How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?

If you’re budgeting out your wedding and considering hiring a wedding planner, it’s important to know how much a wedding planner costs. The answer depends on a few factors, including the size of your wedding and the level of service you need. As a rule of thumb, wedding planners can end up being about 10-15% of your wedding budget.

Though it’s variable, the average cost of a wedding planner is between $2,000 and $5,000, but you can find planners that charge as little as $500–and some that start at $75,000. You’ll want a wedding planner that perfectly fits your budget and makes your wedding vision come true.

• If you’re having a small wedding with fewer than 100 guests: You may end up choosing a day-of or month-of coordinator. In this case, you can expect to pay an average of $800 with more experienced planners charging an average of $1,250 to $3,395. This would also work well for micro-weddings or elopements.
• For a medium-sized wedding with 100 to 200 guests: You could try a partial planning package. The average range for a partial wedding planner is about $1,250 but can range from about $2,300 to $6,000. This type of service includes assistance with coordinating vendors, organizing the day-of structure, and helping you track attendees.
• If you’re having a large wedding with 200 or more guests: You might want a full-service planning package. A full-service planner in the United States costs an average of $3,000 while more experienced planners average between $4,500 to $12,000. This service includes everything from sending wedding invitations to creating a detailed timeline for your wedding day, as well as rehearsal dinner coordination and day-of wedding management.

Of course, you can have a small wedding with a full-time wedding planner, and a large wedding with a day-of wedding coordinator. It’s all about what works best for you and what fits in your budget.

What they do: A wedding planner is responsible for helping you with all aspects of your wedding, from booking vendors to creating a detailed timeline for your big day.

Cost: Wedding planners typically charge a percentage of your total wedding budget, so the cost will vary depending on how much you’re spending on your wedding. The average cost of a wedding planner in the United States is about $3,000, and more experienced planners charge between $4,500 to $12,000, and up.

What they do: A partial wedding planner will help you with some aspects of your wedding, such as booking vendors and creating a budget. They will also typically coordinate the rehearsal dinner and manage the day-of-wedding logistics.

Cost: The average cost of a partial wedding planner is around $1,250 but can also range from $2,300 to $6,000 if you’re using a more experienced planner.

Wedding Month-of Coordinators:

What they do: A month-of coordinator is hired to help with the logistics of your wedding in the month leading up to the big day. They will typically create a timeline for your wedding day and make sure that all of your vendors are on track.

Cost: The average cost for month-of coordinators is around $1,000 but for more experienced coordinators it can get as high as $6,000.

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What they do: A wedding coordinator is responsible for helping you with the logistics of your wedding day. This includes creating a timeline, ensuring all the vendors are where they’re supposed to be, and keeping the wedding day running smoothly.

Cost: On average, the cost for day-of coordinators starts at $800 but for more experienced coordinators it can range between $1,250 to $3,395.

What they do: A wedding consultant is someone you can hire to give you advice on wedding planning. You can work with wedding consultants as often as you want in a way that fits into your budget and schedule–from a one-time call to a weekly meeting. However, if you are meeting weekly it could be more cost effective to choose a wedding planner or coordinator.

Cost: Wedding consultants typically charge an hourly rate, ranging from $50 to $200 per hour.

When choosing a wedding planner, coordinator, or consultant, it’s important to figure out what type of help you need. If you need someone who will be involved in every aspect of your wedding, a planner is the best option. If you need someone to help with just the logistics of your wedding day, a coordinator is the best option. And if you need someone to give you advice and guidance on your wedding, a consultant is the best option.

Choosing a wedding planner, coordinator, or consultant is a personal decision, and there is no wrong choice. The most important thing is finding someone you feel comfortable with and who you can trust to help you plan your dream wedding.

Do Your Research

Before you start meeting with potential planners, it is important to do your research and understand what you’re looking for. Look at websites, read reviews, and ask friends for recommendations. This will help you create a list of potential planners that fit your needs.

Meet in Person

Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential planners, it’s time to meet with them in person! This is a great opportunity to get to know them, ask the wedding planner questions, and see if they’re a good fit for you.

Prioritize Communication

It is important that you and your wedding planner are on the same page from the start. Be clear about your budget, vision for the wedding, and what you expect from your planner. This will help them understand what services they can provide within your budget.

Get a Contract:

Once you’ve found the perfect planner, be sure to get a contract in place. This will protect both you and your planner, and it will ensure that there is a clear understanding of what services will be provided.

Hiring a wedding planner is a big decision, but it can help make your wedding planning process much easier. By following these tips, you can find a great planner that fits your budget and needs.

How much does a wedding planner cost for a small wedding?

The cost of a wedding planner for a small wedding will depend on the level of service you need. If you only need help with booking vendors and creating a timeline, you can expect to pay around $500. If you need help with more aspects of your wedding, such as decor and day-of coordination, you can expect to pay about $2,000.

Texas:

On average, the cost of a wedding planner in Texas for partial service will range from $3,500 to $4,500, while full service can range between $6,500 and $10,000.

South Carolina:

In South Carolina, partial service ranges from $1,500 to $3,800, while full service is between $3,500 to $8,000. However, top tier wedding planners can charge $10,000 and up.

Atlanta:

The average cost of a wedding planner in Atlanta is between $3,495 to $8,000. However, more experienced wedding planners charge upwards of $10,000 depending on the nature of the wedding.

Massachusetts:

The average cost of month-of coordination starts at $3,500 while full service ranges between $5,000 to $10,000. However, more experienced wedding planners have their prices starting at $15,000 for a full service package.

North Carolina:

Typically, the average cost of a full-service wedding planner in North Carolina can range between $5,000 to $15,000.

New York City:

For many of the top wedding planners in New York City, the average cost of their month-of coordination starts at $5,000 while full services start at $15,000.

A typical wedding planning package will include services like vendor management, budgeting assistance, the creation of a wedding timeline, and day-of coordination. It will also vary from state to state–and even within states–so it’s important to speak to all the coordinators you’re considering for the most up-to-date pricing options.

Here’s an example of a wedding planner’s packages in upstate New York.

Some tips for finding an affordable wedding planner include:

• Asking friends or family for recommendations
• Use a family or friend that is in the industry
• Checking out online wedding directories like WeddingWire.
• Ask your vendor for recommendations: often they have wedding planners and day-of coordinators they’ve worked with before. This also provides the added benefit of your wedding planner already having experience at your venue
• Be open to wedding planners that are still building their portfolio (but still have some experience)
• Consider using a day-of coordinator or just a partial service coordinator

The average hourly rate for wedding planners is $100/hour. However, this rate will vary depending on the planner’s location, experience, and services.

Wedding planners can save you time, money, and stress. They will help you find the best vendors in your area and negotiate contracts. They will also create a budget and help you stick to it.

And perhaps most importantly, they will take care of the logistics on your wedding day so that you can relax and enjoy your big day!