Course Details Summary:

What is Wedding Planning and what does a Wedding Planner do?

A Wedding Planner is a professional who assists with planning and organization of weddings. A Wedding Planner can be involved from the ‘Engagement’ stage right up to the point where the couple go off on Honeymoon!

Weddings are thought to be a once-a-lifetime event and the organisers of a wedding (the couple and their families) are often willing to spend a considerable amount of money to ensure it is organized as perfectly as possible. Wedding disasters can be quite painful!

This has given rise to professional wedding planners in several countries and communities. Wedding Planners attempt to ensure that the planned events occur as expected. These Wedding Planners take extensive certification courses and require superior business skills.

Wedding Planners are particularly helpful when planning a destination wedding as it is critical to help especially with documentation handling. It is to be taken into consideration that any country where a wedding is celebrated needs different procedures depending also on the nationality of bride and groom.

Why should I study Wedding Planning?

You should study Wedding Planning if you are an Events Manager of any sort! More weddings are planned than any other single event. If you are currently a Wedding Planner and you would like to increase your knowledge and expertise of this ever-growing field, then we highly recommend the College SA Certificate in Wedding Planning. Perhaps you are considering becoming a Wedding Planner. If that is the case, then registering for the College SA Certificate in Wedding Planning is something you really must do.


The College SA Certificate in Wedding Planning is unique in that it focuses on weddings from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. South Africa is a “Rainbow Nation” of many different cultures – and to be a cutting-edge Wedding Planner, you absolutely need to know about the different cultures and how they experience weddings.

Is Wedding Planning the RIGHT qualification for you?

Do this quick and easy questionnaire to find out if the Wedding Planning Certificate is the right qualification for you. Answer either YES or NO.

• Are you currently an Events Manager?
• Are you currently a Wedding Planner?
• Are you considering becoming an Events Manager?
• Are you considering becoming a Wedding Planner?
• Are you meticulous in your planning, precise, structured and organised?
• Do you enjoy working with people?
• Are you able to take the lead when a particular situation calls for it?
• Would you like to know more about general business skills?
• Do you wish to register for a course that will take you a year or less to finish?
• Do you wish to register for a course that will give you skills in Wedding Planning?
• Do you wish to obtain a certificate that will be a useful tool in advancing your knowledge and expertise of Wedding Planning?
• Do you enjoy going to weddings and seeing how things are done?
• Have you ever been to a wedding and thought that you could have planned a better wedding?
• Would you like the knowledge and skills to plan your own wedding?

If you answered YES to more than five of these questions, then the Wedding Planning Certificate is the right qualification for you. We recommend that you register for this course right away!


Call the College on 0800 21 23 22 to take the next step.


If you did not answer YES to more than five of the questions, then perhaps you should consider one of our other courses or fill in the Form at the bottom of this page and we will contact you. Alternatively, call the College on 0800 21 23 22 to speak to one of our friendly Student Registrars and they can help you determine which is the right course for you.

Other Courses You May Be Interested In

Events Management
Interior Decorating and Design
Digital Photography


Call the College on 0800 21 23 22 to find out how you can register for one of these courses.

Course Structure Summary

In order to complete the Wedding Planning Certificate, students must complete the following Modules:

• Tactics for Winning – Orientation Module
• Introduction to Business English
• Wedding Planning
• Marketing Management

What Study Material Do You Receive With This Programme?

With this programme you will receive the following:

• Business English Textbook with a Solutions Guide
• College SA Introduction to Business English Study Guide
• The really useful WEDDING BOOK for South Africa
• College SA Wedding Planner Book 1
• College SA Wedding Planner Book 2
• Marketing Management Textbook
• College SA Marketing Management Study Guide
• College SA Kit Item

Course Structure – Detailed Outcomes

Tactics for Winning:

• What is Distance Learning
• Some important things you should know about learning
• Parcel Tracking on the Internet
• Student Card
• Forms
• Calendar
• Progress Poster
• Studying
• Further Works
• Some Advice
• Study Tips and Methods
• What should I do if I get behind in my work?
• Account information
• Assignments
• Preparing for a Exam
• Writing a Examination
• Checklist for students
• Tactics for Winning

Introduction to Business English:

• Key Principles of Effective Communication
• Spoken Communication
• Written Communication
• Work Readiness

