How Does A Guest List Affect My Wedding Planning Cost
Unless budget isnt a concern, couples will need to decide to work on a guest list fairly early on in the planning process. It may not be realistic to invite 200 or more guests, and the more invited, the bigger the expense and how it may affect location and plans. Choose those relationships you value most to begin your guest list with. These are the people you will want to share your special day with. Then let your budget dictate how many you include from your outer circle of friends.
Unfortunately, some people may have to be backups or left off the list entirely, simply because it can easily cost $100+ per person, depending on food and beverage options. When in doubt, sometimes its easier just to let friends and family know that you plan to keep the occasion smaller and more intimate. This will help to avoid confusion and hurt feelings if someone must be left out.
What Does A Wedding Planner Do
- Assist and plan the wedding budget
- Provide guidance on decor and food choices
- Meet monthly/weekly with bride and groom to review planning
- Attend wedding rehearsal and assist coordination
- Arrive at the venue early to supervise set-up. Make sure everything is in order.
- Meet groom and make sure he is settled. Help with boutonnieres
- Coordinate brides arrival and help with ceremony timing
- Assist photographer to corral family and friends for photos
- Liaise with MC and DJ for timing of events
- Make sure the cash envelopes/gifts are secured
- Help with wedding clean up at end of night
- Stay until the venue is closing up to make sure everything is packed away.
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Who Typically Pays For A Wedding
Traditionally, the bride and her family are responsible for paying for all wedding planning expenses, the brides attire, all floral arrangements, transportation on the wedding day, photo and video fees, travel and lodgings for the officiant if he comes from out of town, lodging for the bridesmaids (if you have offered
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Wedding Planner Vs Wedding Coordinator
Hiring a wedding planner, wedding coordinator or both depends on your level of comfort throughout the planning process. Those with a passion for DIY and hands-on planning, for example, may prefer to skip the planner and only utilize a coordinator. Knowing the difference is a good starting point when finding the right planner for you.
Wedding planners often dedicate a couple hundred hours to guiding your wedding design choices, vendor hiring, contract negotiation and building a budget. They consult with each couple as they navigate their wedding ceremony and reception theme. Many planners will either offer coordination efforts within their contracts or include them as an extra service.
Wedding coordinators gather all the details planned by the couple and their planner in order to set them in motion on and around the wedding day. They act as the point person for vendors and guests that have questions during the final stages of the process. Some coordinators will also offer assistance on the events surrounding the big day itself, such as rehearsal dinners, wedding showers and Sunday brunches.
Their Communication Is On Point
Forbes says there are a handful of distinct things good communicators always do. Ask yourself the following questions:
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Has the wedding planner take time to establish a personal connection with me?
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Does he or she ask me to clarify requests they dont understand ?
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Do they only share information they know is 100% accurate?
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Do I feel like he or she listens attentively when I speak?
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Is the wedding planners electronic communications detailed yet brief?
If you havent had a conversation with the planner by this point, you can also save this list of questions for when you contact their latest references. If they consistently check all the boxes, according to past brides and grooms, then you can place trust in their communication skills.
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Do I Need To Tip A Planner
Since wedding planners often work independently from a larger company, tips are not often expected. If your wedding coordinator works with your venue, gratuity may also be included in your original agreement. However, whether you tip your wedding planner is up to you. If they went above and beyond during a difficult planning process or wedding day or if you received a significant discount on their services a 10-20% tip is appropriate.
How Much Is A Wedding Planner And When Are They Worth The Cost
Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Apr 19, 2021
Between hunting for the right venue, finding that perfect dress and coordinating hundreds of guests, hiring a wedding planner can go overlooked. Quite often, the key to taking control of your wedding planning checklist comes down to allowing a professional to take the reins.
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Charging An Hourly Rate
In my experience, charging an hourly rate works best for partial planning clients. In my mastermind, WeddingPro Insiders, I’ve seen wedding planners add serious cash to their bottom line by offering the option for wedding coordination clients to add packages of 10, 20, or 40 hours of partial planning services.
For full-service wedding planners, charging an hourly rate gets complicated. On one hand, your customers will appreciate paying for exactly what they need and nothing more. You will also appreciate being fairly compensated for your time. We have all had those weddings that take so many more hours than we anticipated, right?
With those benefits in mind, there are a few disadvantages to charging an hourly rate. First, difficult customers might have you justifying every hour you add to their invoice. You don’t want to and shouldn’t need to justify your worth at every step of the planning process. Additionally, they might make too many decisions on their own to save on your cost, only to pay you hourly to fix the mess they made.
What Questions Do Wedding Planners Ask
The 5 Questions a Wedding Planner SHOULD Ask YOU
- Whats your budget, how many people are you inviting, and whats your dream venue?
- Do you have any vendors in mind?
- How involved do you expect a wedding planner to be?
- What weddings have you been to that you didnt like?
- Do you have any non-negotiables?
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How Much Should I Pay For A Wedding Photographer
Newlywed couples who hired a photographer to capture the beautiful moments of their big day spent between $2,095 and $2,556 on average for their wedding photography .
Keeping this in consideration, How much should a beginner wedding photographer charge?
The average price range we would expect a first time wedding photographer to charge for their services is between $0 $1,000. Some photographers looking for their absolute first wedding experience may be willing to shoot for free in exchange for exposure and the ability to build their wedding photography portfolio.
