Your role as a wedding planner is to help your client arrange a fantastic event and keep track of all the minor details so that the bride and groom can enjoy their special day.
You must also anticipate what could go wrong and do everything possible to avoid the event being ruined by last-minute changes in plans or unexpected accidents.
However, nothing can be predicted or avoided. Things go wrong bad weather, injuries, and vendors who don’t show up and you’ve undoubtedly dealt with them all. Purchasing wedding planner insurance is one way to safeguard your company from the consequences of these unforeseen disasters.
Our independent agent matching tool will locate the most suitable insurance provider in your area. Tell us what you’re searching for, and we’ll make recommendations for the best real estate agents in your area. Your information will only be forwarded to the agent you select.
In the United States, more than 50,000 event planners, including wedding planners, work. Wedding planners are usually sole individuals or small organizations who plan other people’s weddings. The wedding planner may be in charge of a range of things for any specific wedding:
In addition to everything in between. While you can take every measure to ensure that each event runs smoothly, there are many factors beyond your control, especially when there are so many moving parts and you must rely on others to complete tasks.
Do Wedding Planners Need Business Insurance?
Insurance is one of the most effective ways for businesses of all sizes to safeguard themselves from events beyond their control. Wedding planner insurance is made up of a number of different policies and endorsements that can be tailored to meet your specific requirements.
- Wedding planners want commercial property insurance to safeguard their office equipment, files, computers, tablets, and cellphones. It protects you against property damage caused by fire, smoke, theft, vandalism, and severe weather.
Because your homeowners insurance policy is likely to exclude coverage for business property in your house, you still need business property coverage if you have a home office. If you live and work in an earthquake-prone area, you may also require separate flood insurance or earthquake coverage.
- Guests, vendors, delivery people, and others could be the victims of slips, trips, falls, and other sorts of property damage or injury if you don’t have commercial general liability insurance. While you may not be liable for the safety of attendees at a venue, if they slip on a rug during an event, you could be named in a lawsuit. Similarly, if you work from home and host client meetings there, you may be held liable for any business-related trips, falls, or other accidents that occur there.
Third-party physical injury and property damage claims are covered by CGL insurance. It covers court costs and legal bills if you are sued (you must defend yourself even if the complaint is unjustified), as well as any settlements or judgments you must pay. It also covers medical expenses for harmed parties and protects you from claims of advertising responsibility, slander, or libel.
- Wedding planners require specific professional liability insurance, often known as errors and omissions insurance. It safeguards you in the event that a client alleges that the services you gave (or failed to give) were negligent and caused injury to them.
Simply put, professional liability insurance protects you from making mistakes, which everyone does. Clients can sue you if they are unhappy with your professional services, regardless of whether the claim is valid. Reserving a location for the wrong date, failing to correct typos on invites, or failing to obtain vendors as promised are all examples of professional liability insurance in action.
Clients and their visitors may experience emotional discomfort, shame, irritation, and inconvenience as a result of any of these mistakes. You could be sued just for this reason.
Other Types of Wedding Planner Insurance
Here are some different types of wedding planner insurance to think about if you want to be completely covered:
- Inland marine insurance is designed for enterprises that are constantly on the move, which you are as a wedding planner. You may also bring your computer, tablet, invites, candles, tablecloths, and other items with you as you travel from venue to florist to caterer and back. Inland marine insurance protects your company’s assets while they’re in transit most likely in your car and while they’re at vendor locations or clients’ residences. Inland marine insurance provides property coverage in the event that your laptop is stolen or destroyed at a venue or during a client meeting. This allows you to repair or replace your damaged, lost, or destroyed equipment.
- Commercial auto insurance is required regardless of whether your company owns vehicles or you use your personal vehicle for business purposes. Standard commercial auto insurance is required if you are driving a vehicle owned by your company.
- Small businesses may be eligible for a customized package coverage referred to as a business owners policy (BOP). This cost-effective insurance combines property, liability, and business interruption coverage (which reimburses you for lost income and operating expenses if your business is unable to run due to a disaster). Many low-risk businesses, such as wedding planners, are eligible if they meet the following requirements:
Professional liability, commercial vehicles, workers’ compensation, and many other types of business insurance are not covered by business owners policies. Small-business owners who require additional coverage might purchase separate policies.
