Costs displayed in graph are based on spend from thousands of couples who recently reported pricing for this service within their WeddingWire review. Pricing varies based on factors including, but not limited to, vendor’s experience, level of expertise, event guest count, date, and geographic region.
A wedding planner can be an absolute lifesaver for busy couples, ensuring that the planning process and actual event run smoothly. As a professional who’s been through the process before, they can also offer countless wedding planning recommendations and tips. It’s important to know wedding planning is not a one size fits all service - your wedding vision is unique and a wedding planner will customize their offering to fit your needs. Because of this and the wide range of services these professionals provide, pricing varies widely with most couples in the U.S. spending at least $1,500 on wedding planner services for their big day. Wedding planner costs also differ based on the planner’s level of expertise, among many other factors, as more experienced pros typically come with a higher price tag (and with that comes top-tier service!).
The services a wedding planner’s cost includes vary depending on the type of professional you’re hiring — whether it’s a full-service, month-of, or day-of planner, or a planner who specializes in destination weddings. Here are some of the most common services that your wedding planner may include in his or her package:
In most cases, a wedding planner will assist with the wedding itself—both ceremony and reception. However, if you are able to increase your wedding planning budget and costs, your planner can also help plan your rehearsal dinner and post-wedding brunch. If you’re having a destination wedding with lots of events over the course of the weekend, your planner may assist with those as well—but expect to pay more.
A day-of wedding planner isn’t heavily involved in the wedding planning process and is usually hired closer to the wedding, but has a big role to play on the wedding day, ensuring that the events run on time and everything is running smoothly. On average, the starting cost for a day-of wedding planner in the U.S. is $800 with starting rates for higher-end planners averaging $1,250 to $3,395.
A partial wedding planner usually comes on board a month or so before the wedding day and assists with last-minute tasks—helping with the seating chart, confirming vendors, and day-of responsibilities. The average starting rate for a partial wedding planner in the U.S. comes in at $1,250, but can range from $2,300 to $6,000 if you’re working with a more experienced pro.
A full wedding planner helps to plan your wedding from start to finish and is usually hired early on in the planning process—at least 10 months in advance. The average starting rate for a full service wedding planner in the U.S is about $3,000 with top-tier planners averaging $4,500 to $12,000.
If you don’t need a full wedding planner, but just want a coordinator to assist with a few wedding-related tasks, you may hire a planner by the hour (be aware that not all planners offer this service and only offer packages). As an hourly rate, the average starting cost of a wedding planner is around $75, but higher-end professionals typically range from $100 to $275 an hour.
It may sound counterintuitive, but spending money on a wedding planner can absolutely save you money! Not only will a planner ensure that you stick to your wedding budgets and help you avoid overspending, he or she can also hook you up with wedding vendors who are within your price range—and perhaps use his/her connections to get you discounts on certain products or services.
Traditionally, wedding planners don’t receive tips, but if you feel that yours has provided exceptional service, you can tip between 10 and 20 percent of your total wedding planner cost. Writing an online review of a wedding planner is another great way to show your appreciation.
A big part of hiring a wedding planner comes down to personality and trust. Reading online reviews of wedding planners in your area is a great way to start the research process, but it’s also important to meet with any wedding planners you’re considering (in person if at all possible). There are several questions you should be sure to ask:
