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How Much Do Wedding Dress Consultants Make?

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A job as wedding dress consultant is not a high-paying position. However, by combining wedding dress selection skills with other skills, a wedding dress consultant can bring in additional income. An aspiring wedding dress consultant can work as a wedding planner or a manager at a wedding dress store in order to do the job she loves and make more money.

Wedding Dress Consultants at Retail Stores

A wedding dress consultant at a retail store can expect to make a relatively low wage that is on par with typical retail sales positions. For example, according to GlassDoor.com, a consultant at David's Bridal will make approximately $8.08 an hour. Independent bridal stores may pay higher wages, depending on the location and job responsibilities.

Consultants Specializing In Dress Selection

Wedding planners have the option to charge commission-based prices to clients. The salary range varies based on the commission amount chosen and the cost of a client's wedding. The average cost of a wedding today is $27,000, so there is plenty of opportunity to make money on commission.

As part of the role of a wedding planner, a person may choose to specialize in wedding dress selection. She can learn about the latest trends, the best dresses for varying body types and the various shops in her area. She can also create partnerships with certain stores in order to get her brides preferred pricing. This will give a wedding planner an edge over the other planners in her area.

Independent Wedding Dress Consulting

A wedding dress consultant may work on her own and accompany clients to various wedding dress shops to find the perfect dress. To do this, the wedding dress consultant must determine the price she wants to charge, and whether she will charge a commission-based, hourly or flat rate for her services.

To get involved in this industry, it may be beneficial to work with an established wedding planner. A wedding dress consultant can offer her services to the wedding planner, and help the planner's client choose dresses. The salary will be determined by the wedding planner.

Management at a Wedding Dress Store

A person may be hired as an assistant manager or a store manager at David's Bridal or another wedding dress shop. These jobs pay significantly more than the job of a wedding dress consultant. The approximate salary for an assistant manager and manager at David's Bridal is between $30,000 and $60,000 per year, and a person in this role can assist wedding dress shoppers when time permits.

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Cadence Michaels has been writing professionally since 2007, primarily through blogging and articles for various websites. In 2010 Michaels completed a Master of Business Administration degree and hopes her studies will assist her in writing about new topics.