The wedding planner certification industry is unregulated. This means that a lot of businesses are freely promising a path to an independent wedding planning career. This doesn’t mean that anyone can sign up to be a wedding planner. It’s important to have as much education as possible before pursuing any career. This also applies with wedding planning. A wedding planner must have a high level of expertise in managing several functions that are hired to execute in a wedding, such as: catering, venue contracts, photography, flower design, etc.
Just like in other professions (such as law), there is a professional organization that makes sure that wedding planner certification is legitimate. You need the approval of this organization for you to be considered as a wedding planner.
What is the AACWP?
The American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (AACWP) in Dallas, TX, was founded in 2006 by seven Dallas wedding planners. It has expanded to include the central region of the United States of America, and also intends to act as a national voice for wedding planner certification and expertise.
This professional organization has a membership that is only open to trained and certified wedding planners. AACWP conducts monthly educational meetings and yearly certification training seminars. Its members are required to earn 4 hours of continuous educations credits every year to maintain certification. This organization is governed by a board of 8 elected wedding planners rooted from its membership.
Those who are serious in pursuing a career in wedding planning should take a course from a legitimate organization. Simply studying a 2 year crash course on wedding planning doesn’t immediately make one qualified for the job. Experience is still the best teacher, which is why most good certification programs require mentorships or experience before being granted certification.
The AACWP certification requirements are as follows:
- Successful completion of an approved educational program.
- Proof of planning and directing 3 weddings over a 2 year period of time
- Successful mentorship completion (2 weddings with a certified wedding planner)
- Proof of business license, business telephone and a marketing plan.
- Proof of contracts with at least two national wedding suppliers.
- Verification of wedding planning services from two brides and two wedding professionals. The weddings must have been directed within the past 12 months.
Patience is indeed a virtue. Do not be tempted with “quick wedding planner certification” schemes. More often than not, these are scams and are not legitimate organizations. They promise a quick path to certification, but you’ll only end up with nothing.
To make sure that what you get yourself into are legitimate wedding planner certifications, always check references and read all the material given to you. Make sure that there is a “Hands-on” mentorship program being offered.