Diploma in Wedding Planning, Styling & Design

Price:  £795 - 4 & 10 month payment plan available

 
Format:  E Learning
Course Code:  WPSDLEV4  
Award:  Level 4 Diploma 
Study Time:  350 Hours
Requirements:  No Entry Requirements

The Diploma in Wedding Planning, Styling and Design is a fully interactive course which uses podcasts, videos, PDF's and Elearning material covering all elements of design including applying colour, special effects, lighting and decor as well as learning those crucial planning skills required to fully understand your client's wedding. Your course will include  assignments, 24 which are based on a wedding with the theme of Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend. These assignments will lead you through every stage of designing, styling and planning a wedding. You will be expected to treat your tuotr as your client and the assignment you submit as your proposal.

Designing a wedding is part of the Wedding Planning process, but it is a separate activity and requires different skills and knowledge if it is to be done well. Design refers to the overall look and feel of a wedding and how it appeals to the five senses so we have included as part of your course material a license to the Academy design software. Planning refers to the coordination and management of the wedding and how it comes together as one seamless event so we have included as part of your course material a license to the Academy planning software. These licenses are unlimited and will be great tools for you to use when you launch your new business. Finally you have 5 units based around starting and running a successful business in the wedding industry.

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Course Units

1. The World of Event Design

• History of the industry
• Working in Design
• Traits & Required Skills
• The difference between styling and design 
• Finding your Inspiration
• Sparking Creativity
• Setting Up Your Office

2. Conceptualisation & Planning

• Designing for your audience
• Using the 5 Senses & Feng Shui in Event Design
• Unleashing your creativity
• Storyboards: When, Why & How
• The A-Z of Event Design
• Producing your event
• Planning techniques

3. Creating a Concept

• Flirting with the 5 Senses
• Developing the Concept
• The 5 C's of Event Design
• Five Ways to Kill and Idea
• The Creative Process
• Brainstorming
• DO IT - a simple process for creativity

4. Designing the Experience

• Choosing a Theme
• Theme Ideas
• Researching your Theme
• Using your Surroundings
• Telling the Story
• Creating the WOW factor

5. Colour Schemes and Effects

• The Colour Wheel
• The Meaning & Psychology of Colour
• Colour Tricks
• Colour Trends
• Using Colour in Event Design
• Innovative uses of Colour

6. Design & Decor Techniques

• Designers Block
• Keeping your Design Team Inspired
• Maximising Decor
• Design Techniques
• Tricks of the Trade
• The L Factor

7. Design and Your Venue

• Researching Your Venue
• Unique Venues
• Conducting a Site Inspection
• Room Configuration
• Transforming a Venue
• Working with Tents
• Outdoor Events

8. Decorative Elements

• Visual Styling
• Food Design
• Food & Flowers
• Floral Trends
• Balloon Design
• Using Candles
• Backdrops & Props

9. Fabric Decor

• Types of Event Fabrics
• Fabric Swatches
• How to Light Fabric
• Table Linen
• Fabric and Colour
• Skirting & Fabric Accessories
• Table Design Software

10. Entertainment & Music

• Music and your Event
• Thinking about Entertainment
• Choosing the right Entertainment
• Using an Agency
• The Timing of music and entertainment
• Telling the Story

11. Lighting & Aesthetics

• The Art of Lighting
• Lighting your event
• Recognising Lighting Equipment
• Lighting Effects
• Lighting Glossary

12. Special Effects

• Pyrotechnics
• The Magic of Ice
• Fog & Haze
• Water Effects
• Using Projection
• Balloon Drops & Confetti Canons
• Insurance

13. Creating a Table Centrepiece

• Floral Centrepieces
• Themes & Centrepieces
• Tablescapes
• Tabletop Design
• Mirrors & LED's

14. Designing with Software

• Learning to use Event Designer Space Planner

15. Presenting Your Design

• Design is in the Detail
• From Concept to Completion
• Tips & Techniques
• Setting the Scene
• Reading your Clients

