HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER?

Nov 7

You may have just gotten engaged and started to feel absolutely overwhelmed with the thought of planning out what is meant to be the most important day of your life. You maybe have no idea where to start and how to create the wedding of your dreams and after discussing with your fiancé, you decide that maybe hiring a wedding planner is the best idea for you. In this article, I will talk you through the costs, what is often included and what you can expect from a wedding planner.

Introduction to wedding planning in England.

In England, the wedding industry has grown hugely over the past few years and brides and grooms are looking for more creative and personalized ways to tie the knot. There is a wide range of services that cater to couples’ needs and budgets and it is important to know what each service offers and what is included in the cost. Brides can choose from a variety of options to create their dream wedding, from DIY ceremonies and receptions to hiring a full-service wedding planner. What is most important is communicating your budget, expectations and timelines to your wedding vendors.

Why hire a wedding planner?

The wedding planning process can be very stressful, especially if you are doing it all by yourself. If you are someone who likes to be in control and likes to know exactly what is happening with your wedding plans at all times, a wedding planner will be a great investment. A wedding planner can help you get organized and on top of your wedding planning and help make your day run as smoothly as possible. Wedding planners also help relieve some of that stress and pressure that comes with planning a wedding by handling a lot of the behind-the-scenes work for you and making sure that everything is taken care of according to your wishes and within your budget.

What do wedding planners cost in England?

The average cost of hiring a wedding planner in England is around £1,500 - £3,000. This range can vary depending on a couple of factors such as: the location, the type of coverage (partial or full), the experience of the planner, the planner’s fee and the size of the wedding party and number of guests. The average cost to hire a full-service wedding planner is around £1,800 - £2,500 or about 10-15% of the overall cost of the wedding. But expect this cost to be higher for a well established planner. For higher-budget weddings, the planner will often take a fixed rate which costs typically around £4,000 to £20,000. The price can vary depending on the hourly rate of the planner and the number of hours you are hiring the planner for. It can be helpful to shop around and ask for quotes from more than one planner.

What do wedding planners do? What are they responsible for on the day?

Wedding planners are typically responsible for overseeing, managing and facilitating the planning of your big day. They will manage your vendors, make sure that everything is on schedule and take care of small details that you may be too busy or stressed to take care of. Wedding planners will also help you manage your budget. They will look through your budget and suggest ways to save money and stay within your budget. On the day of your wedding, your wedding planner will oversee the vendors and make sure that everything is running smoothly and according to schedule. They will make sure that the venue is properly set up, the flowers are on time, the catering is ready and everything is being set up and taken down according to your instruction

What are typical types of packages and coverage?

The most common types of wedding packages include full wedding planning and partial wedding planning. A full-service wedding planner will take care of absolutely everything including the budget and timeline. They will help you find vendors, negotiate rates and manage your budget. A partial planning package will cover all the things that a full-service planner will but in addition to that, they will only help you with the parts of planning you feel comfortable doing on your own like florists, caterers, timelines and a day-of timeline. Full wedding planning - a full wedding planning package will cover absolutely everything. This type of package includes venue selection, vendor selection, budget management and timeline management. You will work directly with the planner on everything from venue selection to vendor selection and managing your budget. Partial wedding planning - a partial wedding planning package will cover all the things that are included in the full wedding planning package but in addition to that, they will only help you with certain parts of planning that you feel comfortable doing yourself.

What is typically included in full wedding planning?

This is where the wedding planner takes over all aspects of your wedding and typically includes the following:

Venue selection: meeting with venue owners, visiting venues, negotiating rates, booking the venue and working with your vendors to make sure everything is ready for your big day
Vendor selection: meeting with vendors, negotiating rates and booking the vendors
Budget management: creating a timeline and budget, keeping track of your spending and working with your vendors to make sure you stay on budget
Timeline creation: creating a day-of timeline and timeline for vendor setup and breakdown
Day-of management: Making sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the wedding and that your vendors are ready and on time

What is typically included in partial wedding planning?

Venue selection: meeting with venue owners, visiting venues, negotiating rates, booking the venue and working with your vendors to make sure everything is ready for your big day
Budget management: creating a timeline and timeline for vendor setup and breakdown
Timeline creation: creating a day-of timeline and timeline for vendor setup and breakdown
Day-of management: making sure everything runs smoothly on the day of the wedding and that your vendors are ready and on time

What is typically included in partial wedding day management?

Meeting with your vendors: your vendors will likely come to your wedding planner’s office and meet with the team there so that they can all be on the same page with the plan for the day.
Vendor communication: your wedding planner will communicate with your vendors to make sure that everything is moving along according to schedule.
Vendor management: your wedding planner will make sure that your vendors are where they need to be at the correct time and that everyone is set up properly before the wedding begins.
Vendor payment: your wedding planner will collect the final payment for your vendors and make sure that the vendors are paid according to the contract.

What other types of services do wedding planners offer?

Finding vendors: this is one of the most important parts of a wedding planner’s job. A wedding planner will help you find all the vendors you need and then negotiate rates with them on your behalf. They will also help you make informed decisions when choosing vendors based on reviews, recommendations and portfolios.
Vendor management: your wedding planner will keep track of all your vendors’ timelines and ensure that everything is running smoothly and according to schedule.
Budget management: your wedding planner will help you keep track of your spending and make sure that you stay within your budget. They will also help you find ways to save money and cut costs.
Day-of timeline management: a timeline is created for the day of the wedding and then managed by your planner to make sure that everything is ready when it needs to be and taken down after the wedding is over.

Final thoughts on hiring a wedding planner

Hiring a wedding planner will take a lot of the stress and pressure off you during the wedding planning process. You will be able to relax and enjoy this exciting time knowing that a wedding planner has you covered. A wedding planner will help you stay on track with your timeline, budget and vendors and will let you concentrate on enjoying the rest of the planning process knowing that it is in good hands.