- Workers’ compensation insurance: If you have employees, your state may require you to carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover the costs of workplace illnesses and accidents.
What kind of insurance do I need as a wedding planner?
General liability insurance shields wedding planners from claims of bodily harm or property damage made by third parties, such as venues, guests, or contractors. Professional liability insurance for wedding planners protects you from lawsuits alleging negligence or errors in your services.
Do you need insurance as an event planner?
General liability insurance is required for all event planners. Just in case an exhibitor at a trade fair you’re planning gets hurt because of a toolbox left by one of your contractors. In that instance, your general liability coverage may be able to assist with the person’s physical injury claim and accompanying medical expenses.
Do you need qualifications to be a wedding planner?
To work as a wedding coordinator, you don’t need any specific qualifications; experience is far more crucial. If you don’t have a track record of effectively organizing events, you won’t be recruited to arrange someone’s wedding.
You might be able to gain some experience by planning your own or friends’ and family’s weddings. Another alternative is to look for local wedding planners and inquire about work experience or shadowing opportunities.
While not required, a background in hospitality and event management will aid in the development of the necessary abilities. Find more about undergraduate and postgraduate event management programs. If you decide to go to university, get engaged in organisations and clubs and help organize their events.
Short and online courses in wedding planning are accessible through organizations such as:
Look for courses that offer lessons on starting and running a business if you plan to be self-employed. Learn more about working for yourself.
If you want to be a good wedding planner, you’ll need the following skills:
- Keep your cool under pressure – your clients will want perfection. They may take their frustrations out on you, or a supplier may disappoint you at the last minute. You’ll need to be able to handle all of this professionally.
- Communication skills – you’ll have to both advise and listen to your clients. It’s their day, not yours, and it’s your duty to make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Whatever theme or style your clients want, you’ll need to be creative and stay on top of the newest trends to pull together a memorable wedding.
- Strong research abilities – it’s your responsibility to meet your client’s brief, therefore you’ll need to know where to look for all the strange and fantastic requests you’ll encounter.
- Entrepreneurial mentality – you’ll be in charge of selling your services and expanding your company.
- Good with money – in addition to managing your personal funds, you’ll be in charge of spending someone else’s. It’s critical to stick to the budget you’ve been assigned.
- Juggling the many various parts of a wedding is a difficult endeavor, and you’ll need to be able to keep track of everything. Not only that, but you’re likely to be planning multiple weddings at the same time.
- Time management – no deadline is more stringent than a wedding day, so you must be able to do tasks quickly and effectively to the greatest of standards.
- Negotiation skills knowing how to haggle down rates with suppliers and venues will ensure you obtain the greatest deals and keep your clients pleased.
Do you really need wedding insurance?
Many wedding venues need Event Liability & Property Damage Insurance, which may protect you if you are held financially liable for property damage, bodily injury, or alcohol-related accidents at your wedding.
Do I need insurance for wedding photography?
At least in the bride’s mind, weddings are full of something ancient, something new, and something blue. It is your obligation as a creative industry professional, photographer, or filmmaker to fill in the legal gaps that may not be obvious to the client in order to guarantee that their special day goes off without a hitch.
Weddings, for example, are a “can’t-do-it” occasion since the client has invested a significant monetary and logistical expenditure (read: bringing the entire family together in one location).
As a professional photographer, it is critical that we are on-point in order to capture the day and meet the client’s expectations.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important legal documents you’ll need to protect yourself and stay on track for success.
Insurance Policies
Insurance should be arranged regardless of the business formation chosen (See: Quick Legal Checklist: How to Start a Photography Business the Right Way! ), to fill in the gaps that contracts and formations may not supply. A wedding photographer should have liability and equipment insurance at the very least.
