As winter ends and temperatures warm, Americans begin to look forward to the promise of lazy summer days and vacations. But if you’re a wedding business owner, you’re probably looking forward to something else—wedding season! Warmer months are the busiest time for the wedding industry, and many businesses and vendors—wedding planners, photographers, caterers—need to hire seasonal employees to keep up with demand.

Hiring seasonal help for weddings can relieve a lot of pressure and set you up for success, but it comes with its unique challenges. Managing temporary wedding staff requires different skills than those required to manage year-round employees.

So, how can you make it work? How do you find the right people and ensure they are a good fit for your team?

1. Start Early

Ideally, you should begin looking for seasonal staff about six months in advance so you have plenty of time to post job listings, conduct interviews, complete new-hire paperwork, and train your seasonal workers. But let’s face it: that timeline isn’t always doable in today’s economy.

At a minimum, give yourself at least a few months before April to find seasonal help. When the new year hits, start the process and keep your eyes open for potential candidates.

2. Know What You’re Looking For

It will be impossible to find the right employees if you don’t even know the specific tasks you need help with. Instead of hiring with a general idea of what you need, create a targeted list of duties for the new hire.

What hours do you need them to work? What tasks will they be responsible for? Is there a dress code and grooming standard you need to explain? The clearer you are about your expectations, the less likely you’ll be disappointed with your hires because they will know how to excel.

Bonus tip: Be specific in your job posting about your needs and the job duties so you can attract the right candidates from the start. Better candidates mean less time spent interviewing and more time training.

3. Be Flexible

Seasonal employees for weddings often have other commitments, hence why they’re looking for temporary work. Or, they might be between jobs and will need to go on interviews for full-time jobs while fulfilling their commitment to you. Keep this in mind when hiring and understand that you may need to be somewhat flexible to find the best workers.

4. Know the Paperwork

Once you’ve found the perfect seasonal wedding worker, you need to make sure all paperwork is in order. Tax forms can vary, and each state’s labor laws cover different regulations for seasonal workers, so make sure you understand your state’s laws. For instance, some states require employers to provide employees with a minimum number of hours or an hourly wage.

5. Set Your Seasonal Employee Up for Success by Offering Training

The reason you should start the wedding hiring process early is so you have enough time to train your new staff. Many businesses hire seasonal staff and then just put them to work, expecting them to figure it out as they go along. Even if you don’t feel the tasks are difficult, put yourself in your new employee’s shoes.

Any new job can be disorienting, so mistakes can easily happen as someone gets used to the new environment. To help them hit the ground running, provide detailed instructions on your expectations. Training should include an on-site orientation, an overview of tasks, and a review of safety rules and regulations. Additionally, you should provide your seasonal employees with the necessary tools and resources to get the job done. If possible, give them a mentor or let them shadow a full-time employee for the first week.

6. Keep Communication Open

Just because an employee will only be with you for a few months during the wedding season doesn’t mean they should be neglected. Open communication is key to keeping everyone on the same page. Have regular check-ins and provide them with clear feedback so they can keep improving their performance. When all of your employees—even temporary wedding staff—feel valued and respected, your business will thrive.

7. Consider Hiring an Online Business Manager (OBM)

Managing temporary wedding staff can be overwhelming. It can even lead to burnout. Finding the time to vet candidates, provide training, and then manage them takes time away from other work that needs to be done during the busy wedding season.

Thankfully, there are OBMs in the world! An OBM can help you with hiring and training, and they can oversee your staff, keep track of their work, and monitor performance. They can also assist with scheduling and communication. An Online Business Manager can be invaluable in keeping your business efficient, so many wedding industry professionals ultimately decide to hire one.

Ready for some help? As a former wedding planner, I understand the unique stresses of the wedding industry and can assist your business from an insider’s perspective. Let’s book a discovery call to talk about your needs during this year’s hectic wedding season.