How to Become a Wedding and Event Planner in New York State
Organizing an event, like a wedding, is no small order. There are many minute details to keep track of and multiple service providers to keep on task. Coordinating such intricate details is too stressful and challenging for many people, leading them to hire an event planner.
For a detail-oriented person, however, planning large-scale events could prove to be an incredibly lucrative opportunity and the perfect career fit. If you are such a person, you may want to know more about what this exciting career entails.
Wedding and event planners meet with clients to determine their expectations, plan the entire event and attend it to monitor things when the big day arrives. The job includes working with the client’s budget to secure a location, caterers, entertainment and transportation. This task comprises soliciting bids for services, reviewing bills and approving payments.
Requirements for Working as a Wedding and Event Planner in New York
New York does not have specific requirements for wedding and event planners but depending on where you plan to work, you may need to have a college degree. If you are planning to work for yourself, you have the freedom to decide how much education you wish to achieve. in any case, you will need a considerable amount of knowledge about the business, including financial expertise, contract negotiation, management skills and a talent for customer service.
Your training may also be determined by whether you want to be a wedding planner, event planner or meeting and convention planner:
- Wedding planners typically plan only weddings and will build a working relationship with wedding-specific vendors.
- Event planners work on celebratory events such as birthday parties, quinceañeras, bat/bar mitzvahs and anniversaries.
- Meeting and convention planners work on much larger events, often for corporate events or professional development.
New York Training Opportunities for Wedding and Event Planners
If you are interested in training for this career, there are plenty of programs of varying academic levels in New York State:
- SUNY Broome in Binghamton, NY, offers an Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Event Management.
- Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY, offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Event and Tourism Management.
- Niagara County Community College in Sanborn, NY, offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Hospitality Management.
- New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, NY, offers Bachelor of Technology or Associate of Applied Science degrees in Hospitality Management.
- Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY, offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management.
- New York Institute of Art and Design in New York, NY, offers a Wedding Planning Course.
- Wagner College in Staten Island, NY, offers a certificate for Wedding and Event Planning.
Wages and Career Growth
New York, specifically the New York City/Jersey City region, is one of the highest-paid geographical areas for wedding and event planners nationwide. in fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), wedding and event planners made an average annual wage of $69,550 in New York State in 2020. in addition, the field is predicted to experience a 7.2 percent growth between 2018 and 2028.
Opportunities
So, where do wedding and event planners typically work? They work for businesses, colleges, sports teams, museums and are self-employed. in this business, the opportunities extend into numerous industries. a few of the current job prospects in New York include Cornell University, Hyatt and the New York Racing Association, Incorporated. Regardless of the path you choose to become a wedding and event planner or where you choose to work, this profession has excellent potential for financial success and career satisfaction.