Liability insurance is required to bridge the gap between the formation of a business and the protections provided by contracts. The insured, the Photographer, is covered by this insurance against lawsuits and other comparable claims. If the Photographer is sued as a result of the wedding, this will safeguard them and their business. Note that some wedding venues need verification of this form of insurance before allowing photographers to conduct business on their premises.
If the photographer’s equipment is damaged or lost, the equipment insurance will help them meet their future obligations. Note that not all homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policies will cover equipment that is damaged or lost while being used for business. Always double-check your insurance policy.
Back-Up Measures
Because weddings are “can’t-reshoot,” having backup plans in place is not just a wise and common-sense decision, but also a professional obligation. Back-up equipment and photographers are examples of these safeguards. Regardless of how well-maintained equipment is, it will eventually fail. To deliver their legally binding service to the client, a wedding photographer must have a backup setup, cards, and batteries (at a minimum). Furthermore, sickness or accidents may hinder the principal photographer from doing their tasks, thus a backup photographer should be on standby in case of an emergency. Always have a back-up plan in place.
Wedding Photography Contract
This document is a legally binding agreement or pledge with legally enforceable rights and obligations. It also lays forth both parties’ responsibilities in terms of time, place, money, products, and services. Here’s where you can get your own wedding contract template. This agreement should also include all specifications, such as a cancellation policy, a late policy, reproduction rights, both parties’ expectations, guarantees, and a waiver of duty in certain circumstances. This is not an exhaustive list. More Contracts 101 information can be found here. Outlining expectations and enclosing the partnership in a legal agreement will help to avoid problems and ensure the relationship’s success.
Independent Contractor Photography Contract
Working as an Independent Contractor (IC) with a second shooter or assistance necessitates the use of an agreement between the lead photographer and the IC. It’s worth noting that ICs aren’t simply labeled as such. An individual is considered an independent contractor if the payer has the power to control or guide only the outcome of the work, rather than what will be done and how it will be done. If you provide services that can be controlled by an employer, you are not an independent contractor (what will be done and how it will be done). This is true even if you have complete control over your actions. What counts is that the employer has the legal authority to direct the manner in which the services are provided. (Information provided by the Internal Revenue Service.)
Experience
When it comes to business, it’s critical that professional partnerships and contracts are only engaged into when the professional can guarantee and provide the required experience and product quality in good faith. Because photography is an unregulated industry, the criteria for experience is hazy and highly dependant on the individual. Every professional has their own take on whether someone is ready to book weddings and keep their promises. Previous experience with animal wedding photography and the ability to generate a consistent product should be considered a baseline standard.
What are liabilities in insurance?
- Liability insurance protects you from lawsuits stemming from injuries and physical damage to people and/or property.
- Liability insurance pays for legal fees and payments if the insured party is proven to be at fault.
- Intentional harm, contractual liabilities, and criminal prosecution are among the provisions that are not protected.
- Automobile insurance coverage, product producers, and anybody practicing medical or law all require liability insurance.
- Responsibility insurance includes personal liability, workers’ compensation, and commercial liability.
Why is event insurance important?
Many venues require you to obtain event liability coverage in case you’re found accountable for property damage or an injury occurring during your event. This coverage may assist pay for repairs if the band you hired damages a wall with their equipment, for example.
Why do you think organizing the appropriate insurance for your event is essential?
Things can always go wrong, no matter how well you arrange an event. It’s possible that a delegate will have a bad fall. A leak could cause damage to your audiovisual equipment. Alternatively, inclement weather may cause you to cancel the event entirely. In fact, planning for all kinds of contingencies, particularly in the case of accidents, terrorism, and national calamities, has never been more crucial.
Event insurance protects event organizers from unforeseen circumstances that could result in significant costs, potential litigation, and a loss of business.
In fact, event insurance planning should be at the top of an organizer’s to-do list, since waiting too long may result in you not being able to find the coverage you require.
What is event cancellation insurance?
WHAT IS EVENT CANCELLATION INSURANCE AND WHAT DOES IT COVER? If your event is canceled or postponed, event cancellation insurance can help you recover nonrefundable down payments for items like catering, flowers, photography, entertainment, or honeymoon travel.
