I Want Your Job: Wedding planner

Zoë Lingard is a wedding planner. Her company, Weddings by Zoë Lingard, organises weddings in London and the South-east of England.

What do you actually do?

The easiest way to describe my job is that it's like a glorified personal assistant. I do all the research and legwork, check out different wedding venues and meet suppliers. My classic client is busy, spends a lot of time at work, and has little free time. It takes more than 250 hours to plan the average wedding, so the big reason to hire a planner is to save time. It isn't as glamorous as people think – a lot of the time I'm getting sweaty carrying boxes and running around folding napkins. We don't make any of the fun decisions, like choosing the dress – we just take out the stress.

So what's your working day like?

Like most wedding planners, I work from home, and I can work from 9am until 10pm on a busy week. I meet clients for an initial consultation, then prepare a proposal for them to recap the ideas we've discussed. I spend a lot of time emailing, networking, researching suppliers and working out a budget. My niche is creative, design-led weddings, so I also spend a lot of time on the design elements. I'm much busier in the summer than during the winter, because May through September is peak wedding season.

What do you love about your job?

I love the spiritual significance of two people getting married, and the wonderful atmosphere created by the guests. Seeing everything come together on the day is such a buzz.

What's not so great about it?

Even if you've had a fantastic season, you're conscious of where the next wedding is coming from. You can never rest on your laurels. There's no guaranteed income and you're constantly asking yourself whether you're doing enough PR.

What skills do you need to do the job well?

You need to be good at multi-tasking, and very flexible. Each couple is different, so you need to adapt fast and translate their ideas into a plan. You need to be diplomatic and able to relate to people. You should have a good eye for design and be well-prepared and organised. I carry an emergency kit, with superglue, duct tape, hairspray, cosmetics and other essentials. You also really need a good business head, because no matter how much you love your work, if it doesn't have commercial value, you need to rethink it.

What advice would you give someone with their eye on your job?

A diploma in wedding planning is less important than a portfolio of beautiful weddings – so try to get as much experience as you can in wedding and event planning. I spent two and a half years researching the wedding industry before I launched my company. Marketing your company and networking are really important. I did a short course with the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners, which is run by really successful planners, and I found it invaluable for making contacts.

What's the salary and career path like?

A good independent wedding planner can plan 10 to 12 weddings a year, and charge a percentage of the overall budget for the wedding. A new wedding planner might charge £2,000 to £2,500. Generally you can write off the first year, and might make a little money in the second year. It takes three to five years to get established. It's a competitive industry so you have to stick at it.

www.zoelingard.co.uk

For more information, visit the UK Alliance of Wedding Planners at www.ukawp.com; or the National Association of Professional WeddingServices at www.theweddingassociation.co.uk.

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