How much should a wedding planner cost? We share industry standard pricing and wedding planner expenses to show you a financial reality of this crucial component to your wedding day. The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada lists the average cost of hiring a wedding planner across Canada. Take a look at this informative article to become familiar with how much a wedding planner should cost.
Cost of Month/Day of Coordination
Month/Day of Coordination refers to a package where a wedding planner will work with you one month before your wedding to finalize details, communicate with your vendors, create your wedding itinerary, attend your rehearsal, etc. Since P.S. Eventful is based in Toronto, let’s take a look at the average cost for Month/Day of Coordination in this city, listed at $800-$1500+. At P.S. Eventful, we spend an average of 25 hours prior to a couple’s wedding day (countless emails and phone calls, driving to meetings, attending meetings, creating and revising schedules, printing documents, etc). and up to 16 hours on the wedding day (including travel time). Based on this model, a minimum of $800 for 41 hours of work = a salary under $40,000 a year. This is less than the average salary in Ontario. This figure also does not include the expenses a wedding planner incurs with each client (assistant wages, mileage costs, parking costs in some locations, etc).
Cost of Full Planning
When I first became a certified wedding planner, the average cost in Toronto for full planning was $2500. Well, the average wedding takes 250 hours to plan. If you do the math, that is $10/hour (below minimum wage in Ontario!). Again, this figure does not include additional expenses of a wedding planner. Doesn’t your wedding planner deserve to be paid more than minimum wage?
What it Costs to BE a Wedding Planner
While a wedding planner will cost you money, there are also many costs that a wedding planner (and any entrepreneur!) will incur including:
- Taxes
- Liability insurance
- Marketing (paid advertising / business cards / branded materials)
- Website (design / hosting / domain renewal)
- Internet and phone
- Travel expenses (parking / fuel / car insurance / oil change)
- Emergency kit supplies
- Continued education
- Office supplies (file folders / ink / binders / writing utensils)
- Paid employees
- Banking fees
The other reality of a wedding planner (and again, any entrepreneur) is there is no guarantee for new business, no firm yearly salary, and it is impossible to forecast the number of clients you will have in a given year. Instead you are consistently taking chances and staying ambitious!
Will a Wedding Planner Really Save Me Money?
YES! One of the common reasons for a couple NOT to hire a wedding planner is they feel it does not fit their budget. The reality is a wedding planner is not a luxury. While a planner will indeed cost you money, they will also work within your proposed budget to give you your desired wedding. A good wedding planner will recommend vendors who match your style and negotiate costs on your behalf (in fact, vendors will often give planners a discount for their clients!).
Note from P.S. Eventful
The purpose of this post is to give you a realistic financial picture of a wedding planner. It is a real, hard-working career that is often portrayed as glamorous gig. The reality is it is a job that requires quick-thinking, an eye for detail, and numerous hours on your feet. It should be a respectable position that deserves to be paid more than minimum wage.