16. Folklore, Traditions and Etiquette

• When to Marry
• Ancient Traditions
• Superstitions
• Customs from Abroad
• Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts

17. Location & Ceremony

• Different types of venues & locations
• Things to Consider
• Ceremonies from around the World
• Traditional & Non-Traditional
• Booking Locations and Venues
• Destination Weddings
• Building your Database

18. The Venue

• Types of Venues
• Creating a Venue Brief
• Room Configurations
• Venue Terminology
• Venue Considerations
• F&B Wedding Packages within a venue
• Conducting a Site Inspection
• Shortlisting a Venue
• Reading the Small Print

19. Catering

• An Introduction to Catering
• Planning the catering for a Wedding
• Top Catering Tips
• Food and Beverage
• The Cake
• Catering Choices
• Service Styles
• Catering Budgets
• Taste Testing
• Culinary Terms & Cutlery
• Glassware and Beverage Portions

20. Transport

• Assessing transport requirements
• Mode of transport
• Selection & viewing
• Planning a schedule
• Delegating

21. Photographer & Videographer

• Photography Options
• Style of Shots
• Videography Options 
• Questions to ask
• Making a choice 
• Questions they should ask you
• Hidden Extras

22. Invites and Gifts

• The guest list
• The invitations
• Calligraphy
• Types of paper

23. Working With Wedding Suppliers

• Sourcing Suppliers
• Questions to Ask
• Building Relationships
• Negotiating Tactics
• Finding Staff
• Virtual Help

24. The Wedding Day

• The day before the wedding
• The wedding day itself
• Final schedule & Timelines & Run Sheets
• Emergency plans
• Cancelling the wedding
• Post event questionnaire
• The positives and negatives
• Ways to improve

25. Client Consultations

• How to sell a Service
• 13 Questions to ask a Bride
• Creating an Impression
• Understanding Buying Signals
• Overcoming Objections
• Closing the Sale and Killer Proposals

26. The Psychology of a Bride

• Understanding different types of brides
• Motivating a Bride
• Buzz Words
• Emotional Selling

27. Wedding Marketing

• Creating marketing material
• Developing a marketing plan
• Marketing mistakes
• Designing your website
• Choosing advertising mediums
• Publicity and Public Relations
• Embracing Social Media
• To blog or not to blog
• The power of Networking
• Marketing on a Shoe String Budget

28. Starting your own Business

• Finding Your Niche
• Your Target Audience
• Conducting Research
• Demographics & Market Analysis
• Evaluating your Competition
• Writing a Business Plan
• Tools of the trade & Associations

29. Finance

• How to launch on a small budget
• Business types
• Writing a business plan
• Pricing your services
• Accountancy and procedures

30. Contracts, Insurance & Setting up your Office

• Location
• Equipment
• Office Design
• Hours of Work
• Goal Setting
• Time Management
• The basics of a planners contract
• Insurance and what you need

Student Testimonial

Whilst the Academy is a Distance Education school what we enjoy and we believe our students do too, is the feeling of being part of a campus.  Whilst you can’t come and sit down in our office to chat with us, we do strive to create a sense of community amongst our students, tutors and admin staff.  Distance Education can be isolating but we don’t believe it has to be.  Over the last year in particular we have spent more and more time on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, as a way of making ourselves even more available to you and giving you the chance to get to know us better, but what we also want to do is help you to get to know each other better.  The Social Centre, which we introduced to students last year, is perfect for this.  Within the centre you can connect with tutors, participate in forums and chat with one another about your courses and assignments and who knows, you may make a valuable contact or two for the future there also.

With this in mind, we thought we would introduce one of our UKAWEP students to you, Roxy Ahmed.

UKAWEP:  Roxy thanks for taking some time to chat with us.  To start with, can you tell us what course you are completing and why you chose this course?

Roxy:  I am undertaking the Diploma in Wedding Planning, Styling & Design.  I chose this course because it will give me the general principles of planning and also help me to understand the overall design of an event.

