Average Wedding Coordinator Costs 2023: Here’s What to Know

Wedding coordinator costs might seem like a luxury expenditure, but if you plan it the right way, it might actually be the biggest cost-saving decision you can make on your wedding day. 

Having a wedding coordinator can significantly improve the overall flow of your wedding and at the same time simplify costs and expenses. Today, we’ll take a look at the average wedding coordinator cost, the different wedding coordinators you can work with, what you should look for in a quality coordinator and different ways to save on costs along the way. 

About half of all newlywed couples use a wedding coordinator when planning their big day. Wedding coordinators help simplify your wedding by helping you plan out in detail what events should happen, when, and overall coordination of wedding day events. Having someone plan out the logistics of your big day can save you immeasurable time, money, and of course stress. 

It’s this reason many couples turn to a wedding coordinator when they decide to tie the knot. 

Let’s get into the details of what to look for when you hire a wedding manager, day-of expectations, overall cost, and more. 

Average Cost for a Wedding Coordinator 

The average cost of a wedding coordinator really depends on your wedding, and what you are looking for in a wedding coordinator. Wedding coordinators (sometimes referred to as wedding planners) come in a variety of forms. The type of wedding coordinator you work with will directly impact the cost. 

Venue Included Wedding Coordinator – You can have a wedding coordinator already included in your venue cost. This is someone who works with the venue and can help you with the overall operations of your wedding reception. The cost of a wedding coordinator in this capacity is generally factored into your venue cost but is roughly around $1,000 along with any other add-on services you choose. 

Day of Wedding Coordinator – There is also the category of “day-of” wedding coordinators. These coordinators are not associated with the venue and have their services contracted out directly by you. A day-of wedding coordinator will take control of the operations of your entire wedding day. 

They will communicate with important vendors including your venue, photographer, caterer, and other important service providers on your wedding. This type of coordinator has a general idea of how you want your wedding day to go. However, they don’t necessarily assist in the selection and vetting of vendors. Instead, these vendors will already be selected and the coordinator will be in charge of making sure everyone is where they need to be during the wedding. The cost of a day of wedding coordinator can range anywhere from 1,500 to $8,000. 

Full-service wedding coordinators – A full-service coordinator goes above and beyond in that they will have complete and total logistical control over your wedding day activities. Full-service wedding coordinators will generally help you pick out other vendors including photographers, videographers, and even caterers. Additionally, these wedding coordinators take out the guesswork and stress associated with a wedding. Generally, you will meet with your full-service wedding coordinator, give them your vision for your wedding, and then make final decisions on the vendors they bring to you. It’s also quite typical for a full-service wedding coordinator to have an assistant that works alongside them as well. Because of the comprehensive service they provide, these coordinators are the most costly at an estimated $5,000 – $10,000. 

Factors that Affect the Cost of a Wedding Coordinator  

There are many components that factor into the final cost of a wedding coordinator. As you can imagine, the more comprehensive services a wedding coordinator provides, the more expensive their services will generally be. Let’s take a look at some of the common factors that affect the cost of a wedding coordinator. 

Type of Support

The type of support is one of the main factors that will influence cost. The type of service and how comprehensive a service you need will all impact costs. Wedding coordinators and wedding managers will offer a variety of support services with some specializing in certain services than others. Some of the more common services include the following:  

Prep Service 

Some wedding coordinators will help you with preparing for your big day, but will not necessarily be there on the day of your wedding. Their support comes in the form of helping you find appropriate vendors, helping you create the vision you have for your wedding, and helping coordinate communication and logistics between all vendors involved. These coordinators are typically more affordable and can be a great starting point for couples on a budget. 

Full Service

A full-service wedding coordinator offers just that — full-service planning and design of your wedding. This includes everything from helping you figure out the color palette of your wedding to helping you narrow down the proper venue, and even helping you with catering, cake options, budget allocation, and more. You can expect a more detailed and intimate working relationship when you commission the services of a full-service wedding coordinator. 

“Day-Of” Service

Day of wedding coordinator services are as the name applies. Your wedding coordinator will be with you on your wedding and will help facilitate the day’s events. This type of wedding coordinator is critical to making sure the events you have for the day are planned as follows. Additionally, this type of wedding coordinator will make sure that your vision for photos, videography, catering, guest services, and more are executed exactly as you would like.

