Stories, guides & honest advice from The Wedding Academy.
No clients yet? Here is how to build a wedding planner portfolio from scratch — assisting, styled shoots, case studies and credibility that is not photographs — and how to present it so couples book you.
How to style a wedding ceremony that works from every angle — choosing a backdrop, designing the aisle, styling seating and building the set in the right order. A practical guide for wedding stylists.
How to plan and price elopements — qualifying locations, permits and legal requirements, designing around the light, weather plans and packaging. A practical guide for wedding planners.
What belongs in a wedding planner contract — scope, payment schedule, cancellation, overtime and liability — and how to send it without killing the mood. A practical guide for new wedding planners.
Jac Bowie trains wedding planners for a living — and still plans weddings herself. Inside the theatre-producer process behind Darling Don’t Panic, and why the planner who teaches the planners is a different kind of hire.
How professional planners build a wedding day timeline and run sheet: working backwards from anchors, what to include, where timelines break, and how to run the day without firefighting.
A planner’s guide to micro wedding planning — what defines an intimate wedding, how to structure the day, where the budget really goes and how to specialise.
How much do wedding planners charge? Learn the four pricing models — flat fee, percentage, hourly and packages — and how to price your services confidently.
How to start a wedding planning business from home: setup, legal and admin basics, services to sell, systems and how to land your first clients.
How to become a destination wedding planner: why micro and destination weddings are the most profitable niche, the legalities, the logistics — and how to train.
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Leading Wedding & Entertaining Expert, David Tutera is hailed as an artistic visionary whose ability, uniquely creative talents and outstanding reputation have made him a tremendous success in the lifestyle arena. Tutera has created a name for himself by taking his passion for designing spectacular events and transforming it into a lifestyle.
He continuously exceeds the expected with an unmatched level of inspiration, imagination and innovation to create the latest trends in entertaining. Tutera’s grandfather, a successful florist, first noticed his grandson’s artistic ability at an early age and encouraged David to pursue his destiny. At age 19, with the sound advice of his grandfather and only one client, David opened his own event planning business.
Today, David Tutera presides over an award winning company built from experience, dedication and Tutera’s natural talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. His name has become synonymous with style, elegance, creativity and vision. David Tutera has a natural talent for transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. His name has become synonymous with style, elegance, creativity and vision.
Honored by Life & Style Magazine as “Best Celebrity Wedding Planner,” David’s impressive client list includes Jewel, Star Jones’ wedding, Real Housewife Taylor Armstrong’s wedding, Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul’s wedding, NY Giants Antonio Pierce’s wedding, Shannen Doherty’s wedding and events for Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Brandy and Ray J, Jenni “JWoww” Farley, Lil’ Kim, the Official Post Grammy Parties in New York City, Elton John, Barbara Walters, the Rolling Stones, Nancy Reagan, Prince Charles, The White House, private events for the Vice President, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger, Susan Lucci, The John F. Kennedy Center, as well as countless film premieres and celebrity parties for royalty, politicians and socialites.
Tutera has also designed events for several charities including the Prevent Cancer Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association, DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids) and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. David has made guest appearances on Today, Extra!, Good Morning America, The View, CNN, The Rachael Ray Show, The Talk, Steve Harvey, Wendy Williams and many more. In addition People, USA Today, In Touch, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, In Style, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Bridal Guide and Town & Country have all featured his work.
Tutera has also made special television appearances in the popular daytime soap, The Young & the Restless and TV Land’s The Exes. David lives in Los Angeles with his husband Joey, daughter Cielo and their rescue dog Lucy.
