How Much Does a Wedding Planner Actually Cost?

One of the first decisions you'll make after you get engaged is whether you'll hire a wedding planner or go it alone and navigate the process on your own. You'll likely base that choice off of a few factors, including your personality (are you highly motivated and organized enough to get the job done?), your desired event type or locale (tying the knot in a foreign country, for example, might require some extra assistance), and, of course, your budget. That last point is the one that gives most couples pause as they deliberate hiring planning support. We get it. Yes, there are so many details that go into bringing your big-day vision to life, and wedding planners certainly help ease the stress around the planning process (and they do often save you money down the road)—but they're also a sizable investment. Can you realistically fit one into your budget? And how much does a wedding planner really cost, anyway?

In our survey of 1,000 Americans titled Weddings & Money 2021: A Brides & Investopedia Study, we found that the average cost for a wedding planner is $2,000—and while that number is accurate in 2024 per a new Wedding Wire report, the national average isn't necessarily reflective of today's couples' actual spend. A wedding planner's fee can vary greatly depending on many factors, like the type of planner you hire (a destination wedding planner, a day-of coordinator, etc.), where the wedding is located, the planner's experience and pricing tier, and more.

Annie Lee, the principal planner at Daughter of Design and the founder of Plannie, notes that location is especially impactful when it comes to planner fees. "In Plannie's network of event planners, for example, the average hourly rate for a planner in New York City is about 10 times that of a wedding planner in Oaxaca, Mexico," she notes. "But location is not the only factor when trying to hunt down an 'average' price." With this in mind, as you're deciding if hiring a planner is best for you, you'll want to consider a few key details, namely your overall budget, as well as the venue and location, the guest count, and how much time you yourself can invest in planning (without a planner, estimates are 200-plus hours over the course of 12 months). Based on these decisions, you can decide whether a full-service planner, a destination wedding planner, a partial planner, or a day-of coordinator would be best.

At the end of the day, all planners will save you time—and most planners will save you money by helping you create and stick to your budget. They also have ample money-saving strategies and a wide network of trusted vendors, so they’ll negotiate to get you the best deal without sacrificing quality. "[The wedding industry] is one industry where the golden rule stands firm: You get what you pay for,''" affirms Chanda Daniels of Chanda Daniels Planning + Design. "If you have a modest budget for a planner, understand what that means and have a conversation with the planner to understand their experience level," she advises. "If you are having a complex wedding or wedding weekend, understand the investment level of an experienced wedding planner. Managing expectations of your needs and the experience level of a planner is key."

Ahead, Daniels and Lee open up about how much wedding planners cost by type and tier—and how hiring a licensed wedding planner specifically might impact the pricing.

What's Typically Included in a Wedding Planner's Fee?

So you've decided to hire a wedding planner—but what does your investment get you? Daniels explains that from her perspective, there are two key components included in a wedding planner's fee: "Planning and day-of management," she explains. "Planning all the work done prior to the day of, then managing the actual wedding day. That’s what you should have with every planner: the basics, then design. For my services, I include planning the wedding weekend, design, and day-of management."

Lee breaks down those planning specifics, noting that "wedding planners typically offer help with budgeting, finding the venue and vendors, design ideas, logistics, and of course, being onsite at the wedding itself." She explains that fees will vary from planner to planner, as well as organizational methods, business models, and package types.

Types of Wedding Planners and How Much They Cost

Speaking of wedding planners' business models and package types: Not all wedding planners are the same. Some offer comprehensive planning, while others work on reduced timelines or offer day-of services only. So before you begin vetting (and quoting) these experts, it's important to understand exactly what you need when it comes to planning services.

