We get a lot of inquiries from aspiring wedding planners who want to know more about the payment structure. It’s important to know how much money you’ll make after taking our online wedding planning course so you can decide whether or not to enrol. We’ve outlined some industry-standard payment structures for wedding planners below. Need help planning your wedding? Check out our list of Wedding Event Planners here.
What Do Wedding Planners Do?
Professional wedding planners assist engaged couples in organising and arranging all aspects of their special day. Typically, the planner helps with every aspect of the wedding, from locating dressmakers to booking ceremony and reception locations, and even recommends and refers florists, videographers, photographers, musicians, caterers, and other service providers. Wedding planners have become increasingly important in recent years, but they are still not required for most civil ceremonies or minor services.
The services provided by wedding planners typically fall into three tiers, or price points, which are determined by the specific requirements of the couple. The planner can offer a more limited service that focuses on setting up the reception’s entertainment, catering, and location. In the same vein, full-service wedding planners may help coordinate and schedule everything from dress fittings and cake tastings to site inspections and communications with the wedding’s various caterers and musical acts. Successful wedding planners need to be highly organised and have a steady hand for carrying out the many tasks involved in the planning process.
Typically, a wedding planner will have close relationships with other businesses that can assist with various aspects of a wedding. The planner will often charge a fee for making introductions to vendors such as caterers, florists, and other service providers for the wedding. To guarantee full occupancy during the peak wedding season in the summer, many locations collaborate with event planners.
Prospective wedding planners need substantial work experience in hospitality and event planning, and many also find that an undergraduate degree or certificate in a hospitality-related field is helpful. The vast majority of the wedding planning industry consists of independent contractors or members of larger planning-focused businesses. Booking and arranging services requires long hours year-round, with some of those hours falling on nights and weekends.
What Factors Can Affect a Wedding Planner’s Salary?
A wedding planner’s salary can increase in proportion to the amount of time they devote to perfecting their craft and establishing their reputation, but this is by no means a linear relationship. The salary of a wedding planner depends on a number of factors that are not always obvious. One of the first considerations is physical proximity. A wedding planner in a small rural town will not earn as much as one in a major city.
A person’s level of experience is also important, but for several reasons it should be considered separately from their tenure in the industry. Consistency is key to building a clientele, and as you gain experience, you’ll pick up new abilities. For example, you’ll be better able to cut costs in areas like accounting, budgeting, and marketing. Also important is the planner’s level of service; those who offer comprehensive planning and design will command a higher fee than those who provide only day-of coordination. Size of the company also plays a significant role; if four couples are getting married at the same time and the planner only has enough staff to handle one of the weddings, then three other events fall through the cracks, whereas a larger company could take all three accounts and bring in more money over the same period.
So How Much Money Can a Wedding Planner Make?
The wedding industry in Australia is worth over $3 billion annually. More than 110,000 weddings take place every year in Australia. While many of these funds are spent on one-time items like wedding dresses, decorations, and locations, a sizable chunk of them are helping to make many wedding planners quite wealthy.
Clients who are expecting the best day from their lives but who, in certain cases, simply cannot be happy require drive and determination, as well as the ability to develop a thick skin, in order to succeed as a wedding planner.
The average annual salary for a wedding planner is around $120,000, but few people know this. The typical hourly wage for a wedding planner is AU$20.23.
Often these people only get married once, so they are willing to spend a lot of money making their wedding day unforgettable. Customers receive this type of service when they repeatedly request it.
Those with less experience in the field can expect to earn in the low to high five figures, while those with extensive experience and business savvy can expect to earn in the high six figures. With all things considered, it seems that a lack of dedication is at the root of the problem, as only 20% of event planners have more than ten years of experience and 59% have less than four years of experience. These numbers demonstrate that only a small fraction of those who enter the field of wedding planning have what it did take to be successful long-term.
The bottom line is that once you’ve gotten over the initial stress of wedding planning, your earnings potential will skyrocket in the years to come.
Since most customers won’t need a wedding planner again (or at least they hope they won’t), word-of-mouth advertising is crucial. As one’s reputation and client base grow, they will be in higher demand and thus be able to charge more for their services. This is how wedding planners can significantly increase their income over time.
Wedding Coordinator Salary At A Wedding Venue
The average annual salary of a large wedding venue’s wedding coordinator is around $60,000. The answer to this question is dependent on the capacity of the wedding hall and the annual volume of weddings held there. In the wedding planning industry, compensation rises in direct proportion to the number of weddings over which one must preside. An hourly rate of pay is possible if you work at a smaller venue or in a rural area. Depending on one’s level of expertise, hourly wages can range anywhere from $25 to $35.
A Weddings and Events Team Manager may be necessary at larger wedding venues with multiple weddings per week. A salary of $80,000 or more per year could be expected in such a situation.
