How much do wedding planners cost?

The big question

So you are getting married and trying to work out whether you can afford a wedding planner. But how much do wedding planners cost? I get it. It’s just another cost to add to your already growing list of cash flowing from your bank account.

And quite frankly a wedding planner can feel a little like a “nice to have”. Rather than an essential service for your wedding day.

This article explores the much asked question – How much do wedding planners cost?

Now before diving in, please forgive me for putting on my Wedding Planner hat here. But there are many ways that a wedding planner can actually SAVE you money for your big day. Here’s how.

How wedding planners can save you $$$

Wedding planners can help you save you a stack of cash of your wedding because they:

• Have reputable industry contacts which can be super time consuming to find (no one wants to end up paying deposits to vendors that disappear into the ether part way through your wedding planning)

• Have insight into the areas of your wedding costs that can quickly add up and will help you stick to your budget (“We came in under budget on our wedding” said no couple ever!!)

• Know all the ways you can save money without compromising on style

• Sometimes have preferential rates in place with preferred suppliers – that means more money for cocktails on your honeymoon!

• Act like an insurance policy for your big day – they bring together all of your arrangements, including vendor liaison, on your big day. Wedding planners ensure the investment you have made in each aspect of your day is delivered perfectly

And make no mistake. A reputable wedding planner will work their little tooshies off to create the very best wedding possible on the budget you have

So, for all of these reasons, I would argue that a wedding planner is an investment that will pay you back in spades.

They will save you time, show you where you can cut corners on costs and be around to carry the anxiety and stress of your day, whilst you wander around in a loved up bubble with your lover, family and friends.

The cost of a wedding planner

The cost of a planner varies depending on when you involve us in the process.

If you are looking for a planner straight after you say YES, the cost can be significant. But, this still depends on what you need.

If you want a wedding planner to be involved in every decision such as sourcing and short listing vendors, attending fittings and appointments with you and basically being by your side for the whole journey, the wedding planning cost could be $5000+. In the case of a large, elaborate weddings, it could be double this.

If you are looking for a wedding planner to help with what is called partial planning, the cost could be markedly less. Partial wedding planning normally involves your wedding planner helping with some decisions but not every detail.  You might be looking at around $3000-$5000 for a service like this. Again, it depends on the size and scope of your wedding.

And if you are really just looking for someone to join you on the day of your wedding, as an on the day wedding coordinator, the cost will be even less.  An on the day wedding coordinator usually meets with you 2-4 weeks before your wedding day, talks through all of the plans you and your lover have made, and then works on the day of your wedding to make sure all of those plans come to life.

The wedding coordinator will work with each of your vendors to ensure delivery and set up of your key elements and basically be the point person, so you and your lover can relax and enjoy the day itself.

A wedding service like this will likely cost you from around $1200 – $2000. As with each of the other cost estimates provided, the cost will vary depending on the hours of work and complexity of your big day.  

Your day, your way

These wedding planning cost estimates are by no means definitive. No two weddings are the same and the scale of celebration varies widely.

With this being the case, I advise seeking out a few wedding planners in your area and comparing their offerings…carefully. Most wedding planners offer a range of services for different levels of involvement in your big day.

Shortlist 2-3 different wedding planners, talk with them about exactly how they can help you and perhaps meet the top two planners on your list to get a better sense for them in real life.

Remember, this person is going to be part of one of the biggest days of your life. So you kinda want to be on the same wave length and know that they have your back all the way down that aisle.

Wedding planner alternatives

If you can’t see the value in a wedding planner or your budget simply won’t stretch far enough to include one, here are some alternatives to consider:

Jump on Pinterest and Etsy

Take advantage of the many printables available to help you plan your big day yourselves

Ask family, friends or members of your I DO crew to help out

This comes with a very large warning though. Your friends and family are there to enjoy your day as much as you do, so if asking them to help out is likely to cause any ill will, DO NOT GO DOWN THIS PATH!

Lean on your wedding day vendors

Often your venue will have a wedding coordinator who’ll be on deck at your reception. With a little pre planning they may be able to assist you with a few jobs on the night. For example, putting out favours on your favours table, erecting signs etc).

But remember, a venue wedding coordinator’s main focus for the night is ensuring that food and drink is served on time and that the venue itself is performing as it should. In saying this, most venue wedding coordinators will bend over backwards to make your wedding reception ridiculously special.

There are other wedding vendors who are likely to go the extra mile for you. With additional requests your cake maker might deliver and stage your wedding cake for you. Your celebrant might hand out your ceremony order of service booklets. And your florist might put your centre pieces in place at your venue for you.

Hire an extra pair of hands

Sites like Airtasker are awesome for finding people who can help with tasks on your big day. Be clear about exactly what you need help with. Outline where and when you need them, so that this person is clear about your expectations.

Perhaps appoint someone this person can liaise with on the day (other than you or your lover). This helps in case they have any questions. And remember to engage someone who has great reviews.

On track, on task, on budget

There is no doubt that the best way to stay on track, on task and on budget when planning your wedding is to hire a wedding planner in some capacity. I know that I speak for many wedding planners when I say that engaging a planner can ease anxiety, stress levels and unnecessary angst.

Yes there is a cost.

But there is A LOT to gain too!

Happy planning lovers.

Need a hand pulling your dream day together? I can help. Get in touch and let’s get planning.

Got things under control but want some wedding planning printables to keep you on track? Check out the Hey Lovers Etsy store for easy to follow, instantly printable planning tools.