Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   What is the yearly salary of a wedding planner / consultant ?
   I am thinking of taking this path as a wedding planner/consultant, and was wanting to know their yearly salary
   Doing my HSC (if you know what it is) this year, thinking pursuing this =)

   • ANSWER:
     Wow I wouldnt have a clue but what a great job choice helping ppl on the most important day of their lives. Good luck with that. I guess it would depend how many weddings you do so a better question maybe how much do they earn per wedding.

2. QUESTION:
   What is the average salary of a wedding planner in wisconsin?
   1. If you own your own business?
   2. If you work for a company?

   • ANSWER:
     really making money to be able to support yourself as a wedding planner is tough. if you own your own business, you have to invest a good deal of money into advertizing, participating in wedding shows in your area, and networking with other wedding vendors for the first 2 or 3 years.

     wedding planners normally charge flat fees for their services and most have various packages available depending on how much service the bride wishes to have.

     a full service, where the planner is envolved in every aspect of the wedding from beginning to end is normally 10 percent of the entire cost of the wedding. so if the wedding is a 20,000 wedding, the planner makes 2000 for spending many months, often over a year, on that wedding.

     a partial service package normally runs around 1000 to 1200 which if for a certain number of hours of service which bride and planner agree upon prior to signing the contract.

     the day of package consists of the planner being present only for the day of the wedding to be sure everything runs smoothly. sometimes this is also combined with the rehearsal and normally includes at least one hour prior to the ceremony and one hour after the reception. this package runs from around 500 to 750 depending upon what is included and where the wedding is.

     when you first start out, having a wedding here or there to do makes it necessary to also work another job to live on, plus you must have money to invest in starting the business and time to spend making yourself known.

     if you work for another wedding planner, they either pay a percentage based on what they are getting from that wedding or around 10 to 12 dollars an hour depending upon how successful their business is.

3. QUESTION:
   What is the average salary of a wedding planner in charlotte nc?

   • ANSWER:
     You wedding planner’s fee should be based on a percentage of your overall budget. You should negotiate that percentage with your planner. I’m thinking 10 to 15 percent is appripriate (it could be more). But, if you are planning a 00 wedding that means the planner would get 0 – 0. Ther are a couple of sites that offer guidelines. (I have planned weddings in SC, but normally for friends and family so the percentage is not really a factor.)

4. QUESTION:
   What is the salary of a wedding planner in ottawa, ontario?
   also is there a high demand
   low
   or medium?
   thank you

   • ANSWER:
     I think most wedding planners work independently. Then your salary would depend on how much work you can get. I could not get one hit for wedding planner on the Canada job bank but at http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/res_eng.aspx?ProvId=99&Keyword=event+planner&Student=No you can see hits for event planners, wages range from ,000 – 50,000 a year.

5. QUESTION:
   Im trying to find out the starting salary for a wedding planner?

   • ANSWER:
     Wedding planning is a self employed career, it all depends on how sucessful your business is. At first it can be hard to make ends meet with a new business but you can make a good amount of money once you get going.

     It normally takes three years to establish a wedding consulting bussiness, and five years to become profitable.

     If you work on thirty weddings in a year at an average rate of ,500 per wedding, you can expect to earn ,000 in a year. If you work alone on a full-time basis,you can service about 40 weddings a year, providing nine man-days per wedding. To increase revenues, other wedding coordinators provide extra services such as printing invitations, selling accessories or renting tuxedos.

     The wedding bussiness is seasonal. The months of September, October, June and August are traditionally the busiest months. Winter months are slow; except if you are in a tropical country where December is also a busy wedding month.

     Source:

     http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_much_money_do_wedding_planners_make

6. QUESTION:
   What kind of education is needed to become a wedding planner or event planner?
   I am a senior in high school and i am looking in to becoming a wedding planner or event planner and was wondering how to become one and what education needed and what is the average salary of a wedding planner? and what are the characteristics of a wedding planner?

   • ANSWER:
     You need education for that? Well, maybe an business degree I think, like an MBA or something. But that’s overkill!

7. QUESTION:
   Wedding Planner?
   I was interested in a career as a wedding planner, and I was wondering what the salary is, and exactly what a wedding planner does to organize a wedding?

   • ANSWER:
     try to find another wedding planner in your area that you can “shadow” to learn the ropes. this will help you learn the basics of the biz and also make contacts with the vendors you may be working with later.
     this person/company may also be interested in a partner later on or could serve as a reference for you later

8. QUESTION:
   what is average annual salary of a wedding planner?

   • ANSWER:
     50 cents in Mexico or China.

