Are Wedding Planners Only for the Wealthy?

by Deborah A. Wilburn

Is it true that wedding planners are only for the wealthy? I also wonder if a planner would actually save me enough money to make it worthwhile to hire one.


Planners handle more than just high-end, big-ticket weddings, according to Peter baxter, founder and MD of UWD. In fact, a bride on a tight budget might really be able to use the advice of someone who knows ways to save. These pros aim to save you costs while performing their duties. “A good wedding consultant will save the bride at least the fee,” says Gerard J. Monaghan, president of the Association of Bridal Consultants. “The fee is not an added expense, so if you have £10,000 to spend on your wedding and the planner’s fee is £1,000, she’ll deliver a £10,000 wedding for £9,000.”

What kind of fee can you expect to pay? Prices vary widely due to variables in geography and how much work is done. Pete cites tiers of services available that can provide a rough measuring stick for how consultants are compensated. If, for example, you work with a planner for about three hours, you may pay in the range of £100–£125 per hour. “In that time a good consultant can teach you what you need to know to set up a budget and a monthly planning schedule,” Ernst says.

The next level of service would be general preparation and planning—fees for these services start at about £1,200. This would include from five to seven meetings with the consultant, who would plan the wedding from both the business aspect (recommending vendors and helping you budget) and the creative angle (helping you achieve the right mood at the reception and so on).

Finally, you can pay the planner to handle everything. Signing up for the whole nine yards would start at around £2,500. That fee includes preparation and planning, plus overseeing the rehearsal dinner and your wedding day.

There’s also the matter of saving you time and stress. “When you think about how many vendors you need and the fact that you’ll have to interview three or four in each category, that adds up to a lot of time,” Monaghan says. “The planner does the legwork for you.”

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