Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wedding Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Wedding Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing weddings from initial inquiry through final wrap-up. This role owns client relationships, vendor sourcing and negotiation, budget and timeline management, on-site day-of operations, and post-event reporting. The Wedding Manager works closely with venue teams, catering partners, creative vendors, and internal sales/marketing to ensure on-brand, seamless wedding experiences that meet client expectations and company profitability targets.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Wedding Planner / Coordinator
Events Coordinator or Catering Manager
Front-of-house or Catering Supervisor in hospitality

Advancement To:

Senior/Lead Wedding Manager
Events Director or Head of Wedding Operations
Director of Sales & Events, Venue or Hospitality Group

Lateral Moves:

Corporate Event Manager
Private Events / Social Events Director
Venue Sales Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead end-to-end wedding planning and execution for assigned accounts, including initial discovery calls, proposal development, detailed timelines, vendor coordination, and final on-site management to ensure a high-quality guest experience.
Build comprehensive wedding budgets, track expenses and vendor payments, reconcile actual spend against budgets, and present budget updates and forecasting to clients and internal stakeholders.
Create and maintain detailed event timelines, production schedules and run-of-show documents, coordinating with ceremony officiants, vendors, venue operations, and the couple to ensure on-time delivery of all elements.
Source, vet and negotiate contracts with preferred vendors (caterers, florists, photographers, DJs/bands, AV, rentals, transportation) to secure competitive pricing, favorable terms and on-time service delivery.
Draft, review and manage all contracts, statements of work and service agreements with clients and vendors, ensuring clear deliverables, payment schedules and liability/insurance requirements are addressed.
Conduct regular client meetings and walkthroughs—virtual or on-site—establishing expectations, reviewing inspiration, managing change requests, and maintaining clear documentation of decisions and approvals.
Lead on-site wedding day management, supervising vendor arrivals, setup, rehearsal coordination, timeline enforcement, vendor performance, ceremonial cues and transitions between event segments.
Oversee floor plans, seating charts and room setups, working with floor plan software (AllSeated, Social Tables or equivalent) and venue operations to maximize guest flow and sightlines while complying with capacity and safety codes.
Coordinate logistics for guest accommodations, transportation, welcome events, rehearsal dinners and post-wedding brunches, liaising with hotels, shuttle services, and concierge teams to deliver a cohesive guest journey.
Manage catering and menu selection processes, including tastings, dietary restrictions and allergy accommodation plans, coordinating with chefs and banquet managers to ensure accurate headcounts and service timing.
Lead risk management and compliance activities including collection of vendor certificates of insurance, execution of health and safety protocols, ensuring permits and licences are in place for site-specific requirements.
Create and implement contingency plans for weather, vendor no-shows, technical failures or other day-of emergencies, making rapid decisions to minimize guest impact and preserve event quality.
Supervise event staff and third-party teams (event captains, floor managers, AV technicians), providing role assignments, pre-event briefings, escalation protocols and post-event debriefs.
Collaborate with venue operations and property teams to manage load-in/load-out logistics, storage, vendor access, parking, building restrictions and noise/curfew constraints.
Maintain and update a centralized vendor and supplier database, track vendor performance metrics, negotiate long-term agreements and cultivate strategic partnerships to improve cost and service reliability.
Support business development efforts by generating proposals, preparing customized quotes, upselling add-on services and converting leads into confirmed bookings while maintaining margin targets.
Oversee event inventory, décor assets and rental coordination—tracking condition, quantities, depreciation and replenishment needs to ensure availability and brand consistency.
Manage all post-event activities including final invoicing, vendor payment reconciliation, client satisfaction surveys, collection of photos/video for marketing use and compilation of lessons-learned reports.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), templates and checklists for repeatable wedding types and sizes to increase operational efficiency and ensure consistent delivery.
Track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as booking conversion rate, average revenue per wedding, on-budget delivery rate and client satisfaction scores; present insights to leadership and suggest operational improvements.
Coordinate creative direction with stylists and designers to ensure décor, lighting and floral concepts align with the couple’s vision while staying within budget and venue constraints.
Manage marketing and guest experience initiatives for weddings including welcome signage, guest gift logistics, social media-ready moments and client testimonial capture to support brand reputation and lead generation.
Mentor, train and develop junior planners and coordinators, setting performance expectations, reviewing work, and building team capability through coaching and cross-training.
Ensure sustainability and local-sourcing practices are considered and implemented where applicable—waste reduction, recyclable materials, and vendor selection aligned with company ESG goals.

Secondary Functions

Assist sales and marketing by attending bridal shows, open houses and client events to generate leads and build brand awareness.
Maintain CRM records (HoneyBook, Salesforce, Aisle Planner) with up-to-date client notes, contracts, invoices and post-event feedback.
Support pricing strategy by analyzing competitor offerings, market rates and seasonality to adjust packages and service tiers.
Draft marketing content and case studies from executed weddings for website, blog and social media channels.
Participate in cross-functional planning meetings to align wedding operations with catering, venue and property calendars.
Contribute to the development of training materials, job aids and SOP updates to improve onboarding and team consistency.
Assist accounting with invoicing, deposits, refund processing and month-end reconciliation related to weddings.
Coordinate photographer and videographer shot lists and schedules to ensure key moments are captured per client expectations.
Research emerging wedding trends, technology tools and vendor innovations to continuously improve service offerings.
Provide ad-hoc support for private events and corporate social functions as needed, applying wedding operations expertise to other event types.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Event planning and production management for weddings and social events.
Budget creation, expense tracking and financial reconciliation; basic P&L literacy.
Contract negotiation and vendor management, including insurance and liability coordination.
Proficiency with event design and floor plan tools (AllSeated, Social Tables, CAD basics).
Familiarity with wedding industry CRMs and operations platforms (HoneyBook, Aisle Planner, Salesforce).
Scheduling and timeline software proficiency; experience building minute-by-minute run sheets.
Basic audio-visual and lighting understanding to coordinate with technical vendors.
Knowledge of catering service styles (plated, buffet, station) and dietary/allergy accommodation procedures.
Permit and compliance knowledge for public and private venues, including noise ordinances and alcohol service regulations.
Inventory management for décor, rentals and supplier logistics.
Microsoft Office and Google Workspace proficiency for reporting, spreadsheets and presentation materials.
Basic marketing content creation skills for social media and website event pages.

Soft Skills

Exceptional client-facing communication and presentation skills; consultative sales mindset.
High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple moving parts simultaneously.
Strong negotiation and persuasion skills to manage vendors and contract terms.
Calm, decisive problem-solving under pressure with excellent crisis-management instincts.
Empathy and emotional intelligence to manage client expectations and sensitive moments.
Team leadership and staff management, including delegation and feedback delivery.
Time management and prioritization in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
Creativity and design sensibility to translate client visions into cohesive events.
Adaptability to changing circumstances and last-minute client requests.
Professionalism, discretion and confidentiality when handling private client information.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or equivalent; associate degree or vocational training in events/hospitality preferred.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, Business, Communications, or related field.
Professional certifications such as Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) or wedding-planning certificates are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Hospitality Management
Event Management
Business Administration
Communications / Marketing
Culinary Arts (beneficial for catering coordination)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–7 years in event planning, with at least 2 years specifically coordinating weddings or high-touch social events.

Preferred: 5+ years of progressive wedding or on-site event management experience at a venue, hotel, event planning firm, or specialty wedding company; demonstrated track record of delivering weddings across a range of sizes and budgets, strong vendor network, and experience managing teams and P&L responsibility.