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How wedding planners charge (flat fee, percentage or hourly), what full planning, partial planning and day-of coordination include, and how to compare quotes.
What a wedding planner costs depends mostly on how much of the planning you hand over and how they charge: a flat fee, a percentage of your total budget, or an hourly rate. Full planning costs the most, partial planning sits in the middle, and day-of (really month-of) coordination costs the least. No independent survey tracks planner fees nationally, and prices vary widely by region, so get two or three local quotes for the same scope and compare what each one includes.
How wedding planners structure their fees: Flat fee, One price for an agreed scope, Knowing the total up front, What counts as out of scope, and what extra hours cost; Percentage of budget, A share of your total wedding spend, Large, complex weddings, The fee rises every time the budget does; Hourly, Pay for the hours used, Consultations, a small amount of help, Hours adding up with no cap.
Common wedding planning service levels: Full planning, Budget, vendor search and booking, design, contracts, timeline, rehearsal and the day itself, Soon after you're engaged; Partial planning, Some vendor recommendations, design help, timeline, and the day itself, Several months out; Day-of or month-of coordination, Confirming vendors, the final timeline, rehearsal and running the day, Weeks before the wedding.
Hours involved. Full planning over a year can involve many meetings, site visits and emails. Size and complexity. More guests, more events (a welcome dinner, a second ceremony, a multi-day celebration) and more vendors mean more work. Assistants on the day. A large wedding may need a lead planner and one or more assistants. Destination and travel. Travel costs are usually billed on top. Region and demand. Planners in large cities or with long waiting lists charge more.
It depends on your time, your stress levels and how complicated the wedding is. A planner can be especially useful when you're planning from another city, when there are several events, or when family expectations are pulling in different directions (see how to handle family expectations for your wedding).
Put each quote into the same format: fee model, total you'd pay, tasks included, hours or meetings included, staff on the day, and extras such as travel. Only then compare prices. A lower quote that leaves out the rehearsal or has one person on the day for a 200-guest wedding may not be cheaper once you add what's missing.
Which fee model do you use, and what would my total be? Exactly which tasks are included, and what costs extra? How many hours, meetings or site visits are included? Who will be there on the day, and for how long? Do you receive commissions or referral fees from vendors? What happens if you're ill on the day? What is the payment schedule and cancellation policy?
Some do, some charge a flat fee, and some charge by the hour. Ask each planner how they charge and for an example total based on your budget.
A planner helps from early on, including finding and booking vendors. A day-of coordinator usually starts a few weeks before the wedding, confirms the details you've arranged and runs the day itself.
Sometimes, through local knowledge and avoiding costly mistakes, but it isn't guaranteed. Treat the fee as paying for time and expertise, not as something that pays for itself.
Customs vary. Check your contract first, because some include a service charge. Where tipping is optional, a thank-you note or review is always appreciated.
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