How To Become a Wedding Planner

More people doing what they love: http://howtobecome.tv/

More of Afzia: http://www.styleandelegance.ca/index.html

Special Thanks to Christine Martin: http://www.purepotentialweddings.ca/

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS

Jen Snyder Photography - JEN SNYDER
www.jensnyder.com

G&H Photography - Garima & Harp Singh
www.gandhphotography.com

Simon Hammond Photography - Simon Hammond
www.picsbysimon.com

A Simple Photograph - Erin Samuell
www.simplephoto.ca

Melanie & Justin - Melanie Driedger
www.melanieandjustin.ca

Anne Edgar Photography - Anne Edgar
www.anneedgarphoto.com

Music Credit: http://incompetech.com/


Intro: What do you want to be when you grow up?

JB: A day in the life of a wedding planner. It wasn't pretty. Do you think I'm kidding? The DJ was MIA, the best man got cold feet and refused to make a toast, and the "bridezilla" assaulted her own bridesmaids with hairspray. What's going on? They're not like Sasquatches. "Bridezillas" are real. But, down to business shall we?

How to become a wedding planner. How to find your first client and keep finding clients who will pay. How to become certified and connect with the right vendors to serve those clients — Questions all answered by my good friend at Style and Elegance, Wedding and Event Coordination, Afzia Shariff. Now watch this, [and] get on a bus, 'cause we're crashing a wedding.

AS: [The idea to become a wedding planner] basically came from a movie (laugh). "The Wedding Planner." How obvious is that? And it just started the ball rolling. It made me think, you know, am I really in the job that I want to be in? Am I passionate about my current job.? And I wasn't, so I made my own path, and I took steps towards starting to get down that path.

My name is Afzia Shariff, and I am a wedding and event planner, and I love what I do.
I started my business at midnight. Literally, I sat there in bed and drew my logo and said, "I can do this." The next day I went and registered my business, and I told my husband about it afterwards (laugh).

In order to become certified as a wedding and event planner, I went to a course that was being offered locally through the Wedding Planners' Institute of Canada. It was a 2 day-long workshop, where they taught you everything. They had guest speakers came in; they had examples of anything and everything that you would come across. They talked about ethics and being in relationships with the other vendors and having respect for other vendors and their businesses. If you don't have their respect, you're not going to get very far.

My greatest fear starting out in the career I'm in, wedding and event planning, was that I wouldn't be able to succeed. But it was only for a little bit. I got over that very quickly and just delved right into it. You just have to put yourself out there.

The costs involved with starting a career as a wedding planner, in my case, was about $800 to take the course for 2 days. They have workshops [including] photography workshops; they have floral and decorating workshops, which I have actually also been at. Just so that I am in the know, so I am better able to assist my clients when and if they ask me.

What makes a great wedding planner or an event planner is the ability to think on your feet.
The DJ was MIA 4 days bf wedding. Immediately I called two of my contacts to see if they were available before even speaking to the bride and groom.

[To bride and groom] I have a backup plan, and this person is willing to do it. We're good to go. Nothing to worry about. [You should be] stress free, and that's what it should be. Stress should hit me, and you guys should be in a bubble.

I find clients through personal networking, word of mouth. I am currently being reviewed on the Wedding Ring and will soon have a review on there.

[To potential brides and grooms] This is a time in your life where you should be happy, and enjoying the planning part of it, and not stressing over who is going to sit beside who at the wedding reception.

The part about this job that I love is seeing the bride and groom see each other for the first time at the church or wherever their ceremony is, and just knowing that they're going to spend their life together.

My feet hurt at the end of the day; that's about it. I love everything else.

Ending: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• How
• to
• become
• wedding
• planner

[wansze9]

We needed this on our day! Someone stool my uncle camera, my dad freaked om my husband and many people showed up who were not invited! Wish we had Afzia there.

[StyleElegance]

Thank you HowToBecomeTV for producing this video about me! I love what I do and hope others can find their inspiration and follow their passion.

You have done a fabulous job!