How to Charge a Fee for Your Event Planning Service (Updated 2023) (2024)

To do: Watch this video to learn how to price your services and be sure to watch until the end where we reveal the best method to choose. Updated in July 2023.

Now that you’ve watched the video, read the important text below to learn all the different options of how you can price your services. Pricing is the most common question new planners ask.

Today we tackle the important question of –

“How do I charge for my event planning services?”

There are five possible ways to charge for your services. Keep in mind that the going rate for fees varies based on your location. For example, major cities like New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco typically allow for charging higher rates than small towns. Here are the most common ways to charge:

1) Hourly Rate

Ask yourself what you think you are worth and decide on a set hourly rate. The amount of experience you have will play a role in your decision. A common hourly rate can fall within $25/hr for a new planner, and go upwards of $100+/hr for top event planners with amazing portfolios.

Knowing that inflation this year has gone up significantly as well as the cost of living, keep that in mind when setting your hourly rate. As you see costs of goods and services going up around you, your rate should reflect this as well to ensure you are adequately compensated for your hard work.

Typically you can charge about 30% more for a corporate event than a social event. Adjusting your prices based on the market you are serving (social vs corporate) is an acceptable practice.

2) Flat Fee

Charging a flat fee is the most common and preferred method of billing your client. With a flat fee, there are no surprises to you or your client. Once you discuss the fee amount with honesty and transparency, you and the client can focus solely on making the event as great as possible.

When you outline your flat fee it is normal to charge a fee for your services, plus a percentage based on the total vendor fees.

A standard vendor commission percentage fee is 10-15% so for example if a caterer charges $3000 for an event, your fee would be $300-450 for locating and coordinating that particular vendor.

The above fee structure goes for both social and corporate events.

After Covid-19 pandemic, it has become more common for virtual events to occur. If you happen to have expertise in virtual events, you should have a separate flat fee structure for these. If you continue to specialize in traditional, in-person events which the majority of our readers do, then one flat fee structure is sufficient.

In order to protect yourself financially, it is recommended to receive a 50% deposit upfront, and the remaining 50% within two weeks of the event.

To calculate what your flat fee will be, you should make your best estimate on the number of hours you will put in toward the planning; plus any expenses you will have like gas, printing, supplies, equipment, etc; plus build in a 10 – 20% buffer in case the scope of the event goes over the initial details and this can be your flat fee that you charge.

3) Percentage of the Event

Some planners prefer to charge clients a percentage of their total event budget. The biggest difficulty with this method of charging is to present it to your client in a way that they will approve it. If you think you can run this by them without the client questioning your billing method then this is a possibility you should consider. Typical percentage amounts are 15 – 20% of the event budget. You can adjust it lower if you feel necessary.

4) Day-of Coordination

At some point in your career, you will be asked to do a day-of coordination. These typically happen for weddings but sometimes for special events too. When a client wants to hire you for day-of service, it means they have chosen their own vendors and work with them directly while you come in on the day of the event to make sure it runs smoothly.

You can charge either by the hour or a flat fee for day-of coordination. You should assume 8 – 10 hours of work on the day of the event (multiply that by your hourly rate to get a flat fee), but do not forget the preparation you will have to do.

We like to say you should prepare for at least one month to familiarize yourself fully with all aspects of the event you are coordinating. The extra preparation prior to the event may take you an additional 10 – 20 hours so be sure you take this into account when figuring out your fee.

Since day-of coordination events are less expensive for the client, they have grown in popularity in recent years due to a slower economy. So even if you do not anticipate pitching this service, you may be asked for this by a client.

5) Vendor Commission

A minority of planners choose to either heavily discount their client fees or charge nothing for their service, and make all their money by taking a commission from the vendors they hire.

Over the past five years this payment model has become less popular and we do not encourage it. The above four options should be your best choices for billing structure but we do want to provide a comprehensive view so we are including this billing structure moreso for your information.

This method of billing has some supporters and some who dislike it. Those against this method say that you are doing a dis-service to your client by selecting vendors who are not the best at what they do but they will pay you the highest commission. Supporters of charging a commission say they still select the best vendors they know, but they just go the extra step to work out a commission structure.

We would recommend against using this method unless you are 100% transparent with your client about what you do. It may be a tempting way to undercut the competition but overall it will leave more clients questioning your vendor selection than not. By being transparent with your client like in method #2 above, you can better serve your client.

There you have it – the five most common ways to charge for your service. If you would like to read more about starting your own business you can do so here.

