Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organisation Communicating with people outside the organisation, representing the organisation to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

The Work

It is true that your job as a wedding planner is to plan a big party. But it does not just involve looking at dresses, tasting wine and picking stationary! When you are being paid by customers to deliver whatever their dream wedding is, it’s a job that comes with a lot of responsibility and hard work.

Wedding planners can be either self-employed or employed by hotels or other event venues.

It is important to really get to know your clients so that you can ensure that their requirements are met, within an agreed budget. The couples’ wedding day is not the time to ask them any questions, so all information has to be gathered well in advance so that they can enjoy their day without any interruption.

Some of your tasks during the planning phase may involve: finding and booking a suitable venue (unless you work for a hotel/venue), organise catering and/or tasting menu, invitations, and you may also be responsible for arranging activities or accommodation for the guests.

Before the wedding reception, you meet with the relevant staff/contractors to do a final check through all the finer details. When guests start to arrive, you greet them at the front door of the wedding venue and you are then at hand for any requests or issues that may come up. You have to be able to think and act quickly if problems arise or if someone makes an unexpected request.

When you’re not actively planning or overseeing a wedding, you may be working to establish good contacts with relevant businesses such as photographers, catering firms and florists. If you work for a hotel, your work will involve promoting the hotel as a wedding venue, showing couples around the hotel grounds, and you may also organise wedding events in the hotel.

Self-employed wedding planners need to work on a marketing strategy to ensure that potential future clients are aware of them. Wedding fairs are excellent opportunities to promote yourself as a wedding planner as well as making important contacts with suppliers and service providers.

The work is likely to involve irregular hours, evenings and weekends and you may have periods which are very busy, as well as quiet times.

Every member of staff who deals with customers’ 'personal data', such as names and addresses, or who process payment card transactions, need to have some knowledge of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). It is the responsibility of the employer to give job-specific information on GDPR in their organisation. You can read more about data protection in the workplace here.  

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
• Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
• Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
• Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.
• Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
• Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
• Maintain records of event aspects, including financial details.
• Monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
• Negotiate contracts with such service providers and suppliers as hotels, convention centers, and speakers.
• Evaluate and select providers of services according to customer requirements.

Further Information

• Wedding Planner - from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Qualifications vary to work as a wedding planner, but many wedding planners have experience of working in the Hospitality sector, experience of event organising, catering, or sales and marketing.

There are several courses which combine Business and Event management in both Colleges of Further Education and Universities. Other relevant subjects are Business studies, Hospitality, and Marketing.

Training & Development

FET Centre Traineeship: Business, Hospitality, Marketing & customer service NFQ level 5 Search FET Courses

FET PLC Courses: Hospitality, Travel & Tourism, Sales, Marketing & Events management, Business & Customer care NFQ Level 5-6 Search our FET PLC Coursefinder

Apprenticeship: Sales & Recruitment along with Hospitality & Tourism sector Apprenticeships NFQ level 6-8 Search Apprenticeship programs

Higher Education CAO Entry: Hospitality management, Travel & Tourism, Sales, Business & Customer care, Event management, Digital media marketing NFQ Level 6-8 Search our CAO coursefinder

Postgraduate Study Options Hospitality, Tourism, NFQ level 9

Your Business & Enterprise Development 

Courses and mentoring for self-employed are offered in local enterprise boards and can help you get started with your Wedding Planner business. Mentoring & support for Your Business Start up Enterprise Partnership Offices 

Last Updated: April, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €35k - €55k

Salaries vary by employer, location, experience, shift pattern, role, and duties.

Data Source(s):
Excel/ Indeed/ Payscale

Last Updated: March, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Although employment levels grew between 2021 and 2022 for this occupation, numbers employed remained below pre-COVID-19 levels. The numbers employed across the various roles in this occupation are too small in the Labour Force Survey for further analysis but the CSO Census data shows that approximately half of those in this occupation worked as air travel assistants or travel agents, with 2022 levels for these roles well below their 2016 levels.

Approximately a third of persons employed in this occupation work part-time, higher than the national average. The extent to which employment in these occupations will recover to their prepandemic levels is uncertain as affordability and attractiveness for air travel services in particular remains vulnerable to increased energy costs, and consumer demand and preferences given the green agenda and cost of living pressures.

• Local Enterprise Office

  • C/O Enterprise Ireland
  • Click Here

• Fáilte Ireland

  • Amiens Street, Dublin 1
  • (01) 884 7700
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Hotels Federation

  • 13 Northbrook Road, Dublin 6
  • 01 497 6459
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Wedding industry federation

  • The Irish Weddings Industry Federation (I.W.I.F.) Athy Co. Kildare
  • 0599100178
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here