Wedding Planning Costs
A flat planning fee is better for most luxury and destination weddings. The planner is paid the same no matter how much you spend, so there is no incentive to inflate your budget — unlike a percentage model, where the planner earns more the more you spend. Elite Wedding Planner charges one flat fee and passes every vendor bill at cost, with no markup.
| Flat fee (Elite) | % of budget | In-house venue coordinator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How they're paid | One fixed fee, agreed in writing | 10–15% of your total budget | Built into the venue's package |
| Incentive | Aligned — paid the same whether you spend ₹50 L or ₹5 Cr | Conflicted — earns more the more you spend | Sells the venue's own services |
| Vendor markups | None — bills passed at cost | Often hidden commissions on vendors | Limited to in-house/preferred vendors |
| Cost transparency | Full — you see every rupee | Opaque — fee scales with spend | Bundled, hard to itemise |
| Best for | Couples who want control + premium quality | Couples who want zero involvement | Single-venue, simpler weddings |
On a percentage model, a planner who talks you into a bigger venue, more decor or extra events earns more — the incentive points away from your interests. On a flat fee, the number is fixed before planning begins, so every recommendation is about your wedding, not the planner's margin. Because Elite also passes vendor bills at cost (no commissions folded in), you see exactly where every rupee goes — and our 14-year venue relationships mean preferred partner rates new clients cannot get.
A flat fee is better for most luxury couples because the planner's pay is fixed regardless of how much you spend, so they have no incentive to inflate the budget. A percentage model pays the planner more the more you spend — a direct conflict of interest. Elite Wedding Planner charges one flat fee and passes every vendor bill at cost.
Many do — commonly 10-15% of the total wedding budget, sometimes hidden as vendor commissions or markups. Elite does not: we charge a single flat planning fee agreed in writing, and vendor bills (venue, decor, catering, photography) are passed to you at cost with no markup.
It means you pay vendors their actual price — Elite does not add a margin or take a commission on top. Our income is only the agreed flat planning fee, so our advice on venues and vendors stays aligned with your interests, not our margin.
At Elite, day-of coordination starts around ₹5 Lakh, full-service planning from ₹15 Lakh, and full destination-wedding management from ₹25 Lakh — quoted as a fixed fee for your scope, never a percentage. We have managed weddings from ₹50 Lakh to ₹15 Crore+.