How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost? The 2025 Average Revealed
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 South Africa?
In South Africa, couples spend on average around R15,000 to R50,000 on a wedding planner. It might seem like a big expense for something you could handle yourself, but having a professional on board can save you plenty of time, stress, and even money. With their experience and supplier connections, wedding planners know exactly how to bring your vision to life — without blowing your budget. Considering that the average wedding in South Africa can cost upwards of R250,000, a good planner often helps keep things from spiralling out of control.
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?
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 — Getting married in a major city like Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Durban? Expect to pay more for a local planner who knows the venues, suppliers, and logistics in that area. Their insider knowledge is often worth the higher fee.
- 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 in South Africa also offer on-the-day coordination as part of their packages — and it makes perfect sense. After all, who better to run the show than the person who’s been part of the planning from the start?
On-the-day coordination means you’ve got someone making sure everything runs smoothly, handling last-minute issues, and keeping everyone on track — from suppliers to the wedding party. It’s one of the best ways to take the pressure off so you can actually enjoy your day, knowing it’s in the hands of a pro.
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
At Bridebook, we’re here to help you plan every part of your wedding — whether you’re doing it all yourself or want to hire a wedding planner. Sign up today and make planning your big day a whole lot easier.
You Might Also Like…
Related articles