Don’t forget to closely monitor your total overhead costs at all times. Overhead costs are made up of all non-labor expenses you have that are needed to put on the event. For example things like additional phone bill costs, gas expenses, hiring temporary help, etc. These overhead costs can be easily overlooked and often make up about 4 – 5% of the total event budget. So be sure to monitor these and incorporate them into your pricing.

Building your own event planning business can be hard. If you want to learn more about pricing your service and starting a successful event planning business, our Event Planning Course is for you. For a limited time you can get the course for just $1. Check it out here.

Click here to take advantage of the limited-time deal for only $1.

Other important items related to pricing:

Receiving deposits – We recommend you receive a 30 – 50% non-refundable deposit at the time of signing the contract. And the remaining portion two weeks prior to the event.

Consultation fee – Planners often ask if they should charge a fee for the initial consultation. If you are just starting out, we do not recommend charging a consultation fee but if you are more experienced, we like this rule of thumb –

Consultations are free within 10 miles of where you live. Beyond that charge a $45 – 75 fee and put it toward a signed contract. Remember that if you don’t charge a consultation fee then don’t give out specific vendor information. Sometimes clients try to fish for vendor, venue and theme ideas only to end up going with a different planner. You don’t want this to happen to you. Here’s a line you can use to offset giving specific vendor contact information prior to a signed agreement or consultation fee – “I work with a myriad of wedding vendors that provide nothing less than excellent service. If you would like to engage our services, I would be more than happy to get the right vendors involved.”

Decor charges – if you also do elaborate decor for the event you can charge extra for it. If you do not view decor as an extra specialty you offer then just charge for your planning services as usual.

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61 Comments Leave a comment

Benjamin M on November 28, 2012 at 5:33 pm

Hello my name is Benjamin, I’m a student at Antonelli college studying Hospitality Arts. I’m trying to becoming an event planner in Cincinnati Ohio.

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Christina B on January 2, 2014 at 6:21 pm

Hello, my name is Christina, I am not a student at any Hospitality Arts. But I am currently taking Business Management. I am also very interested in becoming an event planner.

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Sarah L on June 15, 2015 at 10:51 pm

After reading this I got your full guide and the pricing there really took my business the next level. It have me the confidence to charge high and get clients to pay me!! 🙂

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Jill Centrino on June 30, 2015 at 5:35 pm

Excellent thorough article. I price my events like in #2 and have had success with that for over 5 years.

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Sandy on July 5, 2015 at 10:25 am

Thank you for this info. I combined this with the email you sent on pricing which is really good.

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- Vivian on September 10, 2019 at 3:09 am
  
  I’m a small business owner and I found this information to be very helpful. I’m looking forward to taking the course.
  
  Reply
denise on July 10, 2015 at 4:31 pm

This article gives me a good general idea what to charge my clients and others.

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- Kelly - EventPlanning.com on July 10, 2015 at 5:57 pm
  
  Hi Denise, Glad this is helpful! Be sure you read the additional tips on how to maximize your income in the Day 3 email in our Free Mini-Course.
  
  It goes over a couple extra things that really increase how much our students make! Let me know if you need help finding it but it’s in the Day 3 email 🙂
  
  Reply
Dina Lewis Events on July 13, 2015 at 12:38 pm

This is a very thorough analysis with a lot of good options. I’m leaning toward a hybrid but option 2 makes a lot of sense for me to charge.

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Chibuzor on July 29, 2015 at 4:10 am

Thanks twas really helpful. I’m a childminder but found out that I do have fun planning events. I’ve been doing it voluntarily for sometime but now I feel like going into the business of events planning. Thanks for your guide.

Reply
See Also
A Step-by-Step Guide to Charging for your Event Planning Service 2024 - The Event Certificate | Digital Marketing Agency & Wedding Industry Educator for Event Planners and Wedding Planners How to Make 6 Figures as a Wedding Planner - The Event Certificate | Digital Marketing Agency & Wedding Industry Educator for Event Planners and Wedding Planners Start an Event Planning Business In 7 Steps 2024 Event Planner Salary in US
Antoinette on October 5, 2015 at 7:20 am

Thanks all the questions I had are being answered.

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Anton on October 7, 2015 at 7:44 am

Hi I am an event planner at Chicago fm a local radio station. I want to learn more about event planning and this is good start.

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Kristy Raher on November 19, 2015 at 11:50 pm

Exactly what I was looking for. I’m planning a combination of 2 of these strategies plus a day-of option.