Secondly Do you tip a wedding photographer? Photographers, Videographers, Florists, and Wedding Coordinators. For people who own their own businesses, as many of these vendors do, tipping isnt necessary. For photographers, videographers, and florists who do not own their own businesses, tip $30 to $50 wedding coordinators should be given about $50 to $100.
Do wedding photographers get paid upfront?
Yes, it is a common practice for wedding photographers to require full payment prior to the wedding. However, it is also common for other photographers to take a partial payment prior to the wedding and then take the remaining balance upon delivery of the proofs.
What Should You Do Next
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Tips For Planning Your Wedding Ceremony
Working with a wedding planner can also help alleviate some of the stress of trying to figure out whether or not to have a more formal or informal type of ceremony. The choice also depends on the theme, location, and time of year requested. Some outdoor ceremonies may require extra planning, as well as a backup plan in case of rain or other inclement weather.
Choosing the ceremony style can be a unique challenge, because some couples come from different religious backgrounds or may have different cultures and traditions. This is why it helps to have your wedding planner recommend a great officiant.
Wedding Planner Cost Guide
Costs displayed in graph are based on spend from thousands of couples who recently reported pricing for this service within their WeddingWire review. Pricing varies based on factors including, but not limited to, vendors experience, level of expertise, event guest count, date, and geographic region.
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Recommending The Right Vendors For Your Budget
Wedding planners can help save couples money with our vendor relationships. By working multiple weddings in the same city and surrounding areas, we get to know vendors very well. Once we know a couple’s desired wedding budget, we are able to give them suggestions on the best vendors who will fit their budget. -Katy Turchich, owner Coastal Coordinating
A wedding planner and designer can take your inspiration photos, which are probably pulled from a $500K wedding in L.A., and create something that is more manageable in your budget while retaining the same inspiration or style. -Staci Mandikas, owner UNIQUE Weddings and Events
Create A Preferred Vendors List
Contact wedding photographers, DJs and other vendors in the industry and create a list of preferred vendors who you recommend to couples.
See if they will offer a discount to your clients. Some may offer you a kick-back for recommending their services.
You can also see if local venues will give you a tour or provide you with preferred pricing or free upgrades.
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How Much Do Wedding Planners Make
Before making the decision to go to wedding planner school, getting certified, or marketing their new business, one of the most common questions I hear aspiring wedding planners ask is: How Much Do Wedding Planners Make?
The short answer: $44,260 per year, or $3,262 per wedding.
The long answer: Your salary as a wedding planner may be much smaller or much greater depending on a number of factors. Well start with one of the most important:
When Should You Pay A Wedding Event Planner
Generally, engaged couples pay their wedding planners before the wedding. It is common for wedding planners to require the full payment a few weeks prior to the wedding.
Some require to be paid upfront while others take monthly payments. It really depends on the wedding planner you hire. Just know that there are some pros and cons of paying your wedding planner in advance.
As stated by plannerslounge.com, youll want to consider the following advantages and disadvantages of paying a wedding planner prior to your big day.
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Does A Wedding Planner Save You Any Money
Most couples spend $15,000$26,000 on their weddings. Hiring an experienced wedding planner can actually save you some of that cost in the long run because of his/her extensive list of connections and knowledge and experience in how to maximize everything at the most palatable cost. Before you hire a planner, its important to know what your overall wedding budget might be and then estimate 15% of that budget will go to the planner.
A planner will help keep your plans realistic and budget friendly. If you think you cant afford a wedding planner and your parents or in-laws are dying to give you the perfect gift, consider asking them to cover the costs of the wedding planner. This gift can save time, expense, and stressbetter than any expensive glass set.
Should You Charge A Flat Fee An Hourly Rate Or Use A Percentage Model To Create Your Wedding Planner Pricing Model
In my experience, percentage pricing always wins! But most you can charge a sliding scale flat fee if percentage pricing makes you squirm. I know the idea can take some getting used to!
Percentage pricing isn’t ideal is if your clients have smaller budgets. Do you really want to take 10% of a $50,000 budget? If you choose percentage pricing, make sure your client has a minimum overall budget to ensure you’re compensated at the bare minimum.
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How Does The Wedding Location Affect The Wedding Planning Cost
Some couples will decide to go out on a limb and choose destination weddings while others will decide to stay closer to home. Figuring out your wedding destination will be affected by your budget, as any wedding planner will tell you.
The time of year you decide to have the wedding will also determine whether or not you will have an indoor or outdoor ceremony, as well as affect your guests travel plans. A wedding planner may have some ideas for alternatives if you are unable to make that coveted destination wedding a reality. And if the wedding plans themselves arent conducive to that type of destination, Paris can always be reserved for a honeymoon escape rather than the actual wedding location.
If you happen to be on a budget, places like resorts, wineries, or bed and breakfast spots may also provide wedding services or have a readymade chapel for couples who want the feeling of getting away but dont have the cash to throw at a larger destination wedding. This option may give couples the best of both worlds, as they will be able to experience the getaway vibe at a fraction of the cost of a huge, elaborate destination wedding.
How Much Does A Wedding Planner Cost $1500 $3000
Wedding planners charge $50$200 per hour for their services. In general, expect to pay a wedding planner $1,500$3,000 for planning your big day and the run-up to it. This can be a wise choice for couples who dont know where to start. Not only that, wedding planners can end up saving couples money and undue stress in the long run. Learn more, or get free estimates from wedding planners near you.
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