9. QUESTION:
   What is a wedding planner’s salary?
   ….

   • ANSWER:
     Most are independent contractors who make as much or as little as they can produce in business. Most would be trying for ,000 a year. Some work for large department stores and specialty stores and make ,000 but they don’t have to seek out business because the store provides the leads.
     Of course, a celebrity planner can make 0,000. Only a very few make it this high..

10. QUESTION:
    Is anybody a wedding designer/ planner? Is it a hard job? Can you live on the salary (is it good)? ?
    I really think this profession is interesting but am not sure if it is a good career for life.

    • ANSWER:
      I am a professional wedding planner, and while it is a very rewarding job, it is also not an easy one. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. There are many skills needed to be successful in this industry, and at the top are organizational skills, business skills, people skills, analytical skills, and problem solving skills. The salary will vary depending on the area you live in, and how much work you put into growing your business. It truly needs to be a passion, and not something you do for money, as it can be a very demanding career choice at times. Completely supporting yourself on wedding planning alone usually does not happen in the first few years. Many planners start out by doing it part time.

      Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or would like more information. I love what I do, and would love to help others get started in any way I can.

11. QUESTION:
    what kind of education does it take to become a wedding planner?
    what kind of education does it take to become a wedding planner?
    what is their average salary per a year?

    • ANSWER:
      No formal education required

      You need experience to get jobs
      You cant get jobs without experience

      You need to asset someone else (big city only option) or do some for free (or very low cost) …Get pictures

      Pay varies greatly – both your location (big city, vs small) and the size of weddings you plan (small little get together or huge events) makes a difference

      If you want to go to school, aim for business classes.

12. QUESTION:
    does any one know how can i become a wedding planner in los angeles ? And whats thier salary ? ?
    ALSO ANY IDEA OF WHERE IS THEIER A WEDDING PLANNER SCHOOL ?

    • ANSWER:
      First learn everything about all wedding traditions. Then start your business. You will need a lot of connections ( Flowers, cake makers, photographers etc…) If you don’t have real credentials start small by doing your friends weddings to get your feet wet this should help you learn what it takes to pull a wedding off. There is a lot that goes into planning a wedding and pulling one off without a hitch is impossible. When you become a planner, you are the wedding, you are the glue that holds the wedding together. My mother was a planner (Many years ago) She started off small by doing friends and relatives weddings and turn it into a business. She also ended up owning a catering business and two bridal shops. Your salary is base on the budget of the wedding. If you own different parts of the wedding like catering service or a limo service you can get a bigger piece of the pie.

13. QUESTION:
    Is anyone on here a Wedding Planner?
    I want to be one when I grow up. I was wondering if you like what you do and is it all fun ?

    like what kinds of things do you do??
    how much is the average salary for being a wedding planner?

    • ANSWER:
      Hi! I have been a wedding planner for 17 yrs, and no it is not all fun! You really have to love it, because it can be very stressful!

      The average salary is hard to pin down. It really varies from state to state and even city to city. Larger, metro cities usually have bigger wedding bills, so the fee is usually higher. It also depends on whether or not you work on a percentage or a flat fee basis.

      If you want to pursue it as a future career, try to get a part time job at a bridal shop. This is great experience. You can learn about that part of weddings, and you will get to see first hand how emotional and dramatic brides & their moms can be. Also, you can take a course later over the internet or through the mail to become certified.

      Experience is the best thing you can have, though! Go to as many weddings as you’re invited to, watch shows about weddings, visit wedding planning websites, like The Knot, and try to realistically look at yourself. Are you a very detail-oriented, organized type personality? Are you a perfectionist? Do you make lists constantly? Are you creative? These things are very important in this business!

      Hope this helps!
      Good luck!

14. QUESTION:
    Do you need to go to college to become a wedding planner?
    I want to find out what college classes i would have to take to become a wedding planner, and also if you know an estimate on their salary, and if you have to go to college what colleges could i attend. PLEASE HELP!!! ANY INFORMATION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED

    • ANSWER:
      No.
      The “Wedding Planner” career has been spoiled by amateurs.

      Stop by any trailer park and women will rush out to teach you anything necessary for Wedding Planning, for the price of a carton of cigarettes.

15. QUESTION:
    What are the salaries for wedding planners?
    I am considering being a wedding planner and I want to know how much they make per wedding and per year.

