Among the first few wedding planners in Chennai, Vidya Gajapathi Raju and Rekha Rangaraj of Sumyog have been in the business for nine years. Their foray into wedding planning happened by chance and all their learning happened on-the-job. Under one umbrella, they offer services like designing of wedding invites, design and packaging of gifts, designs for decorations and florals, catering, food and beverages, photography and videography, travel, transport and accommodations, destination weddings and honeymoon packages.
Scope for wedding planning: Families becoming nuclear has resulted in this demand for professionals to help plan and execute important events. It’s the one-stop-shop for access to every wedding need.
Skills needed: Good management skills, hard work and put in long hours, aesthetic sense and creativity.
Where to study: While Vidya and Rekha learned on the job, you can opt for courses at College of Events&Media, Pune, EMDI Wedding Academy, Mumbai, or take up an online certificate course with Royale Institution.
Remuneration to expect: It is usually a percentage of the entire budget of the wedding, after all expenses. Initially, don’t worry about the remuneration. Try to gain people’s trust in you. When your work speaks for itself, your scale will also increase.
Advice to freshers: Just do it! Focus on what’s important — perfection and satisfaction of the client. Weddings are always time-bound. Be ready and remember, there are no second chances. Visit www.sumyog.com.
— preethi@newindianexpress.com