Should you work for free to gain experience in the wedding industry? That’s what I thought when I first started my wedding business. As a business coach for wedding planners, I've seen this debate from every angle, and it’s not always black and white. Sometimes offering your services for free makes sense, while other times, it’s important to stand firm on your value and financial integrity. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the tricky question of when it pays off to work for free and when it’s best to just say no, and I’m going to share my thoughts (and kind of unpopular opinion) when it comes to whether or not you should work for free.
The Problem With NEVER Working for Free
Let me back up a second. For many years, the wedding industry has demanded a steep learning curve. New wedding professionals often work for free to gain experience, build portfolios, and establish connections. This practice, almost a rite of passage, leads countless newcomers to offer their services at no charge, hoping to break into the competitive field. Unfortunately, many new wedding pros get taken advantage of, ultimately burning out and leaving the industry.
However, in recent years, there has been a pretty significant shift in the desire to work for free. The pendulum has swung hard in the opposite direction, and now it seems that the willingness to work for free has all but disappeared. And hey, I get it. Like I mentioned above, this change is, in part, a reaction to the exploitation and burnout experienced by many bright and ambitious wedding planners who felt undervalued and overworked.
The truth is, though, that refusing to do ANY work for free can hinder the growth of a wedding planning business (especially in its early stages). While it is important to value your time and expertise, there are strategic instances where offering free (or discounted) services can provide big returns. We will talk more about this below, but participating in styled shoots, collaborating with other vendors, or assisting in high-profile events for free can open doors to new opportunities, enhance your portfolio, and build a network of industry connections.
These experiences can lead to paying clients and long-term success, proving that, sometimes, working for free is a worthwhile investment in your future.
When You Should Say NO To Working for Free
That being said, there is some free work that you should absolutely say no to. When I was starting my business, I sat down with a financial advisor to discuss my goals and the vision I had for my wedding planning company. During our conversation, he asked me how much I was planning to charge for my services. I told him I was going to do some work for free to build my portfolio and then offer my services at a very competitive, below-market rate to get more weddings through the door. This is the same song and dance many new wedding planners follow, believing that working for free or at very low margins is the way to kickstart their careers.
My advisor then asked me what types of weddings I hoped to plan. I enthusiastically described my ideal clients: those with big budgets, a keen attention to detail, and a sophisticated sense of style. He pointed out that by working for free or at such low rates, I was setting myself up to attract clients with low budgets or no budgets at all. If I wanted to work on high-end projects, I instead needed to position myself accordingly from the very beginning.
If that’s you right now, resist the urge to post in those wedding Facebook groups offers to plan a wedding for free “for experience”. Trust me when I say that you will rarely get the kinds of weddings that you can actually use in your portfolio or get the experience you really want out of a wedding day (ie. be prepared to assemble a hundred DIY projects the week of the wedding).
When Wedding Pros SHOULD Work For Free
I’m never going to make you work for free, but here are some examples that might make sense for you and your business.
First, one prime example of when it makes sense to say yes to free work is when it offers an opportunity to truly build your portfolio. As a new wedding planner, having a strong portfolio is essential for showcasing your skills and attracting potential clients.
Participating in styled shoots, for example, can offer an incredible ROI. I truly believe that styled shoots have been a big part of why I was so successful as a wedding planner, and if you’re interested, make sure to grab the entire Playbook I wrote on them. These collaborative projects allow you to work with photographers, florists, and other vendors to create a visually stunning event setup (and network with one another, too!).
The other time I think it makes sense to say yes to free work is when it helps you network and get into rooms you want to be in. Attending industry events, offering your services for industry events (and venue openings), or assisting seasoned professionals can help you network with people who will be invaluable over the course of your career.
Basically, these opportunities not only allow you to learn from experienced peers but also enable you to establish relationships with key players in the industry. It’s cliche to say that your network is your net worth, but it’s kind of true. Relationships are huge in the wedding industry.
My Experience Saying Yes to Free Work
I want to shift the idea that everything has to be paid work. There are so many awesome opportunities that can help you in other ways, even if you're not getting paid. And I know what I’m talking about here because while I never offered to plan weddings for free, I did say yes to plenty of free opportunities (and still do!).
For example, early in my career, I collaborated on a styled shoot for a magazine. While it wasn’t a paid gig, it turned out to be a huge catalyst for my business. This experience allowed me to meet and network with the vendors I knew I wanted to work with and to design the types of weddings I wanted to plan.
Had I turned down that opportunity simply because it wasn’t paid, I would have missed out on the invaluable connections and portfolio-building experiences that came from it. I’m so glad I didn’t!
Should You Work For Free to Gain Experience?
To sum up, the question of whether to work for free in the wedding industry is a complex one with no one-size-fits-all answer. There are times when offering your services for free can be a strategic move, helping you build your portfolio, establish valuable connections, and gain experience. However, it's also important to know when to say NO to working for free to stand firm on your worth and to avoid undervaluing your expertise.
If you want honest advice on growing your wedding business, I would love to invite you to join the Planner's Playbook. Each month, I host office hours where I dive into topics just like this, offering my insights and honest advice (even when it’s unpopular and not what you want to hear). Let's work together to build a thriving wedding planning business! Hop on the waitlist now!