Step 3: Consider formal wedding planner training.
To work as a wedding planner, you don’t need a formal degree or qualification. However, if you’re new to the field and have little to no experience, learning the ropes and knowing all of the ins and outs can be highly advantageous. “Created by wedding professionals who saw the need for an organization dedicated to the education of those seeking to become wedding planners, as well as to elevate those already in the field through certification and continuing education,” according to the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners. The company provides both in-person and online training. After completing the course for two months, students are able to apply for membership as a Trained Wedding Planner.
Another alternative is to enroll in a course offered by the Lovegevity Wedding Planning Institute, which prepares people to become Certified Wedding and Event Planners. The course takes an average of 8-12 weeks to complete, and graduates receive a certificate, letter of recommendation, and the professional designation of Certified Wedding and Event Planning. One graduate stated, “I would strongly recommend Lovegevity seminars to individuals who are willing to take the leap and pursue their ambitions.” “The Certified Wedding Planner course was exactly what I needed to feel certain that I was on the correct track.”
Step 4: Write a business plan.
Remember the goals from Step 1 and the research from Step 2? A lot of that data can be used to help you write your company strategy. There are numerous tools and templates available online, and we go through the essential steps to starting an event management business in more detail in a separate post, The Essential Steps to Starting an Event Management Business. Here are some examples of what should be included in your business plan:
- Summary of the report Make a list of your objectives and mission statement. Make a plan for why you think your company will flourish – and how you’ll achieve it.
- Summary of the business. Is the wedding planning business going to be solely yours, or do you have plans to enlist the help of others? Include your backstory, location, and whatever else you’d put in the “about” part of your website.
- To be offered products and services. This is where you describe in detail what you will and will not provide. What’s more, how much will you charge? Who do you see as your direct competitors? Don’t forget to think of ways to make yourself stand out.
- Summary of the market research. Find out who your target market is and how you can get their business.
- Summary of the strategy and its implementation. Make a sales plan, a sales forecast, and a list of goals you want to achieve.
- Summary of management. This will depend on how many planning colleagues you intend to have, if any. An organizational structure and a personnel plan are included in this section.
- Make a budget. This area comprises your projected fixed and variable expenses, as well as marketing charges, taxes, and so on. A break-even analysis, expected profit and loss, projected cash flow, projected balance sheet, and business ratios are also included in the report.
Step 5: Create a marketing plan.
Whether you want to work as an independent planner, as part of an agency, or anywhere in between, your firm will struggle to take off if you don’t have a solid marketing strategy in place. Wedding planner marketing, like wedding venue marketing, is all about figuring out what couples want and then reaching out to them through the channels they like. Here are some pointers:
- Make use of social media. Each year, about 40 million people use Pinterest for wedding planning advice. Make it a priority to establish a presence if you don’t already have one. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are all in the same boat. To reach more people, publish frequently but not simply for the sake of posting and use relevant hashtags.
- Start a blog. This is a terrific opportunity to earn awareness and use your voice to deliver value, whether it’s a blog on your own website or guest pieces on other wedding blogs and magazines.
- Use testimonials and reviews to your advantage. According to a 2019 WeddingWire research, reviews and photos are the “most essential aspects couples look at when determining which suppliers to contact first.” Give couples you’ve worked with a simple option to rate and evaluate your services, and be sure to post those reviews on your website and social media sites.
- Use publications to your advantage. Having your business mentioned in a local or national publication can be quite beneficial. Contact media outlets and pitch them on a different angle. Make yourself available for Q&As as well. If you can get a link back to your website, blog, or social media profiles, you’ll gain bonus points. Backlinks are gold in the SEO world.
Step 6: Find the tools you need to be a successful wedding planner.
Let’s look at a possible scenario for this part. Consider two people ordering the identical dresser from the same online furniture store. It arrives in three crates, along with a dozen packages of screws, nuts, and bolts. Person A has a toolbox including a hammer, screwdriver, drill, and a variety of other tools. Person B is armed only with their hands and a dab of superglue. Which of you will be the most efficient at putting the dresser together?