General Tips, Your Event Career
The Ups and Downs of Being an Event Planner
You’ve likely been spending quite a bit of time at home lately. (Who hasn’t, right?) Maybe you’ve been maximizing that time by taking online wedding and event planning courses, and are working towards getting your professional certification. If so, congratulations on all your hard work so far! We’re very proud of you!
We pride ourselves in preparing our students not just to become event planners, but to also have realistic expectations for what a career in this industry looks like. That means giving it to you straight.
Because while being an event planner is exciting, and SO incredibly rewarding, it can also admittedly be quite challenging. Every job has its ups and downs, and event planning is of no exception.
The good news is: knowing what to expect is half the battle when it comes to being successful in this industry! As for the other half? Well, that comes down to being the best planner you can possibly be.
Luckily, your event planning courses will make sure you have all the tools and knowledge needed to do this!
So, what are the most common upsides and downsides to this profession? Let’s take a look!
Upside: You’ll never get bored!
For some, the typical 9-5 office job is just a little too boring for their tastes. Too repetitive. But a career as an event planner is anything but this!
You’ll quickly come to find that no two events will ever be the same. Every client will be different, with different visions for how they want their special day to come together. This means that each project will provide you a new way to challenge yourself and keep things fresh!
Plus, trends are always evolving and changing. As they do, you’ll constantly be inspired with innovative, creative ways to do your job. Event planning is definitely a labor of love – in that, you’ll always fall in love over and over again with what you do!
Downside: The hours are long, and can be a bit inconvenient.
One trade-off to not working set, standard work hours is that you don’t always get the same time off as everyone else. As an event planner, each job is going to be time-consuming. At some points, it may feel like you’re eating, breathing, and even sleeping your client’s upcoming event.
On top of that, event planners tend to work around the clock. If you enjoy having your evenings and weekends free, this isn’t the job for you. These are the times when you’ll often find yourself working most. You may not always get holidays off like everyone else either.
For some, this is a deal-breaker. For others, it’s a small sacrifice worth making in order to do what they love! Only you can know for sure which category you fall into.
Upside: You get to meet all sorts of awesome people!
Easily one of the best things about being a wedding and event planner is the people you’ll meet. There’s something very special about being a part of someone’s special journey, and playing a direct role in making such an important day come to life. You’ll regularly find that you’ll develop a unique bond with your clients, over the course of each job.
These life-changing connections aren’t just limited to clients either. You’ll also be forever expanding your network with other professionals in the industry! Whether it’s fellow planners, photographers, caterers, makeup artists, venues, etc.
With every job, you’ll gain more experience, and meet more people. You’ll be amazed at just how important they all become throughout the course of your career!
Downside: Some clients can be difficult to work with.
That being said, not everyone you encounter on the job will be a pleasure to work with. It sucks, but that’s just the way life goes. Some people are crabby, or rude, or ungrateful. Others are genuinely good people on the inside… They’re just incredibly stressed, which may bring out their worst side.
As an example, any wedding planner can probably share at least one horror story about a ‘bridezilla’, an overbearing parental figure, or what-have-you.
Take comfort in knowing that these clients are not the norm. When they do cross your path, just remember to breathe. Always stay professional, and take the higher ground. Try to exercise empathy and understanding. And no matter what, regardless of how petty a client can get, don’t ever stoop to that same level.
If you can’t kill them with kindness, you always reserve the right to refuse to work with them. At the end of the day, you’ll know what’s best for your business!
Upside: You get to be in charge!
It’s no surprise that a lot of event planners are Type-A in nature. You’re probably incredibly organized, orderly, and enjoy being in charge of any given situation. Lucky for you, these are all qualities that make for an exceptional planner!
From the initial consultation to the big day, and all the steps involved to get there, you get to orchestrate practically everything! For many planners, this is part of what makes the final results so fulfilling and satisfying. Some jobs don’t allow you to reap the benefits of all your hard work. Event planning is not one of them!
Plus, it’s a terrific career choice for anyone who wishes to be their own boss! A very popular option among planner is to start their own business. Should this be something that would interest you, your event planning courses will arm you with everything you need to know to embark on this journey!
Downside: The high stakes can get stressful.
On the other hand, one reality you’ll face is that the job can become stressful pretty quickly. With so much riding on the event going smoothly, all eyes will tend to fall on the event planner if anything happens to go wrong.
Some people thrive under this pressure. It can bring out the best in them. But for others, having this level of responsibility is just too much to handle.
If you’re disorganized and struggle at juggling multiple tasks at once, you can crash and burn at a moment’s notice. If you can’t remain level-headed or think on your feet when something unexpected happens (such as an emergency on the big day), things will get overwhelming fast.
A lot of it comes down to having the right personality for the job. The other half comes from your event planning courses, which will fully train you in knowing how to deal with the high stakes, stress, and responsibilities that come with being a professional planner.
Upside: There will ALWAYS be more to learn!
We strongly believe that there are far more upsides to being an event planner than downsides, so it only makes sense to end things on a high note. Without a doubt, one of the most invaluable parts of being an event planner is that there will always be new ways for you to learn, build on your skill set, and advance your career!
After all, competition in this industry can be fierce. If you aren’t willing to be the best possible event planner you can be, why even bother pursuing this path?
That’s not you, though! This is the career you envision for yourself and your future, and the idea of learning all you possibly can is exciting for you. Taking event planning courses and earning professional certifications is the single greatest path towards a successful future!
Proper training from an accredited school will help you grow in a way you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Once you’ve learned the foundation of event planning, you can venture into more advanced programs. After that, there’s always room to branch out into other areas of the industry, such as corporate event planning, event and floral décor, destination wedding planning, etc.
The sky’s the limit for your career! You’ll never run out of ways to challenge yourself and improve! At the end of the day, the rewards of being a professional event planner far outweigh any bumps that may come your way.
So, what’s YOUR favorite part about being a planner? Let us know in the comments!