UKAWEP:  The Wedding Planning Design and Styling course is perfect for that.  It integrates planning with design and whether you choose to work in both areas or just one, the knowledge of each discipline is valuable.

What was it about the Academy that made you choose to study with us?

Roxy:  During my search for a suitable course, the Academy seemed to be the only online presence that offered a great deal of substance.  After looking into it further and speaking to Zoe McKeown who was able to answer my questions and concerns, I knew that the Academy was the correct investment choice in terms of my chosen creative path.

Her professionalism, guidance and unbiased advice prior to selecting the course helped me to make the decision to go with the Academy.

UKAWEP:  That is great to hear Roxy.  We feel that it is very important that the people you speak to about the courses, do have industry knowledge so they can direct you to the right course and help you make decisions that are going to be best for your future goals.  That personalised approach is very important to us and part of how we ensure that we have a happy and successful student body.

What have you enjoyed most about your experience of studying with the Academy?

Roxy:  I have found studying with the Academy has been a great experience.  My tutor Olivia’s  in-depth knowledge of the industry, guidance and support has really resonated.  I love the feedback on each of my assignments, which whilst constructive is always encouraging and never negative.  I am always left inspired, motivated and encouraged to look at things from a different perspective.  It definitely gets the creative juices flowing.  I also love the Academy blog, which contains a wealth of information and is a great reference point. It keeps me informed and inspired with the events industry.

UKAWEP:  Have your goals changed during the course of your studies?

Roxy:  The course has given me direction and focus. I always knew from the start that I was not interested in becoming a full on wedding/event planner per se, as I just wanted to be involved in a niche aspect of it in terms of styling.  The course has proven to be a great platform to give me an overview of the industry.  It has guided me to explore those areas which highlight my strengths and which I feel I am naturally drawn to.

The course has allowed me to really express my creativity and open up a floodgate of ideas in trying to pin down a niche.

UKAWEP:  That is exciting to hear Roxy.  Not everyone who enrols with us has a clear picture of what they want their involvement in the industry to be and sometimes they are not really sure what it is that is driving them to want to learn more.  The course is ideal for someone who does want to have a career in the industry or launch a business, but it is also an excellent way to explore your creativity and your options for a career. 

What do you intend to do after the course?

Roxy:  I am hoping that by the end of the course I will have a viable business venture that works for me, allowing me to do what I love and enjoy. I would love to be involved in the styling aspect of an event but in a niche area – be that in table top styling, floral styling, interior styling or something like this.

UKAWEP:  Focussing on a niche is an excellent way to move forward with a new business venture Roxy.  This will enable you to focus your energy on something you are passionate about too.  I love this area of events also!

How has the course prepared you for taking the next step?

Roxy:  I feel the course has prepared me to do things the right way, in that I should not be in a big rush to get a business underway for the sake of it.  I need to remain patient and follow my intuition, and have a business that feels right for me.  So with this in mind, I am exploring the potential opportunities whilst keeping the big picture in mind, and feel I am ready to make baby steps to put my creative endeavours into practice and start putting things into action to pin down my niche instead of waiting until I have completed the course.

UKAWEP:  Roxy you have a great attitude and approach to your future business.  Following your intuition is something that UKAWEP Director Kylie and I talk about often.  I also firmly believe that having a good foundation is essential in terms of moving forward with your business.  It is clear that you are planning for the future and that the course has been part of that.  That is very rewarding for us to hear. 

What would you say to anyone who is considering a course with us?

Roxy:  I would highly recommend the Academy without hesitation.   It will at the very least, give you a foundation to hone in your skills and investigate your creative ideas. It will give you the skill set and discipline for how to approach your potential creative career path. It will give you confidence, empowerment, and motivation to get out into the world and bring your ideas into creation fruition.

UKAWEP:  That is a powerful message Roxy.  Your passion is inspiring.  Thanks so much for giving us an insight into your life as a student with us and your goals for the future.  We can’t wait to see what you do next and I look forward to catching up with you again when you launch your business.