Wedding Consultants all charge very differently for their services. However, it truly comes down to one of three ways to determine their fee. Some will charge hourly. That way, you are paying only for the time the consultant is working with you and directly on your event. Some wedding planners will charge a percentage of the total budget. And, finally, many charge a flat fee with no time limits on planning, designing, and coordinating your event.
Planners offer a variety of services including full-service wedding and event planning, partial event planning and wedding consultations, or what is known as the day of wedding services. Be aware that additional charges may apply for any meetings outside of the day of the event.
Things that influence how expensive a wedding consultant fee include their years in the industry and level of experience. Ask yourself how involved your vision is and what level of expertise would be required to do things such as convert an ice rink into a luxurious, upscale wedding venue (click below to see how we pulled this off)!
If you are in the market for a consultant, be sure to ask upfront how they charge and what that charge includes. This will save you time and headaches and keep your budget in line by knowing upfront what is included and what will be an additional charge.
Always remember, you get what you pay for. If a wedding consultant fee is significantly less, consider that there may be caps on time or services offered or they may have very little experience. An experienced event designer will charge more due to their deep vendor network, venue knowledge, and problem-solving skills.