    • ANSWER:
      Salary range?
      Consulting fees depend a lot on both talents and services, and the local market, so it is hard to quote an average.

      I would say that most people who work as consultants *only* (not with another talent/service like retail, design, catering, etc.) are making fairly little. The low end of the fee spectrum, although I have never seen a survey of this, would probably be about /hour, and fees would go up from there to the “Hollywood”- style wedding stylists who are getting rich. However, I would guess most wedding consultants/planners/coordinators are MUCH closer to the bottom end than the top.

16. QUESTION:
    How is life as a Party/Wedding Planner?
    Right now, i’m just wondering how life is as a party/ wedding planner…is it fun? hectic?… If i want to be one what should i major in? Salary in NYC? Are they in Demand now? Any tips for becoming one? etc…Thanks Everyone!

    • ANSWER:
      Check the site thoroughly. It’s an excellent site with some wonderful options for you. It will definitely help you. Have a look.

      http://www.thunderwave-events.com/2010/02/want-to-be-weddingevent-planner.html

17. QUESTION:
    The Job of A Wedding Planner questions!!!!HElp!?
    I need to know the type of work envirement and the approximate salary of a wedding planner!!! please help and list your sources

    • ANSWER:
      it all depends on how you charge. some planners charge like a person that would be attending some charge of the budget and others just charge anywhere from a couple hundred per wedding to a couple thousand. it depends on what you know and what services you provide. if you have detailed time lines and checklists and are available 100% of the time you should expect to make alot of money. i’m not sure what type or work environment you’re talking about but if you mean an office it’s better to rent an office somewhere than work out of your home. most planners work out of their homes to start with though. you can buy wedding planner tips and start up techniques off line for around the higher the price the more you’re going to get out of it though.

      i’m not sure if you’ve planned your own wedding or not. i’m in the process of planning mine by myself and being a wedding planner is easier in the fact that your not the one making the decisions your just there guiding and assisting. good luck.

      EDIT: 15% of the budget.

18. QUESTION:
    Would I do well as a wedding planner in London?
    What sort of salary would I be thinking to earn?

    • ANSWER:
      Yes if that’s what you really want to do. Check with the various planners in your area for a position and pay.

19. QUESTION:
    Wedding Planner? Wedding Consultant? Wedding Coordinator? What’s the difference?!?

    http://www.simplyhired.com/a/salary/search/q-wedding+coordinator/q_1-wedding+planner/q_2-wedding+consultant/q_3-bridal+consultant

    See above for what I mean. There HAS to be a difference between them all if one has such a higher salary than the other? What’s the pros and cons of each? What do they really mean? What are some skills for these to have? How to get started in highschool? HELP!

    • ANSWER:

20. QUESTION:
    Are you a wedding planner?
    I’m a freshman in college right now, and am interested in becoming an event planner, more specifically, a wedding planner.

    I’m just wondering if anyone here has their own wedding planning business and could give me some insight into their career? Like the education involved, the salary… anything. Thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      i’m 22 and just started my own event planning business. You dont need formal schooling for it but it does help. I was a marketing major in college and that helps out a LOT! My entire senior year of college was pretty much just me doing an internship during the day so I took online event planning courses from Sheffield School. Its about 00 but well worth it. If you have the money and time I highly reccomend it! If you cant afford the classes then start reading wedding magazines, books and looking at websites. Keeping yourself up on wedding trends and getting a knowledge of the business is most important. You can get that through books and magazines. other than that you just need to be a detail oriented and organized person.

21. QUESTION:
    I’m thinking about studying to become a wedding planner. Does anyone have any advice or tips on this?
    I’m 31, not married, and have been to very few weddings. Should that matter?
    How did you get started? What’s the average salary? Why do you like to do it?

    • ANSWER:
      I have helped plan weddings but never thought of being a planner and I can tell you that they are a lot of work and something always goes wrong. Also, I have never been married and have no desire to.

      Good Luck and get your blackberry out. Planning weddings is hard work and the customers seem to never be satisfied but that occurs with most jobs.

22. QUESTION:
    How much are wedding planners paid?
    I plan on becoming a wedding planner, even if my dad thinks it isn’t a good profession. I think I would be great for the job–I’m prepared for the stress, ready to talk to my client at all times (whether it’s midnight or midday), and most of all, ready to make a perfect wedding!
    The problem is, I’m concerned with the salary. I need to know how much wedding planners are paid–which, I’m guessing, probably isn’t a lot.
    It would also help if you told me the average pay per wedding.
    I currently live in San Jose, California.

