Most professional wedding planners work alone. Becoming a member of a wedding planner association is like being a part of a team.

4 Reasons to Join a Wedding Planner Association
Reason #1: Wedding Planner Networking opportunities

* Most wedding planner associations sponsor member events where you can connect with your peers, share and brainstorm ideas and get much-needed advice about what it takes to be a professional wedding planner.
* Looking for a wedding planning mentor? Your wedding planner association might have just the right person for you to work with.
* Give serious consideration to becoming a committee member or leader within your association.  Even if you're a newcomer to the wedding industry, you have valuable information to share with others and once you do, you'll be considered an expert.

Reason # 2: Find wedding planner jobs and clients
Depending on which wedding planner association you join, member benefits may include help with finding more clients.  Each association manages this benefit differently.  Here are some methods:

* Inclusion in the association's membership directory or database – by making the directory public, potential clients are likely to find you
Providing local wedding leads – this gives members the opportunity to ‘bid' or contact prospects, who are looking for a wedding planner, directly.
* Use of the association's logo on your website and other marketing materials is equivalent to having a stamp of approval and is yet another way to help with how your wedding planning business is perceived by clients, vendors and the media.

As the owner of your own wedding business, your wedding planner association is a good place to find employees and/or interns who work a.
Alternatively, if you're looking for a job as a professional wedding planner, certain wedding planner associations provide their members with access to a job postings that may not be advertised anywhere else.
Reason #3: Information, Education and training for wedding planners
A good wedding planner association is a wealth of knowledge for both new and experienced wedding planners.  Membership may include access to:

* Special wedding industry events and conferences
* Resources to educate members  on ‘best practices' for the wedding industry
* Wedding industry data – global, national and local – perfect for business start-up
* Online webinars and classes throughout the year
* Breaking and relevant news about tools, products, software, services and more related to the wedding industry
* Member-only publications – magazines, newsletters, white papers, etc.

Reason #4: Wedding Industry discounts
Many companies for whom wedding planners are customers, will promote their products and services to wedding planner association members (i.e. YOU) with special rates and discounts which  means more profit for you.
Wedding Planner Association Homework
As you consider your options for possibly joining a wedding planner association, it's important to do your due diligence:

* Ask for recommendations from others in our industry – wedding planners, professional wedding vendors – and existing and past wedding association members.
* Keep in mind that some wedding planner associations have protocols and requirements before accepting you as a member, so, get your paperwork in order.
* Membership association fees vary, but, most are reasonable. What can you afford? Special rates may be available for active students, so ask.
* Pay attention to the response time and level of professionalism you receive when researchin...