INTERNATIONALLY AND INDUSTRY RECOGNISED
Broaden your career prospects with two highly practical specialist diplomas
This six-month hybrid programme offers the best of both worlds with face-to-face classes in London supported by online units and virtual career mentoring. Your course offers comprehensive event management training and practical wedding industry experience, all led by the world's leading wedding and event industry educators. You'll be immersed in London's wedding and luxury event society, attending exclusive industry events guided by inspirational Event School Lecturers and supported by our lead wedding industry lecturer, Siobhan Craven-Robins. Gain valuable event management and wedding planning skills and future-proof your career in the dynamic world of weddings and events.
KEY COURSE DETAILS
START DATES & DURATION
29 September 2025
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6 Months
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Hybrid - a combination of London classes, live events, online units, industry practice and virtual mentoring
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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
UK & International Students
Minimum Age:18
​Competent English Language Skills
Degree or 3 Years Work Experience
COURSE FEES
Total Fees: £9,250
​Deposit: £500
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Fees are subject to change.
ACCREDITATION
Internationally & Industry Recognised
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Endorsed by the UK's Leading Technical Education Awarding Body
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IDEAL FOR
Career Changers looking for the most competitive edge towards launching their own business or finding work in the luxury wedding and
events industry
Graduates wanting to add a specialism to their existing qualification with practical experience
Gap Year Students who want to learn new skills and achieve a qualification during their gap year
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Junior Planners who wish to gain a qualification, and benefit from learning structured planning methods & approaches
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International applicants wanting to add British experience and certification to their CV or portfolio
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FACE - TO - FACE TRAINING
With so much of our lives now spent online, our full-time students prefer an 'in-real life' learning experience.
That's why our hybrid courses offer hands-on, face-to-face
training and experiential learning classes and activities in London.
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You'll attend face-to-face classes every Tuesday, plus 10 x 2-day masterclasses, 2 x 5-day electives, excursions, industry events and networking in London.
VIRTUAL SUPPORT AND ONLINE UNITS
Your face-to-face training is supported by virtual career and academic mentoring and online learning content (one elective and foundation event studies) to enrich and supplement your learning experience.
ASSESSMENT
Assessment varies per unit and elective, but generally, apart from knowledge based online quizzes and short online tests, your assessment will take the form of assignments, reports, portfolios, practical and observations.
HIGHLY PRACTICAL
The wedding and event industry is highly practical - and so are our full-time courses! Vocational Education is all about learning by doing and our programmes are designed around experiential learning principles.
COURSE STRUCTURE
CORE
PROGRAMME
Diploma in Event Management
Advanced Diploma in Professional Wedding Planning​
Endorsed by Training Qualifications UK
SPECIALIST
ELECTIVES
Three Electives
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Tailor your programme to suit your interests, learning and career goals with specialist electives
ONE-TO-ONE
CAREER MENTORING
To ensure you receive personalised care when it comes to exploring and deciding on future career paths, you'll have a dedicated Mentor. They will meet with you monthly to focus on your specific professional and career development needs, interests and goals.
PRACTICAL
TRAINING
Extensive practical training
supports and reinforces theory
We love to get hands-on in our own venues and with our industry partners.
Whether it's attending a wedding industry event to build product knowledge or learning how to plan style shoots, we think the more practical the better!
PLAN & DELIVER
A LIVE EVENT
Your class will plan, deliver and evaluate a live event.
Because we believe the best way to learn how to plan is to do it!
INDUSTRY
PRACTICE
60 hours Industry Practice
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To gain exposure to a range of events and build your industry connections.​
COURSE CONTENT
Tailor your programme to suit your personal learning and career goals by choosing three specialist electives.
