Wedding Planning 101: How to Choose a Service Package
planning a wedding looks and feels different for each couple - just like weddings, no two are the same. Naturally there are different styles, different budgets, different personalities, and more, that play a huge role in determining what is right for you.
Here we BREAK DOWN three major planning services —Wedding Day Coordination, Partial Planning, and Full-Service Planning—to help you confidently choose the best fit for your unique wedding journey.
Photography by: Move Mountains Co.
Where do you begin?
Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting and memorable times in your life—but it can also feel very overwhelming!
With so many details, decisions, and logistics to manage, it’s no wonder many couples turn to professionals for guidance and support. However, not all planning services are created equal - the level of help you need often depends on your timeline, vision, budget, style, and how hands-on (or hands-off) you want to be.
Knowing at the start of your wedding planning journey what is most important to you, along with your estimated guest count and target budget, will influence and help to identify the kind of planning service that’s best for you!
Wedding planners typically offer one or two (if not all) of these main services to ensure the right amount of support is available in all the right places.
Photography by: Hedi Field Photography
Wedding day Coordination
In today’s elaborate wedding planning world, where options are endless and details to manage are overflowing, this service is an absolute no-brainer.
It’s like a really, really, really good insurance policy for your big day.
Couples who choose Wedding Day Coordination (aka “Wedding Day Management” or “Day-of Coordination”) are typically looking for guidance + support in the final month or weeks leading up to and especially on their wedding day, to ensure everything runs smoothly. Some wedding day coordination services begin 2-3 months before your wedding, and others just a few weeks prior, all with the same goal - to understand the precise details of everything you’ve planned and be able to execute your vision flawlessly.
While exact services and number of meetings vary a bit, wedding day coordinators will help you pull together the final details, communicate with vendors, manage the day-of timeline, and more.
Budget Note: A reputable, experienced coordinator will range in cost between $2500-$5000**.
Photography by: Trenholm Photo
Partial Planning
With a wide range of support services and the myriad of details that go into planning a wedding, partial planning services are typically a step up from wedding day coordination but offer less support than full planning. These services could begin anywhere between 6-18 months (or more) before your wedding, depending on the specific services you’ve chosen in your package.
Couples who choose Partial Planning already know they want all the benefits of wedding day coordination, but are also in need of expert advice and professional support in a few key areas during the planning process. Examples might include curating an event design (highly requested from couples!), drafting floor plans, securing your vendor team, helping set + track your wedding budget, and more. It’s a hand-holding collaboration when you need it most, based on what is most important and/or challenging to you. Most ideal for couples who know they want to handle a good amount of the planning themselves, but need a wingman to help with the trickier pieces and logistics.
Budget Note: A reputable, experienced planner for partial services will range in cost between $5000-$10,000**.
Photo by: Hedi Field Photography
Full Planning & Design
For the couples who want wedding planning support from start to finish - and everything in between!
Full planning typically begins 12-24+ months before your wedding date, depending on how far along in the process you decide to book your planner. Some couples choose a venue + a date before they reach out to planners; others need guidance in choosing a venue and time of year, so they opt to connect with a planner first.
We’ll always recommend you start your wedding journey with a planner - they will have invaluable insight and advice to offer, know what questions to ask, who the best professionals are for your style + budget…but regardless of what order you decide to start, full planning services ensure you have an expert in your corner every step of the way. Nothing gets missed, nothing slips through the cracks, and nothing is left to chance. They know all the questions, have seen all the things, and our main mission is to ensure you have the dreamy, gorgeous, smooth wedding day you deserve, from every single angle!
Budget Note: A reputable, experienced full service planner will likely start between $10,000-$18,000** or be a percentage of your total budget.
**Note: fees vary widely by state/region, location, experience level, etc; fees shown are based on averages in the New England area
So…which package is right for me?
In summary, the three main planning + coordination services include:
Wedding Day Coordination: All aspects of the wedding are planned by you, but you’re looking for a partner for the wedding day to manage the details and ensure everything runs smoothly.
Partial Planning: You’ve started the planning process and feel confident in some areas, but you’d like a collaborative experience and need support in a few key areas, like budgeting or event design (plus the benefits of Wedding Coordination!)
Full Planning: Best for the couples who need support throughout the entire wedding planning journey. It could include choosing a venue, and almost always includes tracking your budget, creating your event design, selecting + managing communication with vendors, RSVP management and so much more.
Photography by: Colton Simmons Photography
Want to learn more about wedding planning?
Be sure to read through our list of these
10 Common Wedding Planning Mistakes to help you get started the right way!