Wedding Planner Invoice: How to Create a Professional Invoice for Your Wedding Planning Services
A wedding planner invoice is a form that lists the details of a wedding and the tasks completed (or scheduled to be completed) by a wedding planner. The planner gives the invoice to the bride and groom or whoever is paying for the wedding in order to request payment for services rendered.
What does a Wedding Planner do?
Wedding planners are responsible for organizing and overseeing weddings to ensure they go as planned and according to budget. While every couple will have different expectations of their wedding planner, these are the general responsibilities every wedding planner is prepared to take on:
- Planning the rehearsal dinner
- Planning the ceremony
- Planning the reception
- Attending site tours and selecting the venue
- Designing the budget
- Attending menu tastings and hiring the caterer
- Finding and liaising with the officiant
- Liaising with the photographer and videographer
- Liaising with the florist
- Handling invitations
- Coordinating accommodation/hotel room blocks
- Arranging transportation between ceremony and reception (and sometimes to and from ceremony)
- Selecting a baker and ensuring delivery of cake
- Arranging gown and tuxedo
- Arranging for music and emcee
- Designing and overseeing decorations
Wedding Coordinator vs. Wedding Planner
Often the terms “wedding coordinator” and “wedding planner” are used interchangeably, but they are different things. Essentially, a wedding planner does more and therefore costs more. The planner is the right choice for a couple that doesn’t have time to think through and plan every detail of the rehearsal dinner, ceremony, and reception. A wedding planner is usually the best choice for a couple interested in a destination wedding. A wedding coordinator, on the other hand, helps to handle last-minute details. Generally, a wedding coordinator will meet with a couple four to eight weeks before the big day to determine what still needs to be organized and then handle it. This can be a cheaper option for couples that want to play an active role in planning their wedding. Both the wedding planner and wedding coordinator are present on the day of the ceremony.
How to Become a Wedding Planner
There is no standard, set path to becoming a wedding planner. Many great planners received no formal training. However, the following steps are likely to lead to a successful career in wedding planning:
- Complete High School – Earning a high school diploma or GED is mandatory for those seeking a college education, which can open doors to higher pay grades.
- Earn a Degree – Both associate’s and bachelor’s degrees can put prospective wedding planners on a solid career path. Recommended degrees include event planning, tourism & hospitality, business, and marketing.
- Obtain Certifications – Earning a certification can give potential clients a sense of trust in your skills and capabilities. This can be done in conjunction with a college education or not. The American Association of Certified Wedding Planners (AACWP) is a trusted organization that provides relevant training and certifications. The AACWP offers three (3) wedding planner designations: the Trained Wedding Planner, the Certified Wedding Planner, and the Certified Master Wedding Planner. Training can be taken online as well as in-house.
Wedding Planner Salary & Hourly Rate ($/hr)
Salary: $47,067/yr (source: ZipRecruiter) Hourly Rate: $23/hr (source: ZipRecruiter)
Average Cost of a Wedding
Here are average wedding costs in recent years, according to data compiled by wedding planning website The Knot.
Year | Average cost |
2015 | $32,641 |
2016 | $35,309 |
2017 | $33,391 |
2018 | $33,931 |
2019 | $28,000 |
2020 | $19,000 |
2021 | $22,500 |
Average Cost of a Wedding Planner
There is no definitive answer to this question as the average cost of a wedding planner can vary greatly depending on the area a couple gets married in and the size and scope of their wedding. However, as a general guide, a wedding couple can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $5,000 for a wedding planner in most parts of the United States. The actual cost will also vary depending on the level of service the couple requires from the planner. Per The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study, the average cost of a wedding planner in 2021 was $1,700.
What to Include in a Wedding Planner Invoice
When creating a wedding planner invoice, you will need to include the following information:
- Planner’s name and contact details (e.g. phone number, address)
- Planner’s company logo (if applicable)
- Client’s name and contact information
- Invoice number
- Description of tasks completed by wedding planner
- Planner’s hourly rates
- Total amount due
- Applicable taxes
- Payment methods accepted (e.g. PayPal, credit card, etc.)
- Payment terms (including due date)
The invoice can be generated manually using programs such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, and Google Sheets, then exported as a PDF and emailed to clients. For easier, faster invoicing, use an online invoice generator such as Invoice Maker.