Unit 1. The Wedding Industry
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About the Wedding Industry
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Wedding industry associations
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Trends in the wedding industry
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Industry working conditions and work ethics
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The role of a wedding planner and services provided
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Aptitude for wedding planning
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Developing and updating knowledge and skills
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Opportunities to work in the wedding industry
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Sourcing opportunities
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CV and online profiles
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Interviews
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The Wedding
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Components of a wedding - the wedding day and pre and post wedding events
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Order of the day
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Traditions and etiquette
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About ceremonies
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About receptions
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Multicultural wedding practices
Unit 2. Wedding Planning and Coordination
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Wedding Planning
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Developing and monitoring wedding budgets
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Wedding planning tools - technology, timelines and checklists
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Managing guest lists, seating plans, invitations and RSVPs
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Participating in, and conducting, tastings
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Planning the ceremony
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Planning the reception
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Wedding day scheduling
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Contingency planning
Wedding Coordination
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Pre-wedding day activities
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Wedding day activities
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Post wedding activities
Event Production for Wedding Planners
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Introduction to audio and sound options
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Introduction to lighting and vision system options
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Introduction to staging and dramatic effects
Health and Safety and Risk Assessments
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Why you need to know about assessing risk
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Identifying risks
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Preparing a risk assessment
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Workplace health and safety for weddings
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The impact of Covid – what’s changed, preparing for change
Relationship Management
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Effective communication
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Establishing boundaries
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Working with clients
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Approaches to resolving conflict
Unit 3. Venues and Vendors
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Coordinating Wedding Venues
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Venue selection criteria
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Conducting research
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Attending venue viewings
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Conducting venue viewings
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Room and table lay-outs
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Outdoor locations
Coordinating Wedding Services
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Catering
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Wedding cakes
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Music and entertainment
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Florists
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Designers and decor
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Photographers and videographers
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Cars and transport
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Accommodation
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Wedding party attire
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Production
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Jewellery
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Hair and make-up
Venue and Vendor Contracting
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What do you need to know about contract law
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What should you check for when reading contracts
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About insurance – who covers what
Unit 4. Wedding Theming and Design
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Principles of Design
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Design principles and concepts
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Design tools
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Operational design, theming and staging
Inspiration and design
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Where to find inspiration
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Translating ideas into reality
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Creating a unique experience
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Weaving traditions, influences and preferences into a wedding
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Imagery and ideas
Mood Boards and their purpose
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Choosing a format and tools to create mood boards
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Creating a theme, choosing colours and imagery
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Creativity exercise - creating mood board for three venues/clients
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Working with trends, working with tradition
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Creating themes to suit client preferences and personality
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Unit 5. Sales and Marketing for Wedding Planners
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Marketing for Wedding Planners
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Preparing a marketing plan for your wedding planning business
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Researching the wedding industry market (collect, organise and analyse data)
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Identifying and understanding your competition
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Developing and describing your wedding product or service
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Creating a mission statement
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Common marketing strategies
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Pricing, positioning and branding – how can you apply them to your wedding planning business, service or product?
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Establishing quantifiable marketing goals
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Monitoring the results of your marketing
Branding and Promotions
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Use of social media
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Branding
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How to promote yourself
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Advertising
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Your website
Selling Skills
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Building a client profile
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Selling techniques
Client Consultation
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The ideal client
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Consultation - refining format and questioning
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Practice consultations
Unit 6. Wedding Business Management
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Starting your Business
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Working for yourself
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Start-up advice
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Managing your business
Business Planning for Wedding Planners
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Review your business
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Constructing a business plan
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Future proofing your business
Unit 7. Wedding Planning Specialist
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Arranging a Styled Shoot
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Preparation
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Bringing together a team
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Agreeing common goals
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Identifying and clarifying roles
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Creating a vision
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Team Briefings and communicating your vision to the team
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Creating a budget for your shoot
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Identifying and securing your location
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Sourcing and choosing models
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The day of the shoot – activities and responsibilities
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Getting your shoot published and promoted
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Maximising the content created by your shoot
The Luxury Market
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VIP and celebrity clients
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Lavish/luxury wedding themes
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Meeting luxury market client expectations
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Attention to detail
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Sourcing and working with luxury market venues and vendors
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Working with larger budgets
Micro or Intimate Weddings
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What is a micro wedding?
