Rates, 2026
What should a wedding planner charge in a major city?
About $1,200 a day for a wedding planner who is working and booked in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin. $825 in the first years, $1,550 when senior. Planning a wedding runs about $15,000.
Other markets: New York or LA · remote · a smaller market
First years
$825
a day · $100 an hour
Working, booked
$1,200
a day · $150 an hour
Senior, sought after
$1,550
a day · $200 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$1,200 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$150 per hour
- Planning a wedding$15,000 per project
Sold a project fee, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Full planning$5,100 to $17,000 each
- Month-of coordination$1,700 to $4,250 each
- Day-of only$1,025 to $2,550 each
- Percentage of budget10 to 15% of the wedding budget
How the number is made
Wedding planners at this level in this market day at about $1,200 ($800 to $2,000 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
Planning a wedding runs $4,000 to $15,000 and takes about 100 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $15,000. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a wedding planner in a major city like Chicago, Atlanta, Miami or Austin?
- About $1,200 a day for someone working and booked, $825 in the first years, $1,550 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is planning a wedding?
- $15,000 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.