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- Daynette Lloyd on January 22, 2021 at 10:25 pm
  
  This information was very helpful I do a lot of events from getting the hall to cake and treats and decorations I charge from $300 to $500 plus charge for anything I use to decorate I charge the rental fee but just give them a general rate but it’s difficult cause you get clients who wants a grand ball with a sprinkle budget
  
  Reply
Madelyn on January 15, 2016 at 2:44 am

Hi,
I want to go in a somewhat different direction and would like comments on pricing. I do not want to start an event planning business but rather an event designer. I do not want to plan the event but only decorate it. For weddings it has typically been the ceremony space with pew markers, entrance arrangements, and alter arrangements along with candelabras and arches which I also rent to clients. For the reception I will acquire and deliver what you want, make centerpieces, setup linens and head tables and sweetheart tables and then after event cleanup and pack up items. It has always been a hit and a miss when charging for my services. Any suggestions?
Thanks

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Erica Mccray on May 9, 2016 at 7:39 pm

Hi, I have my own Business in Event Planning, but I’m just getting started. I was wondering when the course is completed do u get a Certificate or some kind of Certification?

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Laraba on May 12, 2016 at 6:35 am

thank you so much for lesson 3 which has really been helpful.with what i have learnt i think with a system we have here in my country i think vendor commission will be the best method to use.once you tell your client u have a service charge they might not give you the job again feeling they will get another event planner who will not charge them for that..so i feel having a vendor commission will be really helpful.looking forward to the final lesson.
cheers.

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Celine on September 9, 2016 at 5:01 am

Thank you very much for this lesson. I am very much looking forward to day 4 and reading more material.

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Tifanie on November 29, 2016 at 3:51 pm

Thank you for the video & answering my questions. I look forward to more videos!!!

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www.theperfectweddingcompany.org on January 3, 2017 at 7:03 am

I think there is only one model missing, sometimes wedding planners and venue finders will offer free wedding planning and wedding hall booking service as long as only a listed preferred vendors and other providers are hired for the event, so it sort of ‘stays in the family’.

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Karen on January 19, 2017 at 6:33 pm

Question if I’m only interesting on decorating the event how is best way for me to charge for my services ? Thank you.

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- Jude on September 24, 2019 at 4:56 am
  
  Very helpful indeed.
  
  Reply
Jenn Harper on February 14, 2017 at 11:01 pm

I’m just starting my business and this article has been so helpful. Exactly what I needed to read and now I know how to charge.

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Ghazala on February 16, 2017 at 2:07 pm

This article is of great help.
I do not charge a percentage from my vendors, I charge a flat fee.
In your opinion what do you think i should charge a client for 300 plus guests, If I am using 3 to 4 assistants on the day of.
I live in Los Angeles how do you charge for destination weddings for example someone wants my services in the Bay Area.
Please email your reply.
Many thanks,
Gazala

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Harriet on March 2, 2017 at 3:43 pm

I have a degree in Hospitality Management from the University of MS and will be forming a LLC this year for my Event Planning business. This video was very informative.

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Lydia Dixon on March 21, 2017 at 6:44 pm

Even though I’ve been event planning for years, I’ve now decided to make it a full-time business. I absolutely love what I do. This article was extremely helpful because I wasn’t quite sure how to handle billing matters, I didn’t want to over or under charge. Thank you!

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Rhonda on March 22, 2017 at 5:48 am

Thank you for the information that you always provide. I just recently launched my website, and look forward to meeting new clients and fulfilling there event planning dreams .

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- Nan on September 22, 2019 at 6:06 pm
  See Also
  How Much Do Event Venues Make? (+ FAQs)
  
  As a marketing and events professional since 1979 I suggest that you and many others who have left comments to PLEASE study your grammar and spelling.
  In your case Rhonda, you want to fulfill their dreams, not “there” dreams.
  
  I get proposals and letters daily from vendors who don’t know their your/you’re from their principal/principle, compliment/complement, me/myself or I, they’re/there/their, its/it’s, and putting a period or question mark outside quote marks.
  
  It seriously makes a difference.
  
  Reply
brenda on March 22, 2017 at 7:27 am

THANK YOU SO MUCH. I’M REALLY LEARNING A LOT!

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Kristin on March 22, 2017 at 11:02 pm

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for. I also bought your course today and LOVE IT!! So helpful and so good!

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Sheniqia on March 23, 2017 at 7:04 pm

Thank you for the information and tips, it is all so helpful. I’m creating my business plan right now, and I keep getting stopped at the “Pricing” section because I just did not know where to start, but now I do. So thank you!

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Talat Hameed on March 26, 2017 at 12:46 am

Hi,

This is exactly what i was looking for. I’m really improving a lot through your articles. I have great passion for this business and I have plans to quit my job at a cellular phone company at the end of this year to start my own business as an event planner. I am reading everything you have and taking your course. Very thankful for your guidance.