Type of Wedding 

The type of wedding you have will also influence the overall cost of a wedding coordinator. Two common components that factor into price include the following:

Small vs. Large 

Unsurprisingly, you should expect to pay more for a wedding coordinator when you have a larger wedding as opposed to a smaller wedding. A larger wedding means that there are more people to manage, more complex services that need to be overseen, and an overall greater sense of responsibility, logistical efforts, and overall coordination. 

According to wedding experts, the average cost of wedding coordinator consultation services depending on the size of the wedding is as follows:

• 0-50 Guests – $600 
• 51-100 Guests – $678
• 101-150 Guests – $756
• 151-200 Guests – $850
• 201-300 Guests – $950 

Indoor vs. Outdoor  

Whether you have an indoor or outdoor wedding can also play into the cost. For example, if you have an indoor wedding and a venue manager is available for you on the day of the wedding, this can help simplify and ease the obligations of the wedding coordinator. In turn, this can help lower costs a bit. 

Outdoor wedding coordinators may also cost a bit more simply because a coordinator has to account for other variables like weather and back plans. If you choose an outdoor venue like a state park where a venue manager might not be available, your coordinator may have to work harder to plan and execute the logistics of the day. 

Time 

Both the time of day and the date you choose for your wedding will impact the cost. Wedding coordinators are in higher demand during peak wedding season and as such will typically charge higher price points. Additionally, how long you need a wedding coordinator will also factor into the final cost. For example, do you need a wedding coordinator for the entirety of your wedding reception or only for a specific period of time? 

Location 

Where you choose to have your wedding will also influence the final cost of a wedding coordinator. Unsurprisingly, certain locations yield higher costs for weddings than others. Metropolitan area coordinators typically charge more for their wedding services than coordinators who are located in more rural parts of the country. Currently, the average wedding cost in the U.S according to the top five largest metro areas is as follows: 

Tips To Cut the Cost & Budget for a Wedding Coordinator

There are many ways to save on costs if you are thinking about working with a wedding planning professional. Let’s take a look at three of the best ways to help cut the cost and budget for a wedding coordinator. 

Pay for a Package Rather Than an Hourly Rate 

Wedding coordinator services will typically be offered either at an hourly rate or through a one-price package. If you want to budget for an affordable wedding coordinator, then you’ll want to shop for coordinators that charge per hour. You can tap into their expertise without having to fork over hundreds or thousands of dollars. However, to get the best bang for your buck, opting for a package is a better use of your money.

Package services will typically include base services like a wedding budget, planning, vendor services, and other critical components of your wedding. You’ll find that a base package is comparable to working with a coordinator at an hourly rate, but you’ll get more time to spend with the coordinator both during the planning phase and during the wedding itself. 

Do Not Hire a Coordinator Too Close to Your Wedding Date 

Quality wedding coordinators are good at what they do. However, they can’t be miracle workers on short notice and need ample time to be able to execute your wedding vision. Because of this, give yourself ample time to commission the service of a wedding coordinator. If there is a wedding coordinator you want to work with, waiting too close until your wedding date can make it difficult to not only execute your vision, but you can expect the cost of working with the coordinator to go up as well. 

Do Not Blindly Choose Your First Candidate 

As with any wedding vendor you work with, it is important that you take your time to vet out a wedding coordinator so that you know you are getting someone you can count on during your big day. 

Don’t be afraid to schedule an initial consultation with a wedding coordinator and be sure to ask thorough and detailed questions about their services and what it is that you are looking for. Initial consultations should always be free or affordably priced and if they are not, this could be an indicator that the wedding coordinator may be a bit more out of your price range than you anticipated. 

When you meet with a wedding coordinator, be sure to bring along sample images of your wedding vision to make sure that they can actually execute it. Additionally, before you commit to any wedding coordinator, be sure to ask for client references so that you can get a much more thorough understanding of their work. 

Final Thoughts 

Average wedding coordinator costs might be a scary thing at first. But as you explore all the services that a wedding coordinator can offer, you might be surprised at just how affordable they can be. More importantly, you’ll be able to get insight into just how vital they are to the execution of a smooth and stress-free wedding day.