    • ANSWER:
      their are better times of the year and slower times, but yes charge about 10% of the wedding budget, and when you just start out you obviously won’t make that much, but once you’re started you will make quite a bit. for the most part you’d probably get about 00/wedding, and it is alot of work, and takes alot of patience especially dealing with all those bridezillas out there

23. QUESTION:
    Anyone here an event coordinator or wedding planner? Please help?
    So after months and months of thinking of what I want to be once I’m out of high school, I think I’ve come to my conclusion. I’ve been trying to figure out what I like doing. I’m willing to work hard to have a career I can enjoy. So I think I want to be a wedding planner or an event coordinator. I’ve always paid attention to detail and I have an eye for color. I know what looks good together and what doesn’t. I’m energetic and I like people. I pay close attention to wants, needs, and I have a good memory. I’ve also taught myself to deal with stressful situations and make good, creative choices.

    So I DO have a few questions.

    1) I plan on going to college. What type of degree would I have to get for this career?

    2) If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your salary? Or what’s the average salary for an event coordinator or wedding planner?

    3) Do you enjoy your career? Is it what you thought it would be, or is it a lot more stressful than it looks?

    Thank you!

    • ANSWER:
      I just took a wedding planner class from Penn Foster – it’s a certificate and introduces you to many aspects of not only wedding planning but introduces you to the business side of things as well. I’m having a mid-life crisis so I quit my career and am in my 3rd year of law school – and my someday dream is to own a one-stop wedding chapel – so I’m sort of building things now. It’s not horribly expensive and is designed to be done over several months.

      I’m glad you’re willing to work hard because that’s what it is – a lot of “menial” work – making contacts – meeting other business people, searching for new clients, keeping the families communicating— it looks and sounds glamourous but there are so many tasks to manage that the public doesn’t see.

      I think a business degree would be a great foundation; some marketing classes would be helpful.

      Currently (because I haven’t yet received my business license) I’m not actively planning weddings for pay but if a wedding is planned on a percentage basis it is usually 10 – 15 percent of the budget.

      I’d suggest contacting local wedding planners (especially ones with own offices not working out of their homes) for an internship as a volunteer – that my lead into a paying job and some training.

      Paying attention to detail is critical. You can also not only plan weddings but major hotel chains and civic centers and even some bigger companies have or hire corporate event planners — same type of tasks but a different setting.

      Best of luck!

24. QUESTION:
    Chef and Event planner help ten points?
    I want to be a chef, but i also want to be a wedding planner. What college majors are good for this. How do I go about being a chef and a wedding planner. Maybe a caterer and a event planner? What is the usual starting salary if your really successful?

    • ANSWER:
      Chef – you want to go to a Culinary Arts school.http://www.allculinaryschools.com/ld/culinaryarts?src=goo_1010300010100000535_T1

      If you want to own your own restaurant, then I recommend you major in Business – Entrepreneurship and attend a culinary arts school.

      As for the wedding planner, you can’ t major in anything for that specific job. Any liberal arts degree will help. A public relations track might help you most becaues it is critial to have a strong network, great speaking, presentation and time management skills. I recommend going to one of the hotels in your area (Try Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons) and ask to interview the Wedding/Events Planner as a school career project. Go find out what education they have, what skills do they look for when they hire.. and ask if you can volunteer to work/help out 1x week to gain experience.

25. QUESTION:
    What’s it like being a wedding consultant?
    The pros, and cons.
    Skills you need to be successful.
    How to know if it’s the right job.
    Your experience.
    Can you still be a part time wedding planner and have another job?
    Lowest LOWEST salary a year to the highest/average? *i mean, be reasonable.*
    THANK YOU!

    • ANSWER:

26. QUESTION:
    WHAT Job should I go for ? (Salary,qualifications) uk.?
    COMPANY SECRETARY.
    funeral director
    HOTEL RECEPTIONIST
    travel agent
    WEDDING PLANNER
    Rnurse.

    WHAT ONE HAS THE HIGHEST SALARY ?
    WHICH ONE IS MORE AVALIABLE IN UK ,plymouth ?
    What qualifications are needed in all these ?

    • ANSWER:
      I think nurse has the highest salary. It is also the most reliable too! Type in ‘jobs4u’ on google and find more information about it!

27. QUESTION:
    wedding planners..??
    i’m interested in becoming a wedding planner and was wondering if there is anyone out there preferrably and wedding planner that would give me some information about the profession. such as salary, pros and cons of the job and nessecary education.

