Planning your wedding is an exciting time, but it can also be time-consuming and stressful – not to mention overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you approach vendors? Do you know how to secure the best deal or negotiate with venues?
Of course, using Bridebook is a great way to take away a lot of the stress of planning your wedding, but there’s so much to do and so many things to remember, that it can still feel daunting at times.
That’s why many couples choose to hire a wedding planner. A wedding planner is an expert and will know exactly what to do to give you the wedding of your dreams.
That expertise does come at a cost – but it can definitely be worth it, saving you time, stress and even money. In this post, we’re going to explore how much a wedding planner costs, including what a wedding planner will do, the average amount couples might spend, and how a wedding planner could save you money.
What’s the average cost of a wedding planner in the UK?
The average amount couples spend on a wedding planner in the UK is £2,436. This may sound like a lot for something you can do yourself, but it will save you a lot of time, energy, stress and money in the long run. Wedding planners also have years of experience planning weddings behind them, so know exactly what you need to execute your ideas for the perfect wedding. As revealed in our ultimate wedding budget breakdown, the average overall cost of a wedding is £20,775, and a wedding planner can help keep spiralling costs down to a manageable level.
Remember, this figure is an average, so some wedding planners will cost way less. But, more expensive planners will likely have more experience in the industry, along with better connections and negotiating skills, so paying that bit more could be worth it.
What does a wedding planner do?
As you might expect by the name, a wedding planner takes the reins and helps you plan your wedding. They help you by making bookings, securing deals, making decisions and sorting out any problems that might arise. Depending on what you agree with your wedding planner, they may also help you to set up and manage the day as well.
However, while they may take the lead in planning your wedding, you don’t lose out on the excitement, or lose any control. You’ll have in-depth discussions with them about what you’re looking for and your budget to make sure they’re always aligned. Then, they’ll go and do all the long-winded bits, so you have the pleasure of making the decisions while avoiding the boring and tiring leg work.
Does a wedding planner help to save you money?
While at first the average cost of a wedding planner can seem like a big expense on top of an already expensive wedding, a good wedding planner can save you a lot of money.
An experienced wedding planner will have planned dozens, if not hundreds, of weddings. In that time, they’ll have made connections with venues and vendors, know all the right questions to ask and have learned how to negotiate the best rates. They’ll help you save money in ways you might not have even realised were possible.
As well as saving money, they’ll help you organise everything to avoid expensive mistakes. What might seem like an unnecessary cost could actually be one of the best decisions you make to make sure your wedding goes to plan and sticks to your budget.
On top of saving you money, a wedding planner also saves you time, which could be spent doing other more valuable things, particularly if you’re self-employed. Planning a wedding is time-consuming, so why not let someone else do the hard work?
What does it mean when a wedding planner receives a commission?
When you’re finalising the details with your wedding planner, you may notice in the paperwork that it mentions the planner may receive a commission when they make a booking. But what is that commission and where does it come from?
Don’t worry, this isn’t an additional fee you have to pay. This simply means your wedding planner may receive a small amount of commission when you book a specific venue or vendor and is usually a small percentage based on the cost. However, a good wedding planner won’t be driven by their commission, so shouldn’t allow it to sway their decisions about what is right for your wedding.
If you’re not sure about anything, just speak to your wedding planner before hiring them – they’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
What factors can affect the cost of a wedding planner?
A wedding planner will usually charge a flat fee based on the scope and scale of your wedding. What that fee is can vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Your budget – the higher your budget, the more a wedding planner will usually ask for. Not because they think you can afford to pay more, but because there will be more work involved. Often, a wedding planner will ask for between 10% and 15% of your overall budget.
- Location – The location of your wedding will play a big part in the cost. For example, a wedding planner based in London will be more expensive than one outside the capital. However, if you’re getting married in London, you’ll probably want to consider a London-based wedding planner as they’ll have the local knowledge and contacts.
- Service – A partial wedding planning service will be more affordable than a full planning service.
- Number of guests – The more guests you intend to invite, the more work a wedding planner will need to do to make sure everything goes smoothly.
Can a wedding planner also be your wedding coordinator?
Many wedding planners also offer a package that includes coordinating your wedding day. After all, who better to manage the big day itself than the one who helped you to plan it?
On-the-day coordination helps to reduce the stress further, make sure everyone knows what they’re doing and fixes any potential hiccups that might occur. This leaves you to enjoy your day, knowing it’s being managed by an experienced professional.
When should you hire a wedding planner?
If you’re looking to hire a wedding planner to provide a full planning service, the best time to do so is right at the start, before you’ve made any other bookings or reservations. This is so you can fully utilise their services and allow them to help you consider all options and secure the best deals.
If you’re only interested in a partial wedding planning service, you’ll need to hire them with around three or four months to go before your big day.
Is hiring a wedding planner worth it?
Planning a wedding can be a long, tiring, stressful and expensive process. That being said, it’s also a lot of fun! However, not everyone has the time and energy to spare, which is where a wedding planner shows their true value. If you find planning challenging or may struggle to find the time to spare, then you’ll definitely get a lot out of hiring a wedding planner.
A wedding planner can also be a lifesaver if you’re interested in a destination wedding. A local planner will have the knowledge and insight you might lack by getting married away from home and will save you hours and hours of avoidable research on just the area alone.
In fact, according to qualified wedding planner and wedding expert, Hamish Shephard, organising a wedding can take 200 to 300 hours of planning. When you think of it like that, the average cost of a wedding planner is actually pretty great value, especially as they can also save you a lot of money down the line.
Start planning your wedding with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we can help you with planning every aspect of your wedding – including if you want to hire a wedding planner. Sign up today and take the stress out of planning your big day.
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