Planning a wedding is a long, time-consuming and expensive process. It requires hours of research, travelling to meet vendors to discuss requirements, and sometimes tricky negotiations. It’s a fun and exciting process, but it can also be difficult and stressful. That’s why many couples decide to relieve themselves of the pressure and enlist the guidance and expertise of a wedding planner.
Hiring a wedding planner isn’t exactly cheap. In the UK, couples spend an average of £2,436 when they hire a professional wedding planner. And it can be difficult to justify this cost when you consider that the overall average amount spent on a wedding is £20,775. That means couples who do hire a planner spend 10% of their entire budget paying their planner’s fees.
While that’s a huge amount to pay for something that you could in theory do yourself, there are plenty of reasons why a wedding planner is a must-have for many brides- and grooms-to-be. So, if this is you, how can you save money on a wedding planner so they fit within your budget?
In this post, we’re going to explore the many ways you can save money and make the most of the skills and experience provided by a wedding planner.
Why are wedding planners so expensive?
With many couples paying thousands for the services of a wedding planner, you might wonder why they’re able to charge so much. Below are just some of the reasons why a wedding planner can be so expensive:
- Time – If you’ve already started planning your wedding, you’ll be all too familiar with how much time it takes. A professional wedding planner pours hours and hours of their time into planning a wedding that is perfect for you.
- Experience – Wedding planners who have been in the game a long time will have plenty of experience, so will know what to do, where to go and what to say.
- Expertise – Along with their experience, a wedding planner will have a ton of expertise, which means nothing you throw at them will be too much.
- Connections – If they’ve been in the business a while, a wedding planner will have a whole host of connections to help them get preferential deals.
- Personalisation – A planner will work closely with you to make sure they know exactly what you want every step of the way. They’ll also make sure you know what’s happening and when, so you’re involved in every decision.
On top of these, wedding planners also have overheads that need to be covered, including insurance, admin costs, office space, staff costs, technology costs and more.
Why do couples choose to hire a wedding planner?
There are three main reasons why couples choose to hire a wedding planner, and why the seemingly lofty cost is totally worth it to them:
- They don’t have the time to plan their wedding themselves
- They don’t have the necessary knowledge and expertise
- They want to save money
We’ve already explained how wedding planners use their time, knowledge and expertise to plan a wedding that is personal to you and in keeping with your tastes and style. However, it’s also important to highlight that hiring a wedding planner will save you money. According to qualified wedding planner and wedding expert, Hamish Shephard, you could save as much as 20% of what you might otherwise have paid. That means, while you may use 10% of your budget on a wedding planner, you’re likely to save this and more in the long run.
10 ways to save money on a wedding planner
The cost-saving benefits of hiring a wedding planner are obvious, but if you’re on a budget it might be hard to justify spending so much on a service you could do yourself. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to save money on a wedding planner, so you can pay less but still make the most of their expertise. Check out the 10 tips below and read our complete guide on how to save money on your wedding.
1. Hire your wedding planner early
A wedding planner provides the most effective service if you hire them before you start planning your big day. So, if you plan on recruiting a planner, don’t jump the gun and book a venue first – in doing so you might have lost out on a discount or deal that means you’re paying more than you need to.
2. Don’t hire the first wedding planner you speak to
Though hiring your wedding planner early is important, make sure you don’t jump in too quickly. Take the time to speak to several wedding planners and weigh up your options. Some may charge you a percentage of your budget; others may ask for a flat fee; and others may charge an hourly rate. Put together a list of planners, their quotes and the service they provide so you can make an informed choice.
Browse our huge selection of wedding planners to find your perfect planner!
3. Consider a partial wedding planning service
A full wedding planning service will be the most expensive option – and that’s because it’s the most thorough and time-consuming. But, most wedding planners will also offer a partial planning service. A partial service helps you with planning specific aspects of your wedding, such as the venue and catering. That way, you can get help with some of the more challenging and expensive parts of the planning process, then do the rest – like the flowers, decor and transport – yourself.
Or, as your big day gets ever closer and the list of jobs keeps mounting up, you could hire a planner for a partial service to help you keep on top of things. Speak to potential planners to find out what they can do for you as part of a partial planning service.
4. Ask friends for recommendations…or hire a friend
Ask your married friends and family for recommendations. Word-of-mouth referrals are a great way to secure a discount and find a planner who’s reliable and brilliant at their job. Even a discount of just 5% or 10% is a huge saving when you’re dealing with expensive rates.
Another great option is to hire a friend to help you plan certain aspects. Sometimes, your friends can be just as excited about your wedding as you are, and involving them in the planning process is a great way to include them. Just try not to task them with all the more difficult or time-consuming jobs, and make sure you thank them with a voucher or bunch of flowers on the big day itself.
You can also browse for wedding planners here on Bridebook. Many offer fabulous exclusive packages which can’t be found anywhere else.
5. Negotiate the planner’s rates
Don’t be shy about asking a wedding planner for a discount. Once you’ve met with a planner and discussed what you’re looking for, if they like you and are excited about your vision, they may be happy to discuss lowering their rates. After all, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
6. Take on some DIY responsibilities yourself
While your wedding planner can take care of the difficult parts, you can make a start on other parts of wedding prep and save money in doing so. For example, you could get ahead on designing your wedding invitations or crafting paper flowers for table decorations.
7. Be flexible
While you’re hiring your wedding planner to fulfil your and your spouse-to-be’s vision for your big day, it’s important to be flexible, because flexibility is a great way to save money. For example, your planner will know that a midweek wedding is far more affordable than a weekend wedding, so being open to their suggestions will probably save you a ton of money.
8. Hire a less experienced wedding planner
The more experienced, skilled, knowledgeable and reputable a wedding planner is, the more in demand they’ll be and the more they’ll be able to charge.
That means, if you hire a wedding planner with less experience, their rates will be more competitive and more likely to be in line with your budget. The only risk is that they might not have the same expertise or connections as others who have been in the industry for longer.
If you go down this route, look out for relevant qualifications like an event planning or hospitality diploma. Though they’re not a legal requirement when it comes to wedding planning, they’ll give you more confidence that your planner knows what they’re doing, even if they have less experience.
9. Ask for a virtual wedding planning service
When you hire a wedding planner, you’ll spend a lot of time with them as they get to know you and what you want to be included in your big day. Many wedding planners will want to do this in person, but this can take time, especially if there’s travel involved.
To save on travel time and costs, ask your planner if they’re happy to connect virtually instead. Using Zoom or Google Meet is a quick and convenient way to meet and still build a rapport.
10. Trust your wedding planner
To get the most out of your wedding planner, and therefore the best value for money, the most important thing you can do is trust them. Your wedding planner will have planned dozens – if not hundreds – of weddings and will know the industry through and through. The last thing you want to do is have a strained relationship with them, so trust the process and let them do what they do best. This will enable them to do a fabulous job and save you plenty of money.
Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook
Here at Bridebook, we have a host of fantastic wedding planners who will help you plan your wedding on a budget. You can also plan your entire wedding for free right here on Bridebook. We’ve got all the tools you need to organise your big day without breaking the bank, from our checklist to budget calculator to guest list. Sign up now and start your wedding planning journey today!
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