Change of Career - Event Management

[Cahir]

A friend of mine is looking to change career and is hoping to get into Event Management and maybe even wedding planning. She's currently working in the IT sector and as far as I'm aware has no "official" experience in this area. "Unofficial" experience includes organising every social gathering I've ever gone to with her and practically organising everyone's wedding in her office!

Can anyone advise of any courses that might be useful and does anyone know what sort of salary is involved?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jdf]

From seeing "Brides of Fronc" on RTE1 earlier in the year I would say that she should just go for it herself. His basic charge was €7.5k if I heard him correctly. One of his more demanding brides (who was an air hostess) subsequently went into the wedding planner game.

Get references from the people who she has sorted out. Look for referrals from them, do they know anybody getting married soon who would like her to help out? Network. Take a stall at any one of the wedding fairs that go on all the time. Negotiate a rate with local providers based on volume so the more business you bring them the better their price is. Having photographers, bands, bakers, wine merchants etc etc lined up (or at least familiar with who you are and what you do) will give you an edge when pricing for a couple.

She could do the first few while keeping the day job until she had enough people on the books to warrent going full time at it.

A start your own businesss course might be where her time is better spent study wise.

 

[RainyDay]

I have heard of some business degrees with a module or component on Event Mgmt, but I've no personal experience of same. To be honest, if I was employing an event manager, I'd be looking for a little bit more than 'she's organised the Xmas party'. But then again, I probably wouldn't employ an event manager in the first place, so don't place too much store on my opinion.