Ultimately, there are several types of wedding planners (and wedding-planning packages) to choose from—and it's very possible that several of them do fit into your budget. To help you choose, we broke down the most common types of wedding planners and planning packages (plus their general costs), which are as follows:

• Full-service wedding planner: This is the most comprehensive wedding planner (and package) that exists; these pros cover everything you think you know about the planning process (from hiring other vendors to managing all logistics on the big day) and everything you don't (they'll obtain necessary permits, for example, and might even design and produce the event itself). Because of this, these wedding planners or packages are some of the most expensive. Depending on your planner's market tier, a full-service wedding planner can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 and up.
• Destination wedding planner: Destination wedding planners are just that—wedding planners that will help you put together your far-flung celebration. Destination wedding planners are usually full-service, since they serve as your boots on the ground in a faraway place, and are typically priced accordingly.
• Month-of wedding planner: Many planners offer monthly coordination packages, which might involve help with final walk-throughs or tastings, reception layouts, rehearsal dinner prep, RSVP management, day-of requirements, and more. As for how much they cost? Month-of wedding planners fall somewhere between full-service and day-of packages, but are pretty variable; expect to see numbers between $1,000 and $8,000.
• Day-of wedding coordinator: Sometimes offered through your venue, day-of wedding coordinators put all your big-day plans into motion. They handle logistics, serve as a point-person for all vendors on-site, and solve any problems that arise on the go. Day-of wedding coordination can run you between $800 and $3,000, depending on the vendor's involvement (if they're also assisting with rehearsal dinner prep, expect to see the higher end of that range).

Wedding Planner Costs by Tier

Sure, the average cost of a wedding planner clocks in around $2,000—but a national average isn't necessarily reflective of the current planner cost landscape. Some vendors fall well below that benchmark—but most are above it, as you can tell by the aforementioned prices. When it comes to understanding wedding planner fees, it's best to consider these pros' "tiers."

According to market data obtained by Educate, Empower, Encourage, a members-only wedding vendor community and education group, wedding planner costs vary by these tiers. Some professionals, for example, work primarily on lower-budget events, and offer packages that are priced to reflect their clients' smaller total spend; planners operating in these "DIY" or "budget" tiers might charge anywhere from a $5,000 to $7,000 flat fee. Then there's the middle of the pack: Often called "lovely," vendors operating in this sphere might charge a $10,000 or $15,000 flat fee or take 10 to 15 percent of a larger budget (more on flat fees and percentages in a bit!). Vendors in the luxury market (and beyond) typically go the latter, percentage-based route and operate with "minimums." That means that your baseline budget might need to start at $15,000, $25,000, or more (and a planner might collect 15 to 20 percent of that as their fee).

How Are Wedding Planner Costs Calculated?

When you reach out or have your initial consultation with a planner, ask about their fee types; they might charge a flat fee, a percentage of total wedding costs, an an hourly rate for their services, or use a hybrid model. "Every planner has a different way of charging their clients—percentage versus flat rate or a combination of the two methods," says Daniels. "But on average it's safe to say that it comes to roughly 20 to 25 percent of the couple's overall wedding investment. The way a wedding planner gets to that percentage is based on the planner's individual business model."

What Factors Impact Wedding Planner Fees?

As we mentioned above, the average price of a planner might hover around $2,000, but many factors impact how much a wedding planner costs—and there is a lot of variation. "The factors that can impact the price of a wedding planner are the location of the wedding (transportation and lodging of the team, per-diems, etc.) and the scope of work for the wedding," explains Daniels. "A lot of these are unknown until you actually get into the details of planning. Experience and expertise are also big factors but 20 to 25 percent [of the budget] is a good place to start," she says of determining a planner fee.

In terms of experience and expertise, some planners may be licensed wedding planners—and that type of licensing and certification could impact the fee that they charge—but make sure you understand what exactly their certification is. "It's really an elective course the planner has taken and depending on the reputation of the program they are certified from, the planner may use it as a factor in their pricing," explains Lee. "Having worked for another big planner is probably a bigger factor since our industry is very much about experience and apprenticeship help."

Daniels adds that various organizations offer training and certifications for wedding planners that teach the basics of wedding planning and running a business. "This may impact the fee as well because the said planner has invested time to really understand the business side," she explains.