How Much Does a Wedding Planner Actually Cost?

When planning your wedding, there are a lot of decisions and logistics to coordinate—perhaps more than you have time for. If you feel more comfortable delegating to a seasoned pro, hiring a professional wedding planner could be the way to go. But, how much does a wedding planner cost? What services do they offer? Not only are they able to juggle all of your wedding vendors, but they can also offer guidance on budget, style, timelines and everything in between. Plus, they're pros at handling any day-of crises that might come up (think: weather issues or a seating chart snafu). Given that these pros suppress so much stress during the planning process, the typical wedding planner fee is well worth the investment for many couples. Plus, you can choose from full-service packages or à la carte options to get the help you need at a price you can afford.

The cost of a wedding planner depends on a multitude of factors. Fortunately, The Knot's 2023 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed nearly 10,000 newlyweds, helps break down the cost of a wedding planner, as well as, the types of planners that couples hire. Read on for everything you need to know about the cost of a wedding planner and how to request a quote to find the perfect match.

In this article:

• Average Wedding Planner Cost
• Types of Wedding Planners Hired
• How Has the Cost of Wedding Planners Changed Over the Years?
• How to Request a Quote From a Wedding Planner

Average Wedding Planner Cost

In 2023, the average cost of a wedding planner was $2,100 according to the Real Weddings Study. But before you adhere to this particular number, keep in mind that this was the national average. (Emphasis on both national and average.) It's important to remember that the ultimate cost of a wedding planner relies on multiple variables. Depending on your location, the services you hire for and the type of wedding you're planning, a wedding planner could cost upwards of $10,000 or more.

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The survey includes data from couples across the U.S., all of whom had different budgets and therefore, types of wedding planners. For example, those who hosted a destination wedding spent more on a planner than those who hosted a hometown wedding ($2,700 vs. $1,900). This makes sense because destination weddings tend to have more moving parts.

Pro tip: To learn more about how much a wedding planner costs in your region, use our free budget tool to see what real couples typically pay.

Types of Wedding Planners Hired

One of the biggest reasons why the cost of a wedding planner varies so widely is the fact that there are different types of wedding planners available for hire. The most commonly-sought planners are either full-time, partial, month-of or day-of pros.

A full-time planner starts with you from square one. They handle everything from helping you choose your color palette to finding your perfect wedding venue to overseeing day-of festivities. Partial wedding planners (also known as á la carte pros) can help you with specific tasks, like managing a wedding budget or organizing your venue floor plan. They're typically less expensive than a full-service planner, so hiring a vendor to this capacity is a worthy alternative for couples who don't have room in their budget for a full-time pro.

Another budget-friendly option is a month-of coordinator. These pros will help you finalize all of the last-minute details and ensure your big day goes off without a hitch. And a day-of coordinators helps pull together last-minute details and ensures the day of your wedding goes off without a hitch. Considering all of the different types of wedding planners, it makes sense that there's a lot of variation when it comes to how much a wedding planner actually costs.

Our study found that most couples who worked with a planning pro hired a day-of wedding coordinator, followed closely by a full-service wedding planner. See what other types of wedding planners couples hired last year, below.

• Day-Of Wedding Coordinator: 36%
• Full-Service Wedding Planner: 31%
• Month-Of Planner: 18%
• Destination Wedding Coordinator: 3%
• Wedding Weekend Coordinator: 2%
• A La Carte: 2%

How Has the Cost of Wedding Planners Changed Over the Years?

The cost of a wedding planner increased slightly from 2022 to 2023. 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 we're seeing wedding costs increase across the board due to the current economic climate of high demand and price increases on goods and services.

If you're still debating how much you want to spend on a planner, consider how much help you want for your nuptials. Then, use The Knot Budget Tool to see if you have the funds to accommodate your needs. It's often best to consult multiple pros in order to see how much a wedding planner will cost you for your unique vision.

Something else to consider is that not all wedding planners adhere to the same standard rates and may offer different planning packages. By that, we mean a wedding planner typically charges in one of three ways: a flat fee, an hourly rate or a percentage of your overall wedding bill—so it totally depends on the type of wedding planner you choose to hire and what your own wedding budget is.

Yes, a wedding planner might seem like a big investment—but it's important to consider the time and stress you save by working with one. Professional planners also typically have strong relationships with vendors and intimately understand the wedding industry, so they can help you get the best bang for your buck. If you're thinking about enlisting wedding planning services, you're not alone. The Knot study found that 37% of couples getting married hired some type of professional wedding/event planner for their wedding day, which is an increase from previous years.

Between their solid connections, budget control and creative solutions, you'll be happy you hired a wedding planner. And of course, your wedding planner will help you make the absolute most of your total budget, which is a pretty sound investment if you ask us.

How to Request a Quote From a Wedding Planner

As you're considering different types of wedding planners, one critical detail to inquire about is their pricing. The great thing about researching The Knot Vendor Marketplace for wedding planners is that it makes the process of finding one in your region that fits your budget simple. You can apply a pricing filter to customize your search (i.e. "Starting Cost: $ – Inexpensive" to "Starting Cost: $$$$ – Luxury") to find results at varied price points. You will also see a "Pricing" section listed on each vendor's page. Many have PDFs posted with their packages and à la carte pricing parameters.

Once you've got a short list of candidates, you'll want to go to the "Message Vendor" section to request a quote. Provide your event details including location, date, wedding vision, venue (if booked) and the services you're considering. Typically the wedding planner cost will be quoted based on these variables:

• Consultations (per hour)
• Destination wedding versus hometown wedding
• Custom wedding design
• Event management and timeline
• Guest list management (mailing invitations, seating charts, etc.)
• Booking venue
• Booking vendors
• Ceremony rehearsal coordination
• Number of staff on wedding day
• Receipt of deliveries and event set-up
• Day-of coordination
• Post event clean-up
• Travel fee

Price is not the only factor to consider when booking a wedding planner—you also want the best fit for such an important role. A great way to determine that is to read their reviews on The Knot, talk to them about your event vision and ask the wedding planner detailed questions.