Explore More Wedding Industry Resources
- How to Start a Wedding Planning Business
- How To Build Your Portfolio As A Wedding Planner When You’re Just Starting Out
- 8 Free Ways To Market Your Wedding Planning Biz
- Creating Wedding Planner Packages for Your Business: How To Find the Best Way To Position Your Offer
- 6 Things You Need to Include In Your Wedding Planner Pricing Guide
- Here’s What Every Wedding Planner Needs To Include In Their Wedding Design Proposals
- Wedding Planner Pricing: How Much Should You Charge As A Wedding Planner? Learn How To Figure Out Your Price
- Pricing Mistakes You Can’t Afford To Make In Your Business As A Wedding Pro
- 6 Ways Wedding Planners Leave Money on the Table
- 5 Ways to Make More Money As A Wedding Planner
- Why Honeybook Is The Best CRM for Wedding Planners
- How Much Does It Cost to Become a Wedding Planner?
- Wedding Planners – Should You List Your Wedding Planner Pricing Packages On Your Website?
- Day of Coordination: The Pros and Cons as a Wedding Planner
- How To Sell Your Wedding Planning Services: The 7 Stages Of The Sales Cycle
- 5 Contracts Every Wedding Planner Must Have To Be Legally Set
- How To Get Wedding Clients When You’re Just Starting Out
- Are Your Wedding Industry Sales Down? Here’s How To Figure Out What’s Wrong
- 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Wedding Planning Business
- How to Book Destination Weddings And Elopements In Your Wedding Business
- Why You’re Not Attracting The Right Clients and How to Fix It
- How To Become A Wedding Planner With No Experience
For More Wedding Planner Business Secrets Follow Me On Instagram
The first episode of our email marketing series is LIVE 🎉🎉🎉
ICYMI: I announced this week that I am doing a BIG podcast series on email marketing - how it works, how you should get started, and all the strategies you need to know.
In the first episode of our 8-part series, Dawn Richardson from @techsavvycreative is my co-host and we break down the email marketing fundamentals you need to know, including...
👉🏻 What email marketing really is (hint: it doesn’t involve sending a newsletter every week 😰)
👉🏻 Common email marketing terms you need to know
👉🏻 What an email marketing funnel looks like
👉🏻 How you can use the AAECR formula in email marketing
Take me to the gym, on your next hot girl walk, or along for the ride to your wedding this weekend and let’s build out your email marketing funnel together! 🎉🎉🎉
A special thank you to @flodesk and @tryinteract for supporting my big idea to teach this on my podcast! ❤️
#thepowerinpurposepodcast #powerinpurposepodcast #flodesk #tryinteract #weddingpros #weddingpro #weddingindustry #emailmarketingtips #emailmarketingstrategy #marketingpodcast #weddingindustryeducation #weedingindustryexpert #weddingpodcast #marketingplan #weddingphotographer #weddingplanner #weddingstationery #weddingflorist
BIG, FUN ANNOUNCEMENT! 📣 🎉
I’m so excited to share with you that over the next 8 weeks, I’m doing an email marketing deep dive on my podcast, The Power in Purpose.
Starting tomorrow, I’m releasing one new episode a week teaching you the ins and outs of email marketing. I’ve been hearing from SO MANY PEOPLE just how tired and burnt out they are using social media. I think it’s time to have a conversation on how you can diversify your marketing so you don’t have to rely so heavily on something that feels so heavy.
Email marketing is amazing - it’s pretty much the number one way I’ve grown my business. But my business and your business look a little different, which is why I am sharing with you how you can use email marketing as a wedding industry pro.
I want you to think of this podcast series as a mini course on email marketing. And at the end of the series, you’ll know everything I know about how email marketing can help you reach more customers, grow brand awareness, and make more money.
At the end of the series we have a BIG event happening, but you’ll need to tune into the first episode tomorrow to hear more about that.
I’m so excited for you to hear what we’ve put together and more importantly, for the strategies and tactics to bless your business. I know that diversifying your marketing efforts will change how you use social media and EASE THE PRESSURE you feel daily to show up here.
Comment PODCAST below and I’ll DM you the direct link to Spotify and Apple Podcasts so you can subscribe!
#thepowerinpurposepodcast #powerinpurposepodcast #weddingindustry #weddingpros #emailmarketingtips #emailmarketing #weddingindustryeducation #weddingindustryexperts #weddingseason #weddingplanner #weddingphotographer #weddingbusiness #weddingmarketing #flodesk #interactai #buisnessmarketing
Is your brand experience attracting and repelling the right people? 🤔🤔🤔🤔
Branding and client experience are important as a wedding pro, and today, we are talking about where the two meet!
In this episode, I’m chatting with Ally Baur of @allybdesigns all about the elements of brand experience, the role of branding in attracting ideal clients, the impact of templates on brand consistency, and the significance of customer service in the wedding industry.
It’s an episode you’re gonna want to listen to if you want make sure your brand and brand experience is up to snuff.
Comment 133 below and I’ll DM you a direct link to listen!
#powerinpurposepodcast #thepowerinpurposepodcast #brandidentity #brandexperience #weddingindustry #weddingpro #weddingpros #candicdcoppola #weddingproinsiders #clientexperience #brandstrategy #brandingtips
Today was a GREAT day to chop off all my hair. This is your sign to shed anything that’s not serving you. ✨
Special thanks to @naomihairsyou and @ronavictoriaa_ 🥰😍
#hairtransformation #hairchop #shorthair #bluntbob #blondebob #candicecoppola #hairbeforeandafter #barbados #summerhairgoals #chopoffyourhair
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