Wedding planning is an offbeat, challenging career

Marriages, as the saying goes, are made in heaven but they are planned and organised by wedding planners, an offbeat career which has emerged in recent times.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, wedding celebrations have scaled-down considerably and wedding planners now have to think about safety norms and other precautionary measures besides the other nitty-gritties of the ceremony.

Though wedding planning is really an offshoot of event management, and though several management courses are readily available, a wedding planner has to learn on the job.

Initial experience can come from organising weddings of friends and family members.

The 2001 comedy The Wedding Planner is about the busy life of a wedding planner who falls in love with one of her clients.

In India, Hindi movie Band Baaja Baaraat is also about marriage planners falling in love.

However, professional wedding planning is a much more serious business than the glamourised version presented on screen.

Indian context

In the past, weddings in India were planned and organised directly by family members, friends and well-wishers. Though professional wedding planning was popular in the western countries (where they even have funeral directors) it is now becoming increasingly popular in India.

In India, a planner needs to know the intricacies of various marriage customs and traditions, in addition to being knowledgeable of traditional dress conventions and the latest trends in wedding fashion.

A wedding planner’s role can include planning every event from the engagement ceremony, mehndi and sangeet ceremonies to the pre-wedding parties and post-wedding lunches. However, many planners also set limits on what they are willing to do.

Wedding planners usually assist in styling and theming the event. They make suggestions, both in terms of themes and costs, but the final decision is always left to the client.

Multiple roles

Often, a wedding planner is also the facilitator, negotiator, mediator, supervisor and organiser of the event. Most importantly, you need to plan a wedding ceremony with the client’s budget in mind.

Invariably, you also need to have a back-up plan for contingencies and last minute changes and hurdles.

A planner must have a good network and contacts with quality and reliable wedding services including wedding card printers, photographers, videographers, florists, caterers, hotels, make-up artists, rental halls, decorators, musicians, disc jockeys.

For destination weddings, contacts with travel agents are crucial. Above all, you need the skill to coordinate with all these people.

A wedding planner does not need to have an elaborate setup and infrastructure, as most of the work is outsourced. They are their own boss but it is hard work.

Planners often have to work seven days a week, especially during the wedding season and most weddings take place during the weekends.