How to get a job in a wedding agency presenter. How can a professional start working with wedding agencies? Why do you need a wedding organizer

26.12.17 47 100 0

Become a wedding planner

And go to a holiday like to work

A year ago, Lyuba got married. She enjoyed organizing her wedding and quit her job as a lawyer to become a wedding planner.

Mikhail Kenegesov

is friends with the wedding organizer

I asked her about her career, work, money and difficulties.

Why do you need a wedding organizer

The organizer is such a "assemblage point" of the wedding. He makes sure that everything you need for the wedding arrives, everyone has a good time, and then leaves for their homes, and not for hospitals.

A wedding is a big event: artists, cooks and waiters, confectioners, florists, decorators, drivers, pyrotechnics, security guards, stuntmen, carriages, horses, mummers, doctors and special forces fighters take part in it. First you need to find them, pick them up, synchronize them, negotiate prices, approve a concept with each, draw up general program and agree with the site where all this will take place. And you also need to make sure that all this pleases the bride, groom and their parents.

Then the playground at last moment will refuse, the clowns will get sick, the horses will kick up, and the dog will eat the goods at the pastry chef's. Then all the work needs to be done again two days before the wedding.

On your wedding day, you need to make sure that everyone comes to the right site (and not to the same restaurant on the other side of the city); check the quality of the installation of the scenery so that no one is killed; examine flowers; check the diesel level in the generator; disperse the clouds; give ammonia to the mother-in-law; to calm down the paratrooper from the groom's side and send a helicopter for the bride, because there are traffic jams in the city and she cannot leave the house in any way.

This work can be done by the newlyweds themselves - but then they take on the organization of a large project and solving problems on the spot. Not fatal, but little pleasant. The groom distributes envelopes with royalties to the performers all day long, the bride argues with the florist, and an ice sculpture of a swan is in a traffic jam on the other side of the city.

If the wedding is big or the newlyweds don't want to bother, they turn to the organizer. He prepares the wedding in advance and supervises the situation on the wedding day. The newlyweds just come to the holiday, and the organizer coordinates the contractors, pays everyone and solves problems.

Market

Some organizers work on their own and get clients through friends. Others open agencies with multiple organizers. Some agencies specialize in weddings, others are engaged in any kind of holidays: even anniversaries, even matinees.

Contractors work on the market separately from the agencies: decorators, florists, pastry chefs, restaurants and catering, artists and presenters, photographers and operators. There are companies that organize logistics or simply lease transport. There are also those who supply light and sound, organize cleaning, security, conduct flash mobs or are professionally engaged in pyrotechnics. As a rule, all these contractors simultaneously serve the entire event market: concerts, weddings, photo sessions, and whatever.

One of the organizer's tasks is to gather reliable contractors around him and quickly present them to clients. For example, if the groom is to enter the ceremony on horseback, then the organizer must have a contractor who will negotiate with the horse.

A good organizer knows which of the hosts is drinking and how much; which stylist will suit which bride; how much paper roses cost from different decorators; to which of the photographers to go for sophisticated photo stories, and who will give a high-quality bride in the palm of your hand. The organizer is such a guide in the holiday market: he knows who costs how much, how to negotiate with whom and who can be combined with whom.

Studies

Almost all well-known agencies run their own courses for wedding organizers. So they share their experience with newcomers, help to recruit a base of contractors and look after themselves personnel. You can do without these courses, because you can develop experience and base on your own. Diplomas and formal education are not required for this job.

The training programs are different: monthly, weekly and even two-day intensives on weekends. The price depends on the city, the popularity of the wedding agency and the duration of training, usually it ranges from 20 to 45 thousand rubles.

Theoretical classes went on for several hours every day. They told how to organize a wedding in summer, winter or autumn; what to do if you need to prepare an on-site registration; how to avoid major mistakes and find reliable specialists to join your team. At the end, all participants were given ready-made scripts for talking with clients and contractors, as well as templates for contracts and other documents.