Wedding Planning

• Understand the basics
• Understand the legal side of marriage
• Understand the cost implications of a wedding
• Know about the wedding ceremony
• Appreciate different wedding ceremonies and traditions in South Africa
• Know how to find reception venues
• Know how to locate caterers and hiring services
• Find good photographers
• Find good videographers
• Produce appropriate wedding stationery
• Organise flowers and decor
• Understand techniques and protocols about table seating
• Generate speeches and organise toasts
• Order and cut wedding cakes
• Organise music for the wedding ceremony and reception
• Identify appropriate wedding wear for the bride and bridal party
• Choose wedding attendants
• Supervise hair and beauty aspects
• Identify suitable wedding gifts
• Organise appropriate transport
• Supervise the wedding day
• Organise the honeymoon
• Organise encore weddings
• Promote South Africa as a wedding destination
• Be in a position to answer relevant questions about weddings
• Give brides and grooms useful tips
• Draw up a useful wedding planner
• Explain how to manage stress
• Describe good organisation skills
• Define the importance of choosing a suitable date for a wedding
• Justify reasons for choosing a certain style for a wedding
• Explain the concept of a guest list
• Discuss how wedding coordinators can help plan a wedding
• Discuss the Marriage Act and other laws
• Analyse cost cutting strategies
• Explain how to work out budgets
• Discuss who traditionally pays for what
• Describe bridal traditions
• Describe how to avoid pitfalls
• Discuss what the ceremony involves
• Describe how to make the ceremony special
• Discuss Cape Malay Muslim traditions
• Discuss Indian Hindu traditions
• Discuss Indian Muslim traditions
• Discuss Jewish traditions
• Discuss Sesotho traditions
• Discuss Xhosa traditions
• Discuss Zulu traditions
• Identify extra costs
• Describe the correct procedures in choosing and booking venues
• Describe the different types of venues
• Ask the right questions about caterers and hiring services
• Explain how to set and stick to drinks budgets
• Explain the procedure for hiring services
• Explain the procedures relating to meeting the chosen photographer
• Describe how to brief the photographer
• Describe how to deal with videographers
• Describe and source invitations
• Explain protocol for invitations
• Understand logistics for wedding stationery
• Identify correct working for invitations
• Explain how to develop the order of service for a wedding
• Identify the traditional and modern anniversary gift lists
• Set budgets for flowers
• Organise flowers for the wedding ceremony
• Organise flowers for the wedding reception
• Organise other decor for the reception
• Organise bonbonnières for the reception
• Explain table seating plans
• Arrange seating for the bridal party
• Arrange seating for the guests
• Explain protocol relating to speeches
• Organise a master of ceremonies (MC) for the reception
• Describe the order of speeches
• Describe and organise wedding cakes
• Describe and organise chocolate fountains
• Suggest and organise music for the ceremony
• Suggest and organise music for the reception
• Suggest music for the traditional first dance
• Explain the importance of "correct style" for bridal wear
• Describe suitable outfits for the bridal party
• Identify and describe the bride's attendants
• Identify and describe the groom's attendants
• Describe and give tips for kitchen teas
• Identify and describe hair and beauty procedures
• Describe and organise the gift registry
• Organise transport to get the bride to the church on time
• Suggest and organise transport for guests
• Explain the preparation process for brides
• Describe the protocol for meeting and greeting guests at the ceremony
• Describe the protocol for meeting and greeting guests at the reception
• Identify traditions for wedding receptions
• Identify and describe honeymoon destinations and offer tips
• Explain encore weddings
• Explain how to include children in encore weddings
• Describe appropriate styles for encore weddings
• Describe dress for encore weddings
• Organise invitations and speeches for encore weddings
• Explain what South Africa has to offer as a wedding destination
• List ten good reasons for couples to marry in South Africa
• List and answer frequent questions people ask
• Identify and describe tips for brides
• Identify and describe tips for grooms
• Identify and describe tips for parents
• Explain what a wedding time-planner is
• Draw up a step-by-step wedding planner checklist
• Identify and describe what is meant by "green weddings"

Marketing Management

• The Field of Marketing
• The Marketing Landscape
• Buyers Behaviour
• Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning
• Information for Marketing Managers
• Product Decisions
• Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity
• Value Creation and Services Marketing
• Pricing Decisions
• Retailing
• The Distribution Decision
• Integrate Marketing Communication
• Cyber-Marketing
• International Marketing
• Marketing, Planning and Implementation Control

Assessment and Award

Once you have successfully completed the necessary assignments prescribed by College SA, you will be awarded your Wedding Planning Certificate from the College.

Handy Checklist

For your convenience, we are including a handy checklist so that you can be sure that you have all the information that you need. Don’t forget, if you have absolutely any questions, please contact the College on 0800 21 23 22 to speak to one of friendly Student Registrars.

• Course Fees – get this from your Student Registrar.
• Study Material – ALL the books and Study Material that you need to pass this Course (the Prescribed material) are included in your College Course Fees.

Interested? Want to find out MORE?

If you would like to find out more about the Wedding Planner Certificate, fill in this short Form and then one of our friendly Student Registrars will respond to your questions and will provide you with all the information you need.

Frequently Asked Questions