Stories, guides & honest advice from The Wedding Academy.
How to specialise as a wedding planner — Jac Bowie on why specialists get booked, niche ideas, how to choose and test your specialty, and when not to specialise yet.
A practical wedding planner pricing strategy — work out your true costs, choose a pricing model and structure coordination, partial and full planning packages that sell without scope creep.
A planner’s checklist for destination wedding vendor contracts — governing language and law, currency, deposits, force majeure, scope, permits, insurance and who should sign.
Learn the wedding client red flags planners spot from first enquiry to contract — and exactly how to respond with qualifying questions, clear contracts and firm, fair boundaries.
How to coordinate a wedding in a different time zone — communication hours, one planning hub, overlap calls, local vendors abroad, buffered deadlines, jet lag and a local-time run sheet.
How to run a wedding rehearsal like a professional planner — who attends, a step-by-step run sheet, processional order, music cues, family dynamics and a sample rehearsal timeline.
Beach wedding planning, honestly: what planners wish couples knew about permits, tides, sun position, wind, sound, guest comfort, access and backup plans.
An honest guide to the wedding planning software working planners actually need — CRM, contracts, invoicing, run sheets, floor plans and client portals — and how to avoid paying for overlapping apps.
How to build and price micro wedding packages that protect your time — inclusions vs add-ons, tiering, time-based pricing and why a small guest list is no reason to discount.
Wedding planner and educator Jac Bowie on the eight things she’d never do at her own wedding — and what 20 years of live events and training planners taught her about each one.
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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.
