Training and Experience

• Many people are attracted to the possibility of a career as a bridal consultant because no formal training or education is required. Unless you can prove that you have experience in event and/or wedding planning, however, it will be difficult to obtain and retain clients. The Association of Bridal Consultants, many online colleges, and traditional vocational colleges offer courses and programs designed to prepare students in business management, design, and other skills necessary to become successful.
  
  

Duties

• Bridal consultants often work very closely with both the bride and her family to help to plan and coordinate all aspects of the wedding. This can include selecting and purchasing flowers, and arranging for the wedding cake and food for the reception, as well as booking music and entertainment for the reception, selecting and ordering invitations and thank you notes, scheduling events such as dress fittings and rehearsal dinners, and any and all other aspects of planning a wedding.
  
  Over time, successful bridal consultants develop professional relationships with florists and other vendors, which allows them to recommend vendors and negotiate prices when securing services for the wedding and reception.
  
  

Retail Bridal Consultants

• Unlike independent bridal consultants, retail bridal consultants do not run their own bridal consultant businesses. Instead, they work for department stores or specialty stores that specialize in bridal and wedding-related items, such as wedding and bridesmaid dresses, flowers and invitations, and help customers shop for those items by offering their opinions and recommendations.
  
  

Salary

• The salary of a bridal consultant varies on the experience of the consultant and the fees that they charge. A more experienced consultant will charge higher fees but, in general, a beginner can expect to earn approximately $20,000 to $30,000 a year to start. Retail bridal consultants earn between $18,000 to $44,000, depending on their level of experience.
  
  

Considerations

• While they are usually fun and exciting for everyone involved, weddings are also highly emotional events. The best bridal consultants are skilled at remaining calm under pressure and coming up with quick solutions when things don’t go as planned.