Then practice began as an assistant to a wedding planner. Lyuba met guests, looked for lost artists, ran around with flower vases, made sure that the waiters took out the hot stuff on time, - she did the most hard work... It was all part of the training, so she worked for free. So Lyuba was able to see the process from the inside.

In practice, Lyuba showed herself well, and she was immediately offered a place in the agency for the rental of equipment and wedding venues. At work, she interacted daily with people who are trying to organize their wedding. So she managed to find the first clients and appeared in her portfolio successful projects... This was enough to turn on word of mouth.

Six months later, Lyuba decided to continue her studies and took a two-day intensive course for experienced wedding organizers. She paid another 18,000 rubles. The intensive was about the latest trends in the wedding market and how to attract new clients through a business account on Instagram.

48,000 RUB

the total amount that Lyuba spent on training

It was possible, of course, not to do all this and just start working on their own. But as Lyuba says, such courses are still a relatively easy way to enter the industry. It would be harder to do it on our own.

Money

During the year of her work, Lyuba held 15 weddings with budgets ranging from 200 thousand to 1 million rubles. She was preparing a wedding for a million for 6 months and received 250 thousand for it. This amount consisted of two parts: a fee from the newlyweds and a commission from contractors.

Lyuba negotiates her fee at the first meeting with clients. Usually it is included in the general wedding estimate. For example, if customers are ready to spend 300,000 RUR for a celebration, she immediately writes out an approximate set of services, including the conditional 15,000 RUR for her work. The newlyweds will not spend more than the declared amount - this is the main advantage of working with a wedding organizer.

250,000 RUR

Lyuba earned for organizing a wedding, the total budget of which is 1 million rubles

The commission from the contractors is the basis of the organizer's earnings. The size depends on the region and the negotiating ability, but on average it is 10% of the contractor's earnings. In fact, this is the specialist's gratitude for the fact that the organizer invites him to his events. Of course, clients can find contractors themselves, but without being guided by the market, it is easy to run into non-professionals and ruin your holiday.

It is important for a wedding planner to meet the budget and get a predictable result. Therefore, you need to carefully select the specialists you attract to projects. When Lyuba finally had a team, her income began to grow. For example, for a wedding with a budget of 200,000 RUR, Lyuba received 57,000 RUR, of which the newlyweds paid her only 10,000 RUR.

Lyuba is just starting, so she takes on any orders. She is even interested in weddings with an estimate of 20,000 rubles. For example, if the newlyweds want to spend the day together - sign at the registry office and mark it in a restaurant - Lyuba will choose a good place and tell you where to find live music. For an hour and a half of preparation, she will earn 4000 R.

Required skills

Outside, the wedding is lace, cream and ruffles. Inside - rage, sweat, blood and three-story mats. This is what a good wedding planner should have in his heart and mind.

Organizational skills. It is believed that working in the wedding business is for creative people. Lyuba is convinced that this concerns the organizer in the last place. First of all, a wedding is about logistics, documents, estimates and problem solving.

Providence. The wedding organizer is obliged to remember all the little things and anticipate any force majeure. If Lyuba is preparing an outdoor wedding, she always keeps umbrellas, blankets and heat guns close at hand. If the young people want to have a wedding on "beautiful" dates, for example 08/08/2018, she will do her best to dissuade them. On such days, venues, photographers and presenters repeatedly raise the price tag, and hell is going on in the registry office.

Once Lyuba was preparing a wedding in a prestigious yacht club. Suddenly, it turned out that there are no trash cans anywhere nearby and the bags are simply dumped like a mountain in the backyard. To prevent the wedding guests from accidentally stumbling upon such a pyramid, Lyuba had to urgently place an order for "Yu-du" and pay 2000 R herself for garbage collection.

"In a dispute, truth is born." However, you don't have to argue to get to it. In our rubric, experts freely express their own opinions, collectively cover various issues and offer their views on solving pressing problems.