    • ANSWER:
      This is a job for an entertainer. The choices of what to do
      such as the reception tables, is not simply done. There need
      be a huge income percentages to cover your mishaps, shows,
      no shows, and personal investments. Here is an average
      book I hope you find this right, on the left a college major,
      on the right a singer that is friends in the hotel system:
      doc janet
      flowers 3500 ][[]][][] 100.
      candles 800 ][[]][[][ 400
      band 2100 ][][]]] 400
      waitress 1200 ][][]][][ 1400
      bar 4500 ][]][][][ 500
      snacks 650 ][[]][][] 350
      nite over 200 ][]][] 70
      tuxedo 1000 ]][] 200
      gowns 800 ][][ 240
      limo 300 ][][][ 250
      breakage 300 [] zero
      flights 2400 ][ 400
      rings 8000 ][][][ 1600
      church 100 ][][][] 250
      photos 1200 ][][]][ 450
      invitations 300 ][][] 150
      meals 10,000 ][][ 750
      chef 1000 ][] 50
      totals 38,350.00 ][][ 7560.00 The personal
      touch is build your own hotels, because the records are true.

28. QUESTION:
    FOR ALL THE WEDDING PLANNERS!?
    How many hours in a month do yu work?days per week?hours per day?
    salary- starting and top of the proffesion
    is there room for advancement (manager, CEO,)?
    and sources pls..... from where you got the informatuion

    • ANSWER:
      There's no hierarchy as you are your own boss. If you're good (and less than 10% of the ones I have ever met are even competent) then you'll have a staff but you won't get hung up on titles like CEO. That's for bigger corporate organizations. Expect to work long hours of at least 60 per week. Sometimes 80 or more but it's seasonal so you may work 90 hour weeks for 6 months, then take off a month or two. It's easy to work in long vacations of 2-6 weeks here and there. Most people can't or won't handle those hours anyway. Those who do are aggressive, type-A personalities with their own drive system. They don't have to be motivated by others and they thrive on success.

      ANYONE can become a self proclaimed wedding planner, coordinator, expert, etc. Like I said, very few are worth a darn but very few brides have a clue how to determine who is any good.

29. QUESTION:
    What should I do for a living?
    I am a junior in high school and im trying to figure out what i want to do for the rest of my life. I want any job that has to do with either photography and/or weddings. I'm not sure photographers make as much money as I would like though :/ . I really like anything to do with weddings, so maybe I could be a wedding planner? But I don't know if they make much either. So what kinds of jobs do you think I would like that has a good salary?

    Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      If you like photography, you might want to look into photo retouching and/or color matching (Process production work) involving graphic design. OR, possibly media studies for web production and/or studio work involving photography and layout.

30. QUESTION:
    I want to be an event planner?
    I dont think I want to do wedding or company type stuff..I would like to do birthday, christmas, bar/bat mitzvahs, new years parties, carnivals, parades....stuff like that..

    Do I need a college degree/any degree?
    If so what do I need?

    Would it be smarter to work for an event planning company (apprentice maybe) or open up my own business?

    If open my own business will it be succesful? how much will it cost?

    Is there even any money in this business? If so..a lot? (what would be my average salary?)

    If you are an event planner or work as one under someone else or an event planning company or something I would be super interested in talking to you further about this if you wouldnt mind. You can email me @ J_LA13@hotmail.com

    • ANSWER:
      Hi, start small. Try a birthday party for a friend. it's Lot of hard work, and planning. You need to be flex, how are you in your organization stuff? Always walking around on idea's for a party? You can start working for a company, but the company wold not be happy whit you when you start your own business.
      Good luck

31. QUESTION:
    Please help. Which profession should I pursue in?
    Well I'm a senior and still deciding which profession I should pursue.
    I have three choices:
    A. Hairstylist
    B. Wedding planner
    C. Backup dancer(TV)

    Can someone please inform me which profession will I earn the most salary in and that I'll enjoy the most? I'm great at all 3 things but I know I should choose one and I want to make the right decision.
    Thank you! =)

    • ANSWER:

32. QUESTION:
    Changing Career Fields?
    I might want to change my career to become a wedding planner. What does it take to do this? School? Supplies? Do I go work for someone else or can I start up on my own? What is salary like? Is this a good line of work to get into? I am very good with stress and I actually do better in high stress situations. I would love some facts about this career. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      firstly it must be a DO rather than a MIGHT. You must mean it to make it happen. You are looking at a very specialist field so I would advise to work for someone else who is i the market.

