Brides: what surprised you most about planner costs?

Question

So many brides are shocked when they first see planner quotes. This thread curates real experiences and vendor perspectives so couples know what to expect and what they're actually paying for.

Answer

A lot of the planner's work happens *before* your wedding day: vendor vetting, timeline creation, floor plans, family dynamics management, and contingency planning. You're paying for decision fatigue relief, not just someone there on the day.

Answer

One thing couples don’t always see is how much of a planner’s work happens before the wedding day. By the time they show up on site, they’ve already spent hours on venue walk-throughs, emails, calls, timeline building, floor plans, vendor coordination, and backup plans for “what if” scenarios.

You’re not just paying for someone to be there for 8–10 hours on the wedding day—you’re paying for 20–40+ hours of prep, their systems, their experience with emergencies, and their relationships with vendors that keep things moving smoothly. A good planner is basically project-managing your entire event and protecting you from stress, bad decisions, and costly mistakes.

If you’re comparing quotes, it helps to ask:
– How many planning hours are included before the wedding day?
– What do you personally handle vs. your assistants?
– How do you handle timeline issues, vendor no-shows, or family dynamics?

Seeing what’s actually included in those answers usually makes the pricing make a lot more sense.

Brides: what surprised you most about planner costs?

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