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Working with smaller budgets
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Creating impactful intimate wedding settings and experiences
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Identifying must haves
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Ensuring the venue/location compliments the wedding size and theme
Destination Weddings
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Specialising in destination weddings
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The research
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Need to knows about destination wedding planning – venues, suppliers and top tips
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The destination wedding planning process
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Researching and marketing your destination/s
Honeymoon Planning
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Working within your expertise – working with travel agents
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Planning wedding night accommodation – local and transport link locations
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Traditional honeymoon destinations
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Current destination trends
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Planning your couple’s departure
Unit 8. Social Event & Party Planning
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What are social events
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Who are your potential clients
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Planning baby showers, baby reveals and christenings
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Planning parties for children and teenagers
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Planning anniversaries and birthdays
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Planning proposals, hen/stag parties
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Planning street parties and garden parties
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Planning charity events and fundraisers
Unit 9. Professional Wedding and Event Practice
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Skills Application
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Live Event Delivery (Practical)
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Wedding & Event Industry Placement (60 hours)
Experiential Planning Exercises
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Planning and budgeting for six wedding scenarios
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Day of the wedding – planning and responding for six scenarios
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The Advanced Diploma in Professional Wedding Planning (L4) is an Endorsed Course by Training Qualifications UK (TQUK). An Endorsed Course is a course of learning which TQUK has evaluated and endorsed as a suitable and beneficial learning platform for learners. When TQUK endorses a course of learning, they are declaring that they have confidence in our ability to develop and deliver quality courses in our areas of expertise. The TQUK endorsement status shows that we are consistently meeting the high standards that TQUK demand from their Recognised Centres in delivering a high quality learning experience for the learner which provides them with the necessary skills and knowledge in a particular subject area.
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Awarded By: The Event School London Ltd
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Endorsed by: Training Qualifications UK (TQUK)
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Click here to learn more about Training Qualifications UK
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Unlock Your Luxury Wedding & Event Planning Potential
With Extensive Practical, Excursions, Networking & Industry Events
During your course your class will plan, deliver and evaluate a luxury live event with a wedding industry focus. You'll gain valuable hands-on-experience planning an event from start-to-finish. Plus you'll visit multiple wedding venues, wedding fairs, registries and exclusive wedding networking events and symposiums, ensuring you gain exposure to a range of wedding, event and venue types to enhance your CV and portfolio.
GAIN REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
In addition to the wedding and event practice included in your programme, we'll share a range of additional and optional opportunities (voluntary and paid) to enhance your experience or to earn as you learn.
INDUSTRY EVENTS
& NETWORKING
Our management and teaching team are well connected in the wedding industry and we offer students regular opportunities to meet and mix with wedding and event industry professionals.
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While some of these opportunities are facilitated in our virtual world, many of the events take place in London - developing our students social and personal development, as well as professional networking and communication skills. Ideal attributes to support your competitiveness in the job market.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
PAID WORK IN WEDDINGS & EVENTS*
Work in weddings and events. Students have access to our online "Opportunities Board" where we post part-time opportunities for paid work during the course, and full-time opportunities for post course employment.
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We also offer guidance and mentoring during tutorials on CV preparation, LinkedIn profiles,
job search and interview skills.
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*Paid work opportunities for UK Students
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VOLUNTEERING
& WORK EXPERIENCE
Gaining hands-on experience and exposure to industry ways of working is one of the benefits of studying in London.
We share industry experience opportunities with our students including:
- work experience
- volunteering
- internships
- workplace observation
- workplace shadowing
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THE PRACTICALITIES
COURSE VENUES
Training in Venues on London's Royal Victoria Docks, E16 1AA
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Closest Station: Custom House
On the Elizabeth Line or DLR
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Venue: Novotel London Excel
TERMS & BREAKS
Our 6-month programme is made up of two terms and one term break.
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Start February
Term Break at Easter
Finish in July
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International Students please note the start and end dates of the course classes are scheduled to allow time to arrive and depart the UK within a 6-month Standard Visitor Visa duration.​
ATTENDANCE PATTERNS
In-person classes:
Tuesdays 10am-5pm
+ Eight x 2-day MasterClasses
+ Two x 5-day Electives
In-person experiential sessions
Excursions & Site Tours
+ Trade Shows & Showcases
+ Networking
+ 60 hours Industry Practice
+Live Event Planning and Delivery
Online Learning
Five Online Core Event Planning Units
+ One Online Elective
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Virtual
One-to-one academic mentoring
+ One-to-one career mentoring​​