33. QUESTION:
    Is it wrong that when I grow up I just want to be a mom?
    I'm 18 my boyfriend is turning 21 in march and we talk about our future pretty often. Right now we are taking a break from talking about it cause it kinda stresses us out. We definitely know that we want to get married and we pretty much decided two or three kids is what we want. I really could care less where we live, but he would like to stay near his family in Commack, New York (Long Island) soo thats probably what we would do. what kind of salary would make us live happily??

    I get good grades and I love learning, I really know that I could be whatever I want because of my grades I really have so many options. I love reading so I thought of editing, I love planning so I thought wedding planner, I love psychology (always have) so i always revert back to being a psychologist but the thing is I just wanna be a mom. But i get sick to my stomach when i realize my boyfriend hates school and that he has no idea what he wants to be. He always had the thought that he would be the sole supporter of our family but im scared that he wont find something that will let us live comfortably so i feel as though i have to have a good salary as well.

    His family has always coddled him because he was the youngest and they say things like well if you dont find something you could always have our house and we'll move into the basement... and that gives him the impression he has something to fall back on. i mean its nice but it doesnt mean he doesnt have to look for something it really scares me that ill be living with my in-laws forever just because he doesnt have a specific plan. but he hates talking about because i guess he feels the pressure of time coming. we dont have the means to get married definitely for a few years and we are okay with that but his parents let him spend his money on a car when he was in highschool and now he lives from paycheck to paycheck so its not like hes saving anything. he is so wonderful and sweet and he has a great family but they just never taught him responsibility.
    he doesnt understand how long it takes to save money, to buy a wedding, a house, pay for kids i feel as though we should start soon but he doesnt see it, im so sorry for rambling
    but i dont know how to feel should i just worry about me and do what i have to have a good salary so I KNOW for a fact that we will be comfortable or do i leave it up to him?

    i mean how high a salary can you have with just an asssociates degree? not a lot i assume, maybe i can get him to go to school with me and get a bachelor's?
    thanks so much to everyone who answered so far but i just wanted to add something..

    my boyfriend likes the idea of the male being the dominant one in the household, he likes the idea of coming home to dinner on the table where the whole family sits down and he wants to be able to be the one bringing in the bacon, but i just think he didnt doesnt realize that it doesnt just get handed to you, we come from completely different backgrounds my mother had me when she was 19 and had to work three jobs to support me and herself so i get it, i know the reality i just dont know how to make him see it...
    and also we do plan on having fun before we get married we have this idea of going to another state like vermont where i go to college and he works all day on the mountain cause his passion is snowboarding and we would have fun there before we are tied down, but if he doesnt think now we wont vene be able to do that....

    • ANSWER:
      I know a tremendous number of women whom I knew in high school, Jr High, etc. There are tons of them who got married to and had kids with men who had no experience of taking care of themselves and no career ambition. They thought they could change them. It virtually never worked out that way. On top of being mothers to 2 or 3 small children, they're also the primary bread-winner and taking care of the husband. Assuming he is even still around.

      If you want to have a family life, children who are happy and well cared for, and don't want to carry it all on your own shoulders, you need to seriously rethink what is attractive to you.

      Men have an advantage here, because we can life a wild life and not settle down until 40. Marry a woman in her twenties who wants a family, when we have an established career and are financially sound. Women can't wait that long.

      Your boyfriend is a good boy, but has not yet become a good man. It may be many years before he does. I hope things work out for both of yo in the meantime.

34. QUESTION:
    Career Change - Need advice on choosing a college (what costs will my Pell Grant cover, etc.)?
    Ok.. I need some advice. I'm making a huge career change and I have no idea where to start.

    I am actually working towards becoming an event/wedding planner. I would like to have my own business one day, and this is my long-term career goal. I know that I need some training, so I wanted to take a certification course. However, they are not covered by financial aid programs.

    I decided to apply for FAFSA anyway, and see if I can take some college classes and use the remaining money to pay for my certification. I was approved for a Pell Grant of up to 00. My EFC is O. So, I know that this means I will still need to take some regular college courses. I decided I may as well try to get a degree out of this while I'm at it! This will be my first attempt at college.. so an AA. I only have a high school diploma and have been working for the last 15 years in an Administrative setting.

