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Updated Mar 06, 2025How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost? Get The Answer & More
Understand what comes with the price tag.
Photos: Stocksy,Design: Tiana Crispino
When planning your wedding, there are a lot of decisions to make and logistics to coordinate—perhaps more than you have time for. If you feel more comfortable delegating to a seasoned pro, hiring a professional planner could be the way to go. But, how much does a wedding planner cost? Given that these pros take on so much stress during the planning process, the typical wedding planner fee is well worth the investment for many couples. (Check out how much other couples invested in their planner using The Knot Budget Advisor. Just input your wedding location to see local data.) Not only are planners able to juggle all of your wedding vendors, but they also offer guidance on budget, style, timelines and everything in between. Read on for everything you need to know about the cost of a wedding planner, how to request a quote to find the perfect match and more.
In this article: Full-Service Wedding Planner Cost | Day-Of Wedding Coordinator Cost | Month-Of Wedding Coordinator Cost | Destination Wedding Planner Cost | Wedding Planner Cost Per Hour
Plus: How Have Wedding Planner Costs Changed Over the Years? | How to Request a Wedding Planner Quote
Average Wedding Planning Services Cost
How much is a wedding planner on average? Last year, the cost of a wedding planner was $2,100 according to The Knot 2025 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed nearly 17,000 couples. But before you adhere to this particular number, keep in mind that this is a national average. (Emphasis on both national and average.) It's important to remember that the ultimate cost for a wedding planner relies on multiple variables. Depending on your location, the services you hire for and the type of wedding you're planning, wedding planner prices can range between $1,400 to upwards of $4,100 or more.
The survey includes data from couples across the US, all of whom had different budgets and therefore required various types of wedding planning services. For example, those who hired an à la carte pro spent more than those who booked a wedding-weekend coordinator ($2,800 vs. $1,400). Want specifics for how much the average cost of a wedding coordinator and planner of every kind looks like? Keep reading to see the rates couples paid, based on our data.
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Full-Service Wedding Planner Cost
Couples that hired a full-service or all-inclusive wedding planner spent $4,100 on this vendor's services last year. This kind of planner can land in the high-end category because their aim is to save couples any heavy lifting during the planning process, which means more labor on their end. Curious about what top-tier wedding planners charge? Check out the luxury wedding planner cost to compare.
Day-Of Wedding Coordinator Cost
People who only wanted someone to help on their wedding day itself paid $1,400. You'll notice how the day-of planner cost is significantly lower than the average cost of a full-service wedding planner. It's because the vendor doesn't help with any of the logistics before the celebration. Learn all the day-of wedding coordinator responsibilities now.
Month-Of Wedding Coordinator Cost
Want to know other wedding coordinator prices, like a month-of coordinator, but don't know who to ask? Well, luckily, we talked to the right people. To-be-weds spent $2,200 for a professional to take them to the finish line for their nuptials in the last month of planning.
Destination Wedding Planner Cost
Destination wedding planner rates vary based on numerous factors, like whether it's a domestic or international location. We found through internal data that to-be-weds typically spent $2,400 for their destination wedding planner. Since we're already on the topic, get more insider price knowledge and see how the average destination wedding cost stacks up to the general average wedding cost.
Wedding Planner Cost Per Hour
The starting hourly rate for a wedding planner is around $75. For those interested in a high-profile professional, you might see the typical wedding planner fee be between $100 to $275 an hour. But not every wedding planner charges by the hour;many offer set or customizable packages for a set price. But if a wedding planner that charges hourly sounds like your cup of tea, add this to your list of questions to ask planners before booking. This option is ideal for couples on a tight budget or for those who need minimal expert assistance during the planning process.
Wedding Planner Expenses That Affect the Cost
To get a better understanding of the reasoning behind the prices we've mentioned above, we spoke with two top-notch wedding planners. Their insight will help you understand what a wedding planner does and why you should hire a planner.
Ashley Allan, planner and co-owner of Your Jubilee Weddings, has over 10 years of experience in the wedding industry and wants to-be-weds to know about two aspects that impact the cost of a planning company: "The first detail is the amount of involvement. A day-of coordinator contributes less time than a month-of coordinator. That's significantly less time than a partial planner, which is only about half the time of a full-service planner." For example, Allan says full-service planning involves the company's lead planner spending 150–250 hours on a wedding, which is before the assistant staff's hours are added. Allan continues: "Second, you have to consider the number of staff included. Is your planner a single operator, or does your planner come with a team on the wedding day? A planner with a team will be priced higher to account for paying their staff, but provide a more comprehensive day of service for everyone involved."
Alex McClard, lead planner and owner of Vision in White Events, has 13 years of wedding know-how. McClard says that the packages provided, the planner's experience and the wedding date are also big factors that influence cost. "Most companies offer a management, partial and full-planning package, and each one is going to have different services that affect the price. For planners with more experience in the industry, their pricing will increase. Also, there's a chance that if you are booking a planner during the busy wedding season, the price is going to be higher than an off-season event."
How Have Wedding Planner Costs Changed Over the Years?
The cost of a wedding planner stayed the same from 2023 to 2024 at $2,100. In 2022, the average cost of a wedding planner was $1,900. In 2021, couples spent $1,700 on average, while in 2019 the national average was $1,500. It's important to note that you could see wedding costs increase across the board because vendors are charging more to account for inflation.
Allan provides more context for the recent wedding planner price changes. "The entire wedding planning experience has shifted thanks to social media and the constant flood of ideas and inspiration couples see during the planning process. Not only can it lead to decision fatigue and overwhelm, but social media has also contributed to unrealistic cost expectations. It seems like every wedding has a custom dance floor decal and a suspended floral arrangement, but couples don't always realize these things come at a substantial cost and involve exorbitant planning time."
How to Request a Wedding Planner Quote
Now that you've gotten a better idea of the costs involved, you can start finding wedding planners near you and requesting wedding planner quotes. During this process, you and your partner will discover which wedding planner is worth hiring and be on your way to hosting a beautiful celebration.
One of the many ways you can get wedding event planner quotes is by inquiring through The Knot Vendor Marketplace. First, enter your wedding location and filter your search by price, availability for planning additional wedding-related events (like the rehearsal dinner and other prewedding parties) and planning service (such as destination wedding or full-service). Bonus: For those looking for bilingual wedding planners, there's a filter for you.
Second, pick your desired wedding planner and scroll to the "Prices & packages" section of their profile page. If the vendor has their pricing information listed, you'll find those packages there, but if not, it'll say "No pricing details yet." In the same section, you'll see a button that says "Get a personalized quote." Then, once you click that button, a pop-up window appears so you can input your event details including location, date, number of guests and more. Finally, all you have to do is click the "Request Quote" button.
You can also get a quote by sending a wedding planner inquiry email template or going directly through the vendor's website. "Once you hear back and like what they offer, set up an initial consultation to get to know them and explain the vision for your day," says McClard. "Get the pricing on that call if they haven't sent it to you prior. Request a contract for booking from there."
