Attention Party People! Are you detail oriented? Can you keep your head (and your sense of humor) when others are losing theirs? Are you a problem solver? Does making people happy give you a buzz? Do you have a sweet-spot for celebrations? Well, becoming a certified wedding planner just might be the career for you.

Even in this bumpy economy, folks are saying, “I do” in record numbers. They are celebrating the moment and they are doing it in style. It is estimated that in the last year, over $125 billion dollars was spent on weddings and wedding receptions. Now that’s a serious business – but you don’t have to look any further than the career of Martha Stewart to validate that information. This smart, savvy businesswoman and taste-maker took her first entrepreneurial baby steps when she started catering and designing weddings in Westport, Connecticut, and the rest is history.

So how do you become a certified wedding planner? There are several excellent programs available, offering training in everything from helping the happy couple through the bureaucratic maze in obtaining wedding licenses and permits for wedding and reception sites. You will receive valuable information everything from gown selection to planning the catering, music and flowers. And the good news is this kind of curriculum is perfect for distance learning. Some of the best programs in wedding planner certification are offered by on-line colleges and career training institutes, complete with on-line and telephone support and opportunities for professional networking.

Certification from one of these top programs equips graduates to cope with everything from learning to tips on locating the innovative wedding venues and booking the best videographers, to getting the happy couple to the church on time. And with more states recognizing same-sex marriages, the demand for certified wedding planners will increase.

And weddings aren’t the only source of income for graduates of these programs. In good times and in bad, people like to celebrate happy occasions like anniversaries, engagements and landmark birthdays. Then there is the corporate event market – even though the economy is tight, business clients still want to use receptions and other festive events to further their brands. And more and more of these ‘party prospects’ are realizing that hiring a certified event planner is a more efficient, cost-effective way to go.

So if you’re a genuine party person, take a look at some of the career opportunities that can open if you become a certified wedding planner. (Online sites like Top-Colleges can point you toward on-line programs that can fit into your schedule and your budget.) It just might be a career choice that ‘weds’ your passion with real earning potential – no pun intended!