The role of a Wedding Stylist may be one you are less aware of but it is one that is gaining momentum in the industry. For various reasons, some people don’t feel like they need to hire a wedding planner to help them plan their special day.
The fact is hiring a wedding planner isn’t for everyone. They may not have the budget to set aside 10-15% in planner fees, or they may love planning and want to do that part all themselves.
However, where these couples often feel like they could use the support is for set up on the day. They want their wedding to look as beautiful as possible but they don’t have the skills or time on the day to do it themselves. This is where a wedding stylist comes in.
If you are creative with an eye for colour and details and you’re looking for a flexible career running your own business then read on to find out how you can set up as a wedding stylist.
What Does A Wedding Stylist Do?
This is a good question. The line between stylist and planner can be blurry (and you can be both) but there is a distinct difference.
Whilst the planner oversees the wedding as a whole, the stylist is focused on the aesthetics; they set the scene and provide a stunning visual backdrop for the wedding.
A wedding stylist does not need to check to see that the band has arrived or that the guest transport is on schedule.
However, they may need to liaise with the visual suppliers they will be working with to ensure such things like… the cake maker knows when the dessert table is being styled or to check in with the stationer on when the menus and place cards will be delivered.
Things a Stylist may be hired to do includes;
- Consulting with the couple to discuss their wedding day vision
- Designing a personal style for the day; from the ceremony, to lighting, florals, decor and furniture etc.
- Putting together an inventory for everything needed to execute the design and source items/provide items from their own hire range
- Being there on the day (or the day before) to set up, style and pack-down
Many wedding stylists offer additional services and products to boost their earnings per job. This may include offering prop and decor hire which requires a stylist to build up an inventory of styling elements such as candlesticks, linens, signage, furniture etc.
Alternatively, some stylists offer floral design or stationery alongside their styling services. What skills you have, what space you have access to, and what money and time you have to invest will decide what is the best route to take your styling business.
The great news for anyone with an interest in working with a couple on the look and feel of their day is that the trend towards more personalised weddings with unique details is driving up the demand for wedding stylists.
Want to know more about the role of a stylist? Check out this blog post that includes an interview with pro wedding stylist and industry leader Louise Beukes.
So What Skills Do You Need To Be A Wedding Stylist?
Most wedding stylists come to the role because they are looking for a career that allows them to make the most of their creativity. That being said, if you don’t necessarily see yourself as a born creative but you have an excellent eye for all the details and you love to play with colour then the rest can definitely be learned and developed.
The key skills you will need to get hired include:
- Designing and Conceptualising
- Budgeting
- Planning and Logistics Management
- Sourcing and Negotiating
- Communication
You’ll also definitely need to be a team player as you’ll be expected to work with many other suppliers contributing to each wedding you are employed for.
How Do I Become A Wedding Stylist?
So if you’re thinking this sounds like your dream job let’s look at how we can actually help you turn this into a reality.
Whilst you may have many of the skills you need to be a great wedding stylist, there is more you need to know in order to turn your passion into a profession.
Our dedicated styling course, The Certificate in Wedding Styling will teach you:
- How to take your inspiration and creativity and channel it into the design of a wedding
- How to use design tools such as mood boards, colour swatches, fabric samples and flower charts
- To design a table from the bottom up + how to layout and structure each element on it
- To produce your wedding flawlessly considering production & logistics
- How to communicate your design to your clients and produce the perfect client proposal
And as with all of our courses, we’re focused on providing real world, practical knowledge and this is especially important when it comes to wedding styling.
Within the course, you will find ‘How to’ video styling tutorials you can replay over and over again. We cover a variety of different looks and themes and we are continually filming new content to update this course to reflect changing trends.
If you think you’d like to offer planning as well as wedding design and styling services then our Advanced Certificate in Wedding Planning, Styling and Business can help you achieve this.
It also includes the training you will need to launch and market your own wedding business.
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