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Updated May 03, 2023Here's How Much a Wedding Planner Actually Costs
Find the national average here.
When it comes to planning your wedding day, we recommend hiring a professional wedding planner if you can. Not only are they able to juggle all of your wedding vendors, they can also offer guidance on budget, style, timelines and everything in between. Plus, they're pros are handling any day-of crises that might come up (think: weather issues or a seating chart snafu). Given that pros suppress so much of the stress during your wedding planning process, a frequently asked question is exactly how much does a wedding planner cost?
To be completely honest: the answer isn't simple. The cost of a wedding planner depends on a multitude of factors. Fortunately, The Knot's 2022 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed nearly 12,000 newlyweds, will help break down the cost of a wedding planner.
- Types of Wedding Planners Hired
- Average Wedding Planner Cost
- How Has the Cost of Wedding Planners Changed Over the Years?
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.
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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: 33%
- Month-Of Planner: 18%
- Destination Wedding Coordinator: 3%
- Wedding Weekend Coordinator: 2%
- A La Carte: 2%
Average Wedding Planner Cost
According to the Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding planner was $1,900. But before you adhere to this particular number, keep in mind that this was the national average in 2022. (Emphasis on both national and average.)
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It's important to remember that the ultimate cost of a wedding planner relies on multiple variables. 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 ($2,400 vs. $1,700). This makes sense because destination weddings tend to have more moving parts.
How Has the Cost of Wedding Planners Changed Over the Years?
The cost of a wedding planner increased slightly from 2021 to 2022. In 2021, the average cost of a wedding planner was $1,700. In 2019, couples spent $1,500 on average on their wedding planner, while in 2018, the national average was $1,850. 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 shortages.
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 34% 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.
