How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?

For some couples, hiring a wedding planner is an absolute necessity to help bring their wedding vision to life. If you already have a lot on your plate (maybe you and your partner both have very demanding jobs), and if you’re not getting a ton of outside planning help from family and friends, a planner’s assistance can be priceless. Especially if you’re not all that organized, working with a wedding planner can ensure your wedding day lives up to your expectations without adding any stress.

Of course, their services aren’t free, so you’ll want to include the cost of a wedding planner in your overall wedding budget and assess if it’s something you can afford.

Keep reading to learn:

• How much does a wedding planner cost?
• What a wedding planner rate includes
• How you can save money on the planner cost by hiring a wedding coordinator a wedding planner

How Much Does It Cost for a Wedding Planner?

So, how much do wedding planners charge? While there are certain variables, the average wedding planner cost is $2,100, according to The Knot’s 2023 Real Wedding Study. Wedding Wire notes that the average cost starts around $3,000, while high-end planners range from $4,500 to $12,000.

The variables that can influence how much you end up spending include:

• Whether you’re planning a local or destination wedding
• The size of your wedding and the length of your event
• Whether you’re hiring a full-service wedding planner or a partial wedding planner

As with all the vendors, service providers, and wedding venues you book for your big day, a wedding planner fee will also differ according to geography. You can expect to pay more for a wedding planning package in a large city than in a rural area.

Full-Service Planner vs Partial Wedding Planner vs Day of Wedding Coordinator

There are a few types of wedding industry planning professionals that are sometimes lumped into the same group. However, while all of these pros can offer help with the planning process, their breadth of services differ — and so do their prices.

What Does Wedding Planning with a Full-Service Planner Look Like?

Full-service wedding planners typically charge the most out of all these options. Full-service wedding planners offer complete and total planning help from the moment you get engaged to the wedding ceremony and reception.

They’ll help you finetune your dream wedding and bring it to life, working with you on your budget, must-haves, and negotiables. They’ll also help choose the right venue and vendors to fit your budget and then oversee them to ensure all goes smoothly. Then, on your wedding date, a full-service planner will be onsite at your wedding location to coordinate and guarantee everything goes off without a hitch.

What Does Working with a Partial Wedding Planner Look Like?

Also sometimes called bespoke wedding planning, partial wedding planning is flexible and fits your unique needs. It often allows you to pick and choose services from a planning package. For example, perhaps you have no trouble picking your vendors and venue yourself, but you’d like someone to handle all the communication with them leading up to the big day — a partial wedding planner could help. Or, maybe you have no trouble with the organization but need help sticking to your total wedding budget — a partial wedding planner could also help you manage expenses.

Partial wedding planner rates are more affordable than full-service wedding planner fees. According to Wedding Wire, the average partial planner cost is around $1,250.

What Does Working with a Day of Coordinator Look Like?

Lastly, the most affordable option in terms of how much wedding planner cost you can expect is a day of coordinator.

While it may seem like this type of wedding industry professional only works with you on the big day, the truth is that the day of coordination services begins a bit before the wedding. The coordinator will talk to you and compile details for everything that’s supposed to happen on your wedding day and the details for all your vendors. Then, they’ll assemble a wedding day timeline and show up on the day of to ensure the timeline is followed.

How Much is a Wedding Planner Really Necessary?

So, should you go ahead and spring for a wedding planner? First, carefully weigh the pros and cons to determine if this is the right decision for your wedding budget. Some couples may not have the budget to hire a full-service wedding planner or a day of coordinator, while others may opt to spend that few thousand dollars on some other aspect of their big day.

If you do decide that it’s a wise investment, make sure you choose the right wedding planner.  . When hiring any vendor or service provider for the most important day of your life, making the right choice is paramount.

Interview multiple planners, ask lots of questions, and request referrals and client testimonials to find the right fit.

How Much Do Wedding Planners Cost FAQs

How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?

The average cost of a full-service planner in the United States is around $2,000 to $3,000. However, it can be much higher or much lower depending on the services rendered, location, wedding type and size, and other variables.

Who Pays the Wedding Planner?

Whoever pays for the wedding traditionally also pays for the wedding planner cost. While historically, this was often the bride’s parents, modern weddings may forgo this tradition, and the engaged couple usually pays for the wedding planner.

How Will a Wedding Planner Bill Me?

A wedding planner will either charge you a flat fee, with a portion to be paid upfront and a portion to be paid after your wedding, or they may charge a continual hourly rate until your wedding day is complete.

Are You Supposed to Tip Your Wedding Planner?

Yes, you’re supposed to tip your wedding planner, just as you’re supposed to tip all your wedding vendors and service providers. Plan to tip your wedding planner somewhere between 15% and 20% of their final bill.

Are There Any Things a Wedding Planner Can’t Do?

There are a few tasks that a wedding planner usually won’t do, which you’ll have to take care of yourself. For example, they can’t decide who to invite to the wedding, they can’t sign contracts on your behalf, and they can’t put together your gift registry.

Get More Peace of Mind for Your Wedding Day with Wedding Insurance

For total peace of mind that even the world’s best wedding planner can’t provide, look to wedding insurance. A good policy will protect you from monetary loss resulting from cancellations, vendor issues, and day-of mishaps, which is one less thing to worry about as you prepare for your big day.

Learn more about wedding insurance and get a quick and free quote now.

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