    I have no idea where to begin. Here are my dilemmas:

    * I don't know what school is the most affordable (to get more money back for living expenses)
    * What schools offer online degrees and are the most reputable (since I work)
    * What type of major/degree will offer a secure job field later on? I may need to fall back on this and I don't want to just get any old degree and waste my time. My interests are in HR, Graphic Design, Marketing, Event Coordinating, etc...
    * Will I be able to make a decent salary (at least K) with an Associates degree? I just know myself, and I don't see myself sticking it out that long to do the BA degree.
    * Is it possible to get the Pell grant and other financial aid to where I will bring in enough money that I won't have to work while I'm going to school? I have a family - kids, bills, rent, etc... and that's what's prevented me from going to school full time up until this point. The need to WORK! So if I can get enough financial aid to help assist me, I can go to school full-time instead of online.

    I just want to get to the point where I have the skills to take me into a job where I don't have to live paycheck to paycheck anymore. Where I can put my children in sports and not have to worry about if I'll have enough money. I'm not asking to be rich, just stable, and I'm willing to work for it. But I need advice! I have this notification from FAFSA, but don't know where to go from here. I appreciate your POSITIVE advice... Thanks!

    BTW, I'm in Stockton, CA.
    Question - is it possible to take just a few courses of my pick at a Community College? For instance, at one community college, they have Event Management classes, and they also have Event Marketing courses. They aren't degree courses, just courses. Would the Pell Grant cover that or do I have to be in a degree program?

    • ANSWER:
      Generally, community colleges are the most affordable. If you are not going for a BA, it doesn't make sense to pay ten times as much for University courses when they teach the same things at a community college.

      Community colleges are also more likely to cater to working adults, and have online and evening options for many degree programs. You should check the ones in your area - most will have websites, and see what is available. Most community colleges should have the types of degree programs you are interested in, too.

      There is no major or degree that will secure you a job later on. The job market fluctuates too much to predict such a thing. But the majors you are thinking about are ones that have broad appeal in many fields, so you are on the right track.

      As far as your salary goes, since you seem interested in going into business for yourself, that will all be up to you. It really depends on where and how well you work - and who you know, to land the good jobs.

      I doubt you'll make enough with the leftovers from a Pell grant to get out of working. You can probably get most of your classes online or in the evenings though. You'll be tired, but if you juggle things right, you can fit it all in.

35. QUESTION:
    choosing law as a career?
    ok so i am a junior in highschool and i seriously started thinking of the major i want to do in college. i sorta had a phase where i wanted to be everything: a teacher, doctor, pharmacist, wedding planner. but i have settled with a career in law. however, i have a few questions about the profession and advice would be really nice. what is the average salary of a lawyer? starting out and over the course of years? what majors should i do in college as a prelaw student? also, what classes should i take in highschool? i really like working with forensics and murder scenes. what are some good law schools? what can i do now to build my resume? as a first year lawyer, would i start out working in a firm? also, what are the pros and cons of being a lawyer?

    • ANSWER:
      Warning! Jobs in the field of Law are drying up FAST!!! This is NOT a good field to invest in!!! Many reasons - main one: We simply have WAY TOO MANY lawyers - we have a GLUT OF attorneys. (Not to be mean, but go take a look at your phone book, turn to the Yellow Pages, look under "A" for Attorney.) Law schools won't tell you this - law students are easy money for them - the law schools make everything seem so glamorous. Even IF you finish law school, when you are done you probably won't be able to find a job.

      Law is NOT like what you see on TV. The field of Law is very competitive, political, cutthroat.

      Suggestion: Look into the field of Healthcare! LOTS of jobs there! and scholarships!

36. QUESTION:
    some career help!!?
    okay so i have pretty great grades and im about to graduate highschool with an A.P. status along with dual enrollment held by my name....its exciting but i have 6 career goals in mind and i need some very specific information on each of these ideas:

    -laywer
    -wedding planner
    -interior designer
    -magzine editior
    -fashion/consultant/editior/stylist
    -hair stylist

    i love to do all of these but if i truly want to make a decision i need to get down to business.
    so here are my questions:

    how much does each career make:whats their average salary??
    how far could i go in any of these feilds and what are the benfits??
    and how many years of college to they require??

    if you could anwser any one of these questions for me i would greatly appreciate it:)

    • ANSWER:
      Check out this website

      http://online.onetcenter.org

      Click on find occupation to find what skills and experience are needed for each one.
      Then scroll to the bottom and click on your state for pay and amount of openings in the future.

