Wedding planning might sound like a fun job to some, but others may find the job tedious and overwhelming.
You’d need to choose the right flowers, color scheme, and venue – not to mention deal with more than your fair share of Bridezillas.
But the sight of a beautiful bride walking down the aisle to say, “I do” to the love of her life can make it well worth it.
If you’re considering starting your own wedding planning business or are engaged to be married, you may have questions about the workload of wedding planners.
On the one hand, more wedding planning jobs mean more income, but it also means additional stress.
And if you’re hiring a wedding planner, you definitely wouldn’t want to be left on the back burner because their planner is swamped.
Table of Contents
How many jobs do wedding planners take on each year?
Most wedding planners only handle 8 to 10 weddings every year, but some take on as many as 10 to 20 weddings, including full-service, partial, and day-of-ceremony planning. Teams typically do more weddings than solo planners.
Wedding planners usually try to avoid overcommitting themselves, so it’s unlikely that a bride-to-be will be left hanging while the planner tends to another wedding.
But at the same time, wedding planners need to earn enough to cover their wages and business expenses, which can be hard to do if they’re only handling 8 weddings per year.
Many factors impact a wedding planner’s workload
There are many factors to consider when determining how many weddings a wedding planner does per year.
Independent wedding planners who work solo tend to take on fewer jobs than a full wedding planning team.
But the level of wedding planning also influences a wedding planner’s workload. No two weddings are the same.
Some are simple family services that don’t require much planning, while other brides-to-be go all out with over 100 guests.
Full-service wedding planning
Full-service wedding planning is when the planner is expected to go the whole nine yards and then some.
These expensive all-inclusive packages include handling every single detail of the wedding down to the last napkin.
The wedding planners are expected to handle group photo shoots, table settings, wake-up calls, vendor arrival, catering menu, and even steam the bridal party’s gowns.
Naturally, this is time-consuming, to say the least. Wedding planners are able to handle fewer full-service packages per year.
Partial wedding planning jobs
Some couples opt for a partial wedding planner who is brought on much closer to the wedding date.
Often, many of the wedding planning aspects have already been handled or the couple has chosen a mostly inclusive venue.
Partial wedding planning is much less time-consuming than the full-service package. Therefore, wedding planners can take on more of these jobs.
Day-of ceremony wedding planning
At first glance, this may sound like the most stressful type of wedding planning job. And sometimes it is very stressful.
It’s easy to picture chaos when you think of last-minute wedding planning, but that’s why the wedding planner is there.
Day-of-ceremony wedding planners are also called wedding coordinators, and they’re either hired for the day of the wedding or scheduled to start 30 days prior to ensure that all plans go smoothly, or better yet, perfectly.
Wedding planners can handle plenty of day-of-ceremony jobs per year, but these pay the lowest rate.
Wedding planning is a profitable endeavor
There is an insanely wide pay range for wedding planners. If the wedding planner is working for a company and/or with a team, the starting pay is around $14.00 per hour, but this increases as the planner gains experience.
However, independent wedding planners can potentially make a lot of dough.
While the average earnings are $3,262 for each wedding they handle – or an annual salary of $44,260 – they can earn up to $120,000 per year or well beyond.
But this depends on their clientele, the number of jobs they do per year, and the types of service packages offered.
Wedding planning involves a lot of work
If the couple has paid for the full-service package, the wedding planner is expected to go over every detail of the wedding with a fine-tooth comb and make sure that all plans are executed perfectly.
Of course, wedding planners are supposed to order flowers, tablecloths, and napkins.
They need to coordinate with vendors, florists, dry cleaners, and the wedding party. They are also in charge of the wedding budget and invitations.
Even partial and day-of ceremony jobs can keep a wedding planner very busy – and possibly have them wanting to pull their hair out.
But it can be a very rewarding and potentially lucrative job.
Wedding planners are in high demand
Approximately 27% of all engaged couples hire a wedding planner to assist with organizing and executing the wedding.
Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a steady 10% increase in wedding planning jobs through the year 2026.
Wedding planners are definitely in demand. If you’re a wedding planner, you shouldn’t have too much trouble lining up jobs.
On the other hand, if you’re engaged, hopefully, wedding planners are plentiful in your area because they have a lot of work to keep them busy!
Qualifications of a wedding planner
Since wedding planning isn’t regulated by state and federal laws, technically you don’t need any type of formal education to become a wedding planner.
Some wedding planners start their careers working for a catering service and have learned the tools of the trade through hands-on experience.
However, most wedding planners have completed certification courses, and others have gone further and obtained a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management.
Certified wedding planners tend to earn a higher pay rate and obtain a more prestigious client base.
Downsides of being a wedding planner
Wedding planning can be an exhausting career – especially on wedding days. Imagine being on your feet for 15 hours straight on top of being physically and emotionally drained.
Then, you have to turn around and do it again 8 to 20 times per year. This is the typical life of a wedding planner.
Wedding planners often meet with clients in the evenings, and most weddings take place on Saturdays, which is an unusual schedule that can take away from time spent with family.
It’s also common for wedding planners to build emotional connections with their clients, so it can feel crushing to disappoint them.
You’d also need to keep in mind that the weddings you plan are not your own and avoid making suggestions that align with your tastes.
Instead, you’ll be making the couple’s vision become a reality.
How to choose the best wedding planner
A wedding planner is a huge and important investment for those who are planning on getting married.
While it shouldn’t be too hard to find a local wedding planner, you’ll need to carefully choose who you hire to ensure that your personalities are compatible.
When choosing a wedding planner, you’ll have to consider your budget and decide on full-service, partial, or day-of-ceremony wedding planning.
Then, you’ll need to log onto Google or Facebook to search for local wedding planners or ask your friends for recommendations.
Next, you need to do your research and find out about a potential wedding planner’s ratings and background.
Finally, you’ll need to schedule interviews and decide on the best wedding planner for you.