What can motivate an agency to start working with a new specialist? How to get into the coveted lists of professionals that organizers offer to their couples? What and how to offer the agency to interest and impress? Many professionals talked about the most painful topic: the presenter, art director of the agency Lidia Kom and the owners of the agency Olga Sartakova and Ekaterina German. This interview is a treasure trove of useful insights. Read, memorize, use.

Ekaterina German: I saw Alexander at the Showman of the Year competition in Moscow. Here, I think, is a good way for the agency to meet new, but not very well-known presenters. The format, which was chosen for the event, made it possible to closely assess certain important aspects of the contestants. For me personally, it was interesting. I saw many faces I didn’t know, and some impressed me with their demeanor.

site: Have you already started working with any of them?

Catherine: By that time, we had already formed teams for all the weddings of the season. But we have compiled a list of people with whom our agency would like to meet in person. I'll tell you a secret: Alexander is one of them.

Lydia Com: Such an event is a direct way for us to look at those people whom we have never seen or even, perhaps, never heard of. Because it is problematic for us to just take and start working with someone: we are responsible for the quality of the services we offer to our clients.

site: It turns out that there is only one event where the presenter shows himself “in action” and can be noticed by the agencies. And besides this event, what other ways are there?

Catherine: Contact the organizers directly. They write to us a lot, we look at the sites of different leading. I will note that I, for example, pay a lot of attention to watching videos, where there is a process of conducting. This is usually rare.

Alexander: I analyzed the market and I know for sure: practically no one has such videos.

Catherine: If a promo video consists simply of cuts to music, then it is impossible to evaluate the guidance. For me, the only opportunity, not knowing how a person works, to draw at least some conclusions is to watch at least 15-20 minutes of life footage of his style of leading at a wedding. We have been working for many years and know perfectly well HOW any other video can be edited.

Alexander: Well, there is some clarity with the presenters. And what about, for example, photographers and videographers? Musicians?

Lydia: Here is another story. You watch the works, then you meet in person, because personal communication also speaks volumes. Even if he has incredibly cool jobs, then you may be uncomfortable communicating with them. And this can greatly affect the process of preparing for the wedding, and the result. As for the musicians, sometimes they show videos with well-mixed sound and straightened voices. And at an event, they can work in a completely different way. Therefore, as in the case of the presenters, only life videos are needed.

site: On the one hand, working with a new person is a risk. But on the other hand, this is a fresh look, new ideas. Maybe agencies still need to broaden their horizons? Maybe the risk is justified?

Olga Sartakova: Unfortunately, there are few really good specialists. And each agency has its own standards. On the other hand, the search for new faces is relevant, because sometimes the professionals with whom we work, being at the peak of their popularity, become stars rather than professionals. Well, that is, objectively speaking, they deteriorate.

Lydia: One hundred percent agree! Not only do you need to draw the agency's attention to yourself, you also need to have the wisdom so as not to “grab a star” and ruin relations with the agency. This applies not only to the presenters, it applies to everyone. And to be honest: I worked with one agency, others picked it up. This is a kind of quality indicator, and we all follow each other. Therefore, having worked with just one agency, you can quickly gain momentum. We are undoubtedly interested in attracting new partners, moving along with them, showing something new.

site: How many hosts do you usually offer to a couple?

We did this too: we called the best agencies, collected recommendations from the hosts and for the first time posted it in the public domain. Would you like to know which presenters the organizers most often work with? Read on!

site: Does it play a role price policy? Because, let's be honest, presenters, photographers and many other professionals set a price for themselves "out of thin air".

Alexander: Well, it would be more accurate to say: based on the market ...

site: Yes, but they do not always assess their own professionalism adequately.

Lydia: In the premium segment, the price does not matter at all, while the middle and economy segments are already paying attention to the cost.

Alexander: And if the prices are low? The presenter is professional, but, for example, is still unknown on the Moscow market. And he sets himself a low price in order to start working as much as possible. Will the opposite effect happen? Will it scare the organizers low price?

