by Danielle Andrews, President and Co-Founder of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada Inc.
A Pricing Reality Check for Wedding Planners
Let’s be honest—pricing is one of the most uncomfortable (and most important) parts of running a wedding planning business.
Many planners start by charging what they think the market will bear, what their peers are charging, or what feels “safe.” But the truth is, undercharging can quietly destroy your business from the inside out, leading to burnout, resentment, missed opportunities, and stalled growth.
This worksheet is designed to help you take the emotion and guesswork out of pricing and replace it with real, grounded math. You’ll gain clarity on:
- What you need to earn to support your life and your business
- How many weddings you can reasonably manage
- What your time is actually worth
- How far off your current pricing might be (and how to fix it)
Whether you’re brand new to the industry or have been planning weddings for a decade, this tool will give you insight, confidence, and a starting point for charging what you’re truly worth.
Pro tip: Don’t treat this as a one-time exercise. Revisit this worksheet annually (or whenever your goals shift) to ensure your business stays aligned with your value—and your vision.
INSTRUCTIONS: Fill in the blanks honestly. This worksheet helps determine your true hourly rate and how to price accordingly for sustainability and profit.
Step 1: Know Your Numbers
1. Your desired annual salary:
(What you want to take home, not your business revenue)$_________________
2. Estimated annual business expenses (CRM, website, subscriptions, travel, assistants, insurance, etc.):$_________________
3. Annual taxes and savings (approx. 30% of income):$_________________
TOTAL Needed Annual Revenue:
= Salary + Expenses + Taxes$_________________
Step 2: Know Your Time
4. Number of weddings you can realistically take per year:________ weddings/year
5. Average time spent per full-service wedding (in hours):
(Include meetings, calls, emails, site visits, wedding day, follow-up)_________ hours/wedding
TOTAL annual working hours:
= # Weddings × Hours_________ hours
Step 3: Calculate Your Real Hourly Value
Hourly Rate Needed = Total Needed Revenue ÷ Total Annual Hours$_________________ per hour
Step 4: Compare to Your Current Pricing
Your current full-service planning fee: $__________
Your calculated ideal fee (Hourly Rate × Hours per Wedding): $__________
Difference:
You’re undercharging by: $__________ per wedding
Across a year, you’re missing out on:$__________ x # weddings = $_________
Step 5: Bonus Tip
Add 10-20% to your fee to cover business growth investments.
Final Reflection
- What changes do you need to make?
- Where can you add value to support a higher rate?
- What’s holding you back from raising your fees?
More reading about “Pricing Yourself Appropriately”:
Are You Charging Too Little, Why is Charging Too Little Such a Big Deal?, Are You In Business or Is this An Expensive Hobby?
About the Author: Danielle Andrews, BA, WPICC
With over 25 years of experience in the wedding industry, Danielle Andrews is a seasoned wedding planner and the Co-Founder of The Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC Inc.).
She has dedicated her career to helping others succeed by training and mentoring over 10,000 wedding professionals in 37 countries.
You have seen Danielle giving advice or having her work featured in magazines, on television, and speaking at industry conferences.
Through her work as an educator, speaker, and consultant, Danielle continues to elevate the standards of the global wedding industry while sharing her insight and passion with fellow professionals.
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