Independent Wedding Planner Salary
Pay as a wedding planner who works for themselves is contingent on the number and value of their clientele. Looking for the Top Wedding Planner in Melbourne? Look no further and check out our ultimate list of Wedding Planners here.
How Much Do Wedding Planners Make Per Wedding?
We get a lot of inquiries from aspiring wedding planners who want to know more about the payment structure. It’s important to know how much money you’ll make after taking our online wedding planning course so you can decide whether or not to enrol. We’ve laid out some of the most common ways that wedding planners are paid in the modern market for your perusal below:
Wedding Consultation Price:
It is common practise in the consulting industry to charge clients on an hourly basis when working with a team of two. A typical day at work in this field entails meeting with clients to discuss their wedding plans and, as the go-to expert in the field, field any questions they may have. Spending time with them as an expert who can point them in the right direction as they plan their event is a great way to earn their trust and show them that you know what you’re doing.
An appointment for a consultation is a great chance to show a couple your expertise, years of experience, and solid network of contacts in the field. The likelihood that the couple will feel comfortable enough to book you for some additional services rather than going it alone increases dramatically if you show that you understand their needs and can be relied upon throughout this meeting. It’s important to remember that your hourly rate is being paid for your consultation and advice, not so that you can sell your services to the client at the end of the meeting. If you don’t, you might end up irritating the couple.
The average rate for a wedding planner’s advice is $40 to $70 an hour. The location of your company is another factor in determining this figure. The going rate is more like $100-$200 an hour if you’re working in a larger city.
Day-Of Wedding Coordination Price:
Again, if a couple only hires you for Day Of Coordination, it means they are doing most of the planning themselves but would still like you there to help out on the big day. You will be responsible for helping to plan the schedule for the day, communicating with suppliers to ensure timely delivery and smooth setup, etc. The average cost of hiring a wedding planner is $650 to $900. The cost would be closer to $1,200-$2,000 if you were to do business in a major city. Consider allowing for some flexibility in pricing based on the specifics of the event you’re promoting. Charge less if the wedding is small and will take place in one location, as opposed to a large wedding where guests will have to travel to different venues for the ceremony and reception.
Full-Service Wedding Planning Cost:
This is where you can really rack up the dough if the couple wants you to handle every aspect of planning their wedding. These couples trust you implicitly with every aspect of their big day, from coming up with the aesthetic concept to carrying it out on the big day itself. Full-service planners offer advice on everything from vendors to locations to decorations to attire. Full-service wedding planning should be billed at a minimum of $2,000 and up to $3,000 in less urban areas, and as much as $10,000 in more urban areas and for larger weddings. Call your advisor, go over the specifics of the situation, and together we’ll figure out the best pricing strategy for your services.
The standard rate for a wedding planner who works for a percentage of the total cost of the wedding is 10%. With that in mind, the wedding planner fee would be $3,500 if the total cost of the wedding was $35,000.
Referral commissions are an additional revenue stream for wedding planners. In exchange for a referral fee, some wedding vendors may agree to reduce their prices for select wedding planners, benefiting the bride while also benefiting the planner. To ensure consistent business with the wedding planner, wedding vendors will do this. And because the wedding planner will be handling most of the communication with the client, the supplier can spend less time in meetings.
As an alternative to hourly rates, many couples opt for the convenience and convenience-based packages offered by wedding planners. For a predetermined fee, wedding planners will offer their clients a “packaged service” that specifies the tasks and services they will perform. This helps the bride understand exactly what she can expect from the wedding planner within her allotted spending limit.
Most wedding packages start at around $990 for day-of coordination and go up to $3,500 or more, depending on the wedding planner’s level of involvement and the number of tasks she must complete.
How Do Elite Planners Earn Such Generous Salaries?
The best wedding planners usually earn their money by selling decorations and keeping a sizable inventory of items for client rental. The bride will appreciate this service, and the business will see an increase in revenue. Smaller planners typically only provide day-of or month-of services, which are exactly what they sound like, in contrast to the best organisers who can provide all-inclusive planning services that include the design and planning but are more expensive because they require more than just the planner’s time. Those who can pay more for wedding services are the ones who typically end up using them.
The best wedding planners can charge exorbitant fees because they invest a great deal of time and energy into staying at the forefront of their field. It’s true that it takes a lot of effort; those who can’t even keep up with their Facebook feed may think it’s impossible, but that’s exactly what separates the average person from the elite.
How To Become A Top Paid Wedding Planner
A wedding planner’s salary can increase in proportion to the amount of time spent learning the trade and establishing a solid reputation, but this is by no means a linear relationship. The salary of a wedding planner depends on a number of factors that are not always obvious. One of the first considerations is physical proximity. A wedding planner in a small town in the middle of nowhere is not going to make nearly as much as one in a major city, where the majority of wedding planners are located and therefore earn the highest salaries.