Regards,
T

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Morgan on April 30, 2017 at 2:19 pm

Did anyone have to go to school for this? What’s a good degree? I’m switching careers and am looking to become an event planner but I don’t know where to start.

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Ebimiere on May 21, 2017 at 3:33 pm

Wow! This was really educational! Pricing was a challenge to me – l am going to try these methods and take my business to another level. Thank you.

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helen on June 30, 2017 at 3:55 pm

Wow this is amazing, thank you so much

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Diane on August 12, 2017 at 7:04 pm

Hi,
My mom was a cordon blue and. an event planner but in Haiti. I wish to foyer foot steps but only the planning part because it gives me joy. i appreciate the tips on how to charge. Since I am starting, I don’t have venders yet. What is the best way to charge a client without being underpaid?

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Shauntel Anderson on September 11, 2017 at 10:08 pm

This was very informative to me. Just learning how to price and what to charge and what to look for

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Omotola on October 8, 2017 at 7:55 am

Thank you for your information and help, you have given me. I’m sure l will put it in to practice.

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Linda on November 6, 2017 at 7:11 pm

Wow. Very good information.!im coming across vendors that demand a referral fee of 20% Of the planners fee if they give the Lanier the referral. What’s the normal % rate?

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deedra on November 13, 2017 at 12:43 pm

This has been very helpful in knowing what to charge.

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Patricia Stinson on November 25, 2017 at 10:16 am

Thank You for the info.

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Patricia Stinson on November 25, 2017 at 10:17 am

Great info. I have better insight into charges/pricing.

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Brenda george on December 12, 2017 at 9:43 pm

Great info have a Better insight of everything

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Sakura on December 14, 2017 at 3:55 am

Really a great post. Worth reading. Thanks for sharing.

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Omolara on January 5, 2018 at 4:50 am

Hello my name is Omolara, I am a Nigerian and am currently serving.I am very much passionate on been an event planner. I have a question concerning hourly rate… As an event planner is it that I will charge my client for every time we get to see and discuss about the event? I think I still need a better explanation on it.. Thanks

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Tiffany on February 27, 2018 at 5:25 pm

This was extremely helpful. I have been planning for quite some time now through hospitality and other 3rd party companies, but recently decided to venture out on my own. I wasn’t sure where to even begin when it comes to what fees to charge. I am currently working on getting my own website up. If there are any other tips you can share on getting up and running, that would be awesome! Please reply via email. Thank you, and thanks for sharing this info!

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Pasha Tindiret on February 10, 2019 at 4:40 am

Very encouraging information. I surely look forward to start this particular business.

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Venuetop on April 29, 2019 at 7:06 am

Really, very good information about event planning service fee. Very nice video! Thanks.

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Rudy Thompson on September 12, 2019 at 6:20 am

Absolutely amazing. Thank you..

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Dupe on September 23, 2019 at 2:29 pm

The articles from eventplanning.com has been so helpful to me..lovely videos .Thank u

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Loretta Reed on October 28, 2019 at 6:19 pm

Wonderful and very helpful comments. Very interested in signing up for your course very soon.

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Loretta Reed on October 28, 2019 at 6:20 pm

Great! Very interested in signing up for your course.

Reply
Adetoun on January 3, 2021 at 9:33 pm

I have been doing event planning as a volunteer service. This information is very helpful to enable me take the business to the next level . Thank you

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Umez Edna on February 10, 2021 at 5:09 am

Hi, I live in Nigeria. Am a new event planner and this article has been my best guide.

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Enjoh geraldine on July 20, 2022 at 7:22 pm

Great lesson
Thank you

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Muzu on January 25, 2023 at 11:48 pm

this guide helps alot in my business

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Kobena on May 6, 2023 at 5:04 am

Very educational and practical information

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Kobena on May 7, 2023 at 8:03 am

It was a pleasure reading your thesis on how to charge your clients for an event.

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ACT on September 4, 2023 at 7:53 pm

Hi,
Again I’m impressed at the information at hand.
Learning an abundance of needed information.
Appreciative,
ACT

Reply
Shreecaterers on October 5, 2023 at 11:24 am

I found this article on event planning fees really informative and helpful! Setting the right price for your event planning services can be tricky, and the tips shared here are practical and valuable. I particularly appreciate the advice on defining your service packages and transparently communicating your pricing structure to clients. It’s essential to ensure both parties have a clear understanding. Thanks for sharing these insights; they’ll undoubtedly help event planners like me navigate the pricing aspect of our business more effectively!

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Tracy Kimbly on January 23, 2024 at 10:06 am

Thank you so much am really learning alot

Reply

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How to Charge a Fee for Your Event Planning Service (Updated 2023) (2024)

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