37. QUESTION:
    I need CAREER suggestions?
    I'm graduating next year and I'm looking for career options. Until some weeks ago I was sure of what I would study (orthodontist), but now, that I've thought about it, not so much. I would like to get any suggestions of a possible career with a pretty nice salary. Some of the things I like are creativity, anything where I can use my hands and create stuff, I also like animals a lot, and anything where you can relate to people and meet new people and have a large social circle. I also like helping people and love kids.
    I have been thinking about some of these careers:

    veterinarian
    news reporter
    crime scene investigator
    lawyer (but only of the ones who work directly with a judge in a court)
    phychology
    decoration (wedding planner maybe?)
    cosmetology (but that doesn't pay much, does it?)
    pharmaceutic (maybe making medicines....that would be interesting)
    journalist (I think it would be fun to write for a magazine or newspaper)
    photographer
    something fashion-related

    I'm really lost :S
    I don't know what to do with the rest of my life and I'm getting pretty frustrated about it because I really have no idea. I've always planned to have a good economic status in my future, and I don't want to be one of those people who work in a company or something like that and end up hating their job (no offense).

    ANY IDEAS?
    *please help* =(

    • ANSWER:
      We can't just tell you want you need to do. You need to make the decision yourself. Just go with what your heart feels honestly. Keep in mind how the economy is you don't want a dead end job your whole life working more than 8 hours + overtime just to pay bills. Many jobs are competive now and you need a college education to get a legit job. So I'm guessing your graduating HS.
      I suggest you look up these jobs on your list and try to find something that may interest you. Your gonna want something that will pay well and benefit you. Whether that is college money or 401K. Look at the pros and cons and ask people advice from people that have been in that specific job field.
      Always save a part of your paycheck, i swear it do you some good.The most important thing I learned was to study hard and dont let anyone get in your way.
      Oh and dont choose fashion, sheesh

38. QUESTION:
    Thinking about a career..?
    Im pretty young, so i still have time. I go to school for performing arts, but the more i think about.. the more i think its an impractical career, and im not sure if i love it as much as i thought.
    I really would love to be a wedding planner, but im told they make horrible salaries.. and that the only way i can do it is if i open up my own buisness, problem is i dont want to put that much of a burdan on myself, especially not knowing a thing about where to start. Do you have any suggestions for a career where i can travel alot, plan things, and work with people? Whatever you think can help. Thanks so much in advance, because i think its best if i figure out now.. that way i can decide if im in the right place with my academics and things. Thanks =]]

    • ANSWER:
      You could be a travel guide or work on a cruise ship, or even be a airline hostest.

39. QUESTION:
    i need help writing an introduction paragraph here is an outline below. Please Help!!!?
    I.Introduction. From Presidential Campaigns to planning a wedding requires the use of an event planner. The main focus of this topic is to introduce the history of event planning as well as educational requirements and possible career paths.

    II.History

    a.B.C
    b.Stone Ages
    c.Unknown

    III.Educational Requirements
    a.High School Diploma
    b.Some type of Professional Experience
    c.Degree of some sort

    IV.Career Paths
    a.Job Descriptions
    b.Salaries
    c.Types of careers

    V.Society Use
    a.Presidential Balls
    b.Super Bowls
    c.Weddings
    d.Charity Events
    e.Political Events

    VI.Types of Events
    a.Weddings
    b.Graduation Parties
    c.Baby Showers
    d.Bachelorette Parties

    VII. Charity Events
    a.Relay for Life
    b.March of Dimes
    c.National Kidney Foundation Kidney Walk
    d.Komen 3-Day for the Cure

    VIII.Closing. Event planning plays a big role in today’s society. We have used event planning long before our time and now it pays to have some type of knowledge in this field.

    • ANSWER:

40. QUESTION:
    What kind of education is needed to become a wedding planner or event planner?
    I am a senior in high school and i am looking in to becoming a wedding planner or event planner and was wondering how to become one and what education needed and what is the average salary of a wedding planner? and what are the characteristics of a wedding planner?

    • ANSWER:
      Another degree to look into is Event Planning or Event Coordinator.

      If i was to hire a wedding planner I would want her to have a bachelor’s degree in event planning or business (and not from an online school, a real college).

      But almost more importantly, I’d want her to be well connected. Start building your network now. You have to have relationships with vendors to know how to get good deals or get something from them in a pinch (a new cake because the old one melted, etc). Try to find a wedding planner in your area and talk to them about how they got where they are. If you could get an apprenticeship or internship while your getting your degree that would be best. Learning by doing it a great way to get a feel for how things really are (and build a network!).

      Good luck and best wishes.