Becoming a Wedding and Event Planner in Tennessee

Planning a wedding or any significantly large event is not an easy feat. It requires intense focus and detailed organization and excellent communication skills and a fair bit of creativity. Because of this, wedding and event planning has been on the rise. These professionals are tasked to do all the hard work of planning the perfect event.

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If you are motivated and have an outgoing personality, event planning might be the perfect fit. Although this job entails long nights and countless hours of organizing and problem-solving, what results is a rewarding and often fulfilling career. Nothing beats the feeling of being able to make someone’s dream event become a reality.

What You Need to Become a Wedding and Event Planner in Tennessee

There are currently no official educational requirements needed to work as an event planner in the state of Tennessee. However, two essential components would be most helpful in your chosen career path: relevant education and first-hand experience in the field. Before we dive into those, here are several essential skills that event planners should be capable of to ensure excellence, regardless of their education and experience:

  • The ability to communicate effectively and work well with other people
  • A high level of creativity
  • Being meticulously detailed
  • Excellent focus and organization skills
  • Maintaining a calm demeanor even in stressful situations
  • The capacity to make quick and effective unexpected decisions

Some universities offer courses such as Hospitality and Event Management, Public Relations, Marketing, Communications and Human Resources that can help you hone these necessary skills.

Universities and Colleges That Offer Relevant Education in Tennessee

Multiple educational institutes in Tennessee offer practical courses to help aspiring event planners prepare for their field. Here are some colleges and universities and a brief description of each to get you started on your journey:

  • The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, offers degrees in Hospitality Management, Communications, Marketing, Public Relations and Human Resources.
  • The University of Memphis in Memphis, TN, offers degrees in Hospitality Management, Marketing and Communications, Public Relations and Human Resources.
  • Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville, TN, offers degrees in Hospitality Management, Marketing for the Hospitality Profession and Human Resource Management.
  • Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, TN, offers degrees in Hospitality Management, Communications, Marketing for the Hospitality Profession and Hospitality Human Resources Management.

Apart from these schools, you can also take numerous online courses to learn how to be an exemplary event planner. Online institutes like The QC Event School or the Quincy College Event Planning Program specialize in teaching courses directly related to planning special events like weddings.

Another way to earn valuable first-hand experience and pertinent knowledge is by applying for an internship in a well-established wedding or event planning company in your area. It’s always a good idea to dip your toes in the water to see if it’s a good fit before jumping headfirst into the profession.

Salary and Career Growth of Wedding and Event Planners

Meeting, convention and event planners in Tennessee make an average hourly wage of $24.04, making up to $50,000 a year. This is about the same as the nation’s average hourly earnings of $24.79. Higher-earning planners, however, can make up to $33.86 per hour.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are an estimated 1,210 convention and event planners employed in the state of Tennessee as of this writing. The average long-term (2019 to 2029) growth rate for event planners is at 8 percent, higher than the average growth rate for other professions.

Job Opportunities for Event Planners in Tennessee

If you are interested in practicing as a wedding and event planner. in that case, there are a couple of important career choices you have to make. You can decide to provide services to clients by establishing your own business, or you can work for another company. There are numerous employment opportunities for event planners in Tennessee, especially in larger cities such as Nashville and Memphis.

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