A person’s level of experience is also important, but for several reasons it should be considered separately from their tenure in the industry. Consistency is key to building a clientele, and as you gain experience, you’ll pick up new abilities. For example, you’ll be better able to cut costs in areas like accounting, budgeting, and marketing. Also important is the planner’s level of service; those who offer comprehensive planning and design will command a higher fee than those who provide only day-of coordination. The company’s size is also a major factor. When four couples decide to get married at once, but the planner only has enough help for one, three of the nuptials will go unattended. A larger company could make more money by taking over all three accounts in the same time frame. Check out our Top Wedding Planners here to help make your special day as smooth as possible.
Conclusion
Expert wedding planners offer their services to help engaged couples organise and plan their big day. Professional wedding planners typically offer their services at one of three different price points. Independent contractors and employees of larger planning firms make up the vast majority of the wedding planning industry. In Australia, a wedding planner can expect to earn a median annual salary of around $120,000. The more experience and training a wedding planner has, the more they can charge for their services.
Building a clientele takes consistent effort, and new skills will naturally emerge with more experience. The typical salary of a wedding coordinator at a large wedding venue is $60,000. The more weddings you preside over, the higher your salary will be. An hourly wage of $25-$35 is possible, depending on experience and market demand. Consulting firms frequently use an hourly rate as their primary method of billing customers.
A wedding planner’s services typically cost $40 to $70 per hour. In major urban areas, you can expect to make between $100 and $200 per hour. The typical cost of a wedding planner is between $650 and $900. Pricing for full-service wedding planning should begin at $2,000 and go as high as $3,000 in less densely populated areas. Get advice from a trusted source on how to set fair rates for your services.
Day-of coordination services typically begin at around $990 and go up to $3,500 or more as part of a wedding package. Since the top wedding planners must devote so much time and effort to maintaining their status as industry leaders, they can command astronomical rates for their services. The salary of a wedding planner can rise in tandem with the number of years spent working in the industry. Those who do extensive planning and design for clients will charge more. More money could be made by a larger company if it were to take over three accounts simultaneously. Browse the Best Wedding Planners we recommend.
Content Summary
- It’s important to know how much money you’ll make after taking our online wedding planning course so you can decide whether or not to enrol.
- We’ve outlined some industry-standard payment structures for wedding planners below.
- The salary of a wedding planner depends on a number of factors that are not always obvious.
- Those with less experience in the field can expect to earn in the low to high five figures, while those with extensive experience and business savvy can expect to earn in the high six figures.
- With all things considered, it seems that a lack of dedication is at the root of the problem, as only 20% of event planners have more than ten years of experience and 59% have less than four years of experience.
- It’s important to know how much money you’ll make after taking our online wedding planning course so you can decide whether or not to enrol.
- It’s important to remember that your hourly rate is being paid for your consultation and advice, not so that you can sell your services to the client at the end of the meeting.
- The average rate for a wedding planner’s advice is $40 to $70 an hour.
- Again, if a couple only hires you for Day Of Coordination, it means they are doing most of the planning themselves but would still like you there to help out on the big day.
- The average cost of hiring a wedding planner is $650 to $900.
- This is where you can really rack up the dough if the couple wants you to handle every aspect of planning their wedding.
- The standard rate for a wedding planner who works for a percentage of the total cost of the wedding is 10%.
- To ensure consistent business with the wedding planner, wedding vendors will do this.
- As an alternative to hourly rates, many couples opt for the convenience and convenience-based packages offered by wedding planners.
- Those who can pay more for wedding services are the ones who typically end up using them.
- The best wedding planners can charge exorbitant fees because they invest a great deal of time and energy into staying at the forefront of their field.
- The salary of a wedding planner depends on a number of factors that are not always obvious.
- Also important is the planner’s level of service; those who offer comprehensive planning and design will command a higher fee than those who provide only day-of coordination.
- The company’s size is also a major factor.
FAQs About Wedding Planners
Is it worth it to pay for a wedding planner?
Experts suggest setting aside 5-10% of your wedding budget for a wedding planner. Doing so goes far beyond convenience – in the end, a wedding planner helps couples save money and time while providing peace of mind on their wedding day.
What exactly do wedding planners do?
Also known as bridal or wedding consultants, wedding planners are responsible for assisting clients in planning entire weddings or specific wedding activities. They discuss wedding logistics with clients, negotiate vendor contracts, and ensure that wedding-day activities run smoothly.
How long do you need to plan a wedding?
According to the latest research, planning weddings takes an average of 6 to 12 months. Some busy couples also prefer extending the wedding planning timeline to 18 months to give themselves some extra wiggle room. The sooner you can knock out wedding planning, the better.
What is the target market for wedding planners?
Engaged couples are your potential clients, as they are most likely to hire a wedding planner to help them plan their perfect wedding. You need to focus on that group of consumers when advertising your business.
Is a wedding planner a good business?
In the wedding planning business, earnings are also entirely based on your clientele and the ceremonies you organize. A full-stack wedding planner can earn 10-15 per cent of the total wedding budget.