Olga: We had the experience of finding an inexpensive presenter, and he showed that a lot depends on the price. We were looking for a specialist within 60 thousand and did not find anyone worthy. So the low pricing policy would most likely frighten us.

Lydia: This may be the best, simply unrealistic presenter in Yekaterinburg, but he did not reach the Moscow level. To win an audience, he starts with some low fees. And that's okay. It seems to me that a person from the provinces cannot come and, even being an amazing presenter, start with a price tag of 80 or 100 thousand rubles.

site: But that's how they do it. So that the low price just does not scare away. By controlling the price, you can create the appearance of professionalism and experience, and be on the same step with those who have been working on the Moscow market for a long time.

Lydia: Conquering the Moscow market is not easy. You need to understand this. Try different tactics. Search for methods. As for the presenter, it’s just worth remembering that your future clients are in the hall in which you are hosting the event.

Alexander: But the segment for which you are hosting the event does not change then. You work for five rubles - and the clients from this room will then come to you the same: for five rubles.

Lydia: You need to move step by step ... Today five, then ten.

Catherine: It is also very important that the presenter has experience working with the organizers and understands that he is working with them in the same team. When the presenter does not know how to communicate with the organizers and is used to being the host of the event, this can result in great stress for us. This also applies to other specialists. They must understand that the customer is an agency.

Alexander: The wedding season is in the summer. When is the best time to offer your services to organizers?

Lydia: Until the new Year. In January-February, as a rule, we have almost completely formed a team for each wedding.

site: What better not to do if you want to work with an agency?

Lydia: Come to the office without warning. It happens that they cannot get through or for some time do not receive an answer - and they come to the office. In general, when they start to impose themselves, this is a big mistake. It is always valuable for me to see confidence in professionalism and in what this person offers us as an agency, and in general, in principle, to the market. Such people regularly call us. But not annoyingly every day, but from time to time they specify when it is more convenient to contact us if we cannot talk right away. Exactly on the agreed day and time they call back. Do you know that only one percent of a hundred calls back at the agreed time? And this attracts attention! This speaks of a certain psychology and a sane approach. Many are offended if you don't talk to them right away. But it doesn't happen that you called and immediately started working with you. We need a competent approach and some interesting proposals.

Catherine: Of course, it is more difficult for the presenter. For example, we can take a new photographer second and look at the result without risking it. We will never see the host like that, so I agree: you need to interest something.

Lydia: At the same time, some are watching the market and the presenters working with agencies, and are trying to do the same under a carbon copy. At the same time, they give it out as an exclusive. But since we see a huge number of activities and interesting ideas, then it is quite difficult to pass someone else out as your own and deceive us. Don't take someone else's. If you can't think of it yourself, then contact the services of scriptwriters or creatives. Because only something really original can be of interest. And there were such cases. For example, Denis Reshetov. Now he is in the top positions. And once he came to agencies with very interesting developments and confidently offered original things that we had not encountered before. Non-trivial activities - what should have worked great at the event! This approach can also be a pass ticket.

Catherine: And it's also important to go your own way! Natural and harmonious. Not looking back at others, but looking for your own path of development. Improve your unique qualities. And it stands out for that!

The conversation was attended by:

Thank you for your help in shooting:

Alexander Potekhin

Leading

Alexander has over 11 years of experience as a presenter. He has held more than 300 weddings, he also took part in organizing and conducting more than 1000 events in Russia and abroad. An important fact: Alexander is a co-founder of the largest Russian event company. He took second place in the all-Russian competition "Showman of the Year 2016" (Moscow stage).

"We save your time for happiness!" - this is the main slogan of the wedding studio MHoliday WEDDING. Professional organization of flawlessly stylish and luxurious weddings.

Wedding atelier

Wedding agency

Wedding atelier is a team of professionals who are truly passionate about their work. They have enough experience and knowledge to make sure that the wedding becomes the main event for and the event of the year on the pages of glossy magazines.