How much does it cost for a wedding planner?
Wedding planning is a full-time job — unless you hire a professional to handle the hard work for you. The cost for a wedding planner will depend on the level of service you desire. The least expensive wedding planner option is day-of coordination, then partial service, then full-service.
The national average cost for wedding planning is between $990 and $1,300. Costs are greatly affected by region, with rural or smaller-town wedding planners often far more affordable than planners in higher-cost cities. Here are some examples of the various levels of wedding planning and their potential average costs:
Day-of-wedding coordination: $800-$1,700. Day-of services can include the planner finalizing all details, creating a timeline, confirming vendors and overseeing all setup, day-of activities, and cleanup. The couple does all the front-end planning and contracts all the vendors. Time commitment could be about 15-25 hours, depending on pricing.
Partial service: $1,500-$3,800. Here the planner works with the couple from the beginning, helping contract vendors, creating a timeline, and overseeing all details of day-of execution. Time commitment could be about 30-60 hours, depending on package and pricing.
Full service: $3,500-$8,000 or more. Here the professional handles all wedding and planning details including working on design, securing rentals, getting the venue and vendors, and handling complete execution of the event. Time commitment could be 50-150 hours or more, depending on package and pricing.
Consulting: $50-$150 per hour for design, vendor, reception and other wedding planning consultation.
Is a wedding planner worth the cost?
Hiring a wedding planner can be worth the cost if you want to minimize your stress and save yourself time. Let’s be real — planning a wedding is a lot of work. You have to figure out a budget, shop around for vendors (DJs, bands, florists, caterers, chefs, photographers, videographers, etc.), negotiate contracts, book appointments and so much more.
If you’re not interested in planning a wedding all on your own, consider hiring a wedding planner — especially if you have the budget.