist tape and wire, as you can see from the photos we are concentrating very hard!

picresized_1297188140_flower-workshop-3

Flower workshop

Simon and Victoria came round giving us all individual assistance, we then learnt how to transform the buttonhole into a beautiful corsage, of course there was a bit of healthy competition amongst us planners to see who had the ‘best’ one!

Flower workshop

Simon and Victoria showed us how to make a hand tied bouquet before we were put into groups of 4 and timed to see how fast we could make a bouquet of tulips, some were naturally more talented than others!

Wedding planners workshop

 The next workshop on wedding dress emergencies will be in April, again numbers restricted to 12, we are very excited about what we have planned for this workshop. Details to be published soon but if you wish to be put on a waiting list please email training@ukawp.com.

With huge thanks to the talented photographer Lloyd Dobbie who captured the action!

Training as a Wedding Planner

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Spring dates for 2011

We still have some places on our Spring 2011 courses for both ’Business Practicalities‘, and

Step by Step‘. To learn more about how we can help you become a successful planner download our BROCHURE, to register complete our booking form here which will then take you to the online payment page.

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).

Business Practicalities
5th & 6th Feb (London)
19th & 20th Feb (Cheshire)
9th & 10th Apr (Northants)

Step by Step
26th & 27th Mar (London)
7th & 8th May (Cheshire)
21st & 22nd May (Northants)

Cost £599 (each course) Including:
VAT
Full lunch & refreshments
Concise course notes to take away with you
Certificate of attendance
Attendance logo to use in marketing materials and website
CD of useful templates to use in your new business
Get noticed - the ‘Do your own PR’ workbook (Business Practicalities)
Flower council handbook (Step by Step)

One to One Tuition
If you are unable to make one of the dates listed then you might be interested in One to One training with a tutor. Simply review the topics covered in both courses and email training@ukawp.com with your preferred selection. Prices start from £750 incl. VAT for 7 hours, additional costs for mileage or hotel meeting rooms are applicable.

How should I compare your course to others?
We appreciate you may wish to compare courses before choosing the right one for you. A few things you should ask when making enquiries:

1. Who wrote the course and is it a US or UK text?
2. Who conducts the training and what is their background/experience?
3. Can you speak with previous students for feedback?
4. Do they have other services to support you after the course has finished?

Still unsure if this is the right course for you? Contact Bernadette who can give you details of our many successful past students to clarify any grey areas.

All courses are taught by the directors of the Alliance all of whom have at least 7 years experience as wedding planners, wouldn’t you rather learn from an expert rather than from a faceless tutor?

For useful background information on entering a career in wedding planning you might like to look at Next Step

To view a video on the work of a wedding planner featuring one of our Directors, please click here

Floral Emergency! Workshop Sold Out

Friday, January 14th, 2011

Our floral workshop on 20th January in London is sold out. We look forward to welcoming members and non members to an educational and fun evening.

If anyone is interested in going on our waiting list, in case someone is unable to attend, please email Bernadette@ukawp.com .