John N. Peragine - How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant & Planning Business

How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant Business

By John Peragine, Jr.

How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant Business By John Peragine, Jr.

Copyright 2008 by Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.

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ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-114-9

ISBN-10: 1-60138-114-X

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Peragine, John N., 1970

How to open & operate a financially successful wedding consultant & planning business :

/ by John N. Peragine, Jr.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-114-9 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10: 1-60138-114-X (alk. paper)

1. Wedding supplies and services industry--Management. 2. Consulting firms--Management.

3. New business enterprises--Management. I. Title. II. Title: How to open and operate a financially successful wedding consultant and planning business.

HD9999.W372P47 2008 395.22068--dc22

2008008197

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Table of Contents

Bibliography

Author Dedication

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife, Kate, and my shining daughters, Sarah and Loreena.

I also want to give a special thanks to my friends at the Spilled Bean Coffee Shop who feed me coffee, one soup bowl cup at a time.

Foreword

Wedding consultants play an important role in making dream weddings come to life. From selecting photographers and florists to making the bride feel as comfortable as possible throughout the wedding planning process right up until the minute she walks down the aisle, wedding consultants do it all and must be willing to devote as much time as necessary to making sure that each and every detail is perfect on the big day.
Owning your own wedding consulting business is more than dealing with the minute details of planning and orchestrating a successful wedding event. Owning any type of business requires knowledge of bookkeeping, marketing, tax law, and finances, among other things. Running a wedding consultant business is no different. Owners must have a working knowledge of the operational and business aspects of their company as well as designing the reception space layout and providing the latest trends in wedding styles and fashion to the client.

John Peragine, in How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant Business, lays it all out for anyone thinking of opening a wedding consultant business. He begins by giving you an introduction into the business, providing readers with invaluable information on the personality characteristics of successful consultants and a realistic look at start-up costs involved with opening a wedding-planning business.

Having been in the wedding consulting business for over ten years, I can honestly say that this book is an excellent resource for new business owners. Peragine has provided a complete sample business plan, something that all new owners should invest time in if they want their business to run successfully for many years to come. Networking is essential in the wedding-planning business. The majority of your clients will be referred to you by former clients. Peragine offers a wealth of information on ways for you to get your business name out into the community, from word-of-mouth marketing to how to get your business featured in local and national newspapers and magazines.

As a wedding consultant, it is inevitable that you will come across a bride that may be more difficult to please. The author provides an entire chapter on the psychology behind the consulting business. He offers tips on how to handle even the most difficult of clients and how to get the job done successfully even if your personality clashes with a current client. Peragine makes your transition into business ownership easier by providing sample market analysis worksheets, press releases, contracts, and profit and loss statements, along with menus and seating arrangements that will help you jump right into the actual planning action.

The information provided in this book is extremely helpful. The tips and tricks that Peragine offers throughout are useful for anyone looking to open a wedding consultant business. Even seasoned business owners, such as myself, can use the invaluable information provided to better operate their businesses. With How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Wedding Consultant Business, you can expect to receive new and fresh ideas on how to successfully jump into the wedding-planning business. Good luck on your journey toward business ownership and congratulations on taking the first steps in starting a career in the exciting world of wedding consulting.