How Much Do Event Planners Charge In The UK?

When organising a large-scale event, you can always benefit from the services of a professional event planner. With so many moving parts, hiring an event planner makes sure everything goes off without a hitch, while you can spend your limited time on the aspects of the event you would like to handle. 

The issue, of course, is that this help doesn't come for free. Event planners charge (sometimes sizeable) fees for their time and expertise, which can be a deal-breaker for many people hosting an event. 

Nevertheless, if you are willing to pay to ensure your event is planned and executed by experienced professionals, then you'll want to get an idea of just how much that will cost you. So, just how much can you expect to pay? 

How Much Do Event Planners Charge for Their Services in the UK? 

Event planners usually charge on a percentage basis. The industry average is 10% – 15% of your total event budget. However, the most experienced event planners often charge a minimum fee. Leading names in the wedding planning industry usually set minimum fees of between £5,000 and £10,000.

While less common, those planning large-scale events with six-figure-plus total budgets will offer a fixed fee for their event planning and management services. 

What Factors Affect Event Planning Charges? 

First and foremost, the size and scale of your event will have the most considerable sway on how much you fork out on event planning costs. If you're planning a small event with less than 50 people, then you're unlikely to need much in terms of professional guidance. 

Conversely, if you're hosting a major event with thousands of attendees, then you will be heavily reliant on extra services to ensure everything runs smoothly. For instance, for a music festival, an enormous number of details must be worked through and administered during the planning process to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Then there are other factors that influence event planning costs. For example, you will likely pay more for wedding planning services than birthday party planning services merely because everything relating to weddings is more expensive (you can check out our wedding event services here). 

Location challenges presented by your chosen venue and the number of services required (such as event production services, catering services, accommodation, travel etc.) will also impact what you might expect to pay.  

Are Event Planners Worth Their Costs? 

Generally speaking, the larger the event, the more vital having seasoned event planners on your side becomes. When you're trying to simultaneously juggle several contractors, organise guest requirements, and promote your event, it will likely all fall apart unless you happen to be an experienced event planner yourself. 

Thus, for multi-faceted events such as weddings, award shows, large sporting events, and festivals, an event planner is a very shrewd investment and will pay off in big spades come the day of your occasion. 

Partner with Sussex-based QOKO Events to Make Your Occasion a Day to Remember 

At QOKO Events, we work with event planners day in, day out to create memorable events. From weddings to music festivals, we are Sussex’s premier event production company, and we also run and manage events on many of our client's behalf. 

Thus, whether you have an event planner in place or you want to partner with one of the UK's leading events companies to pull off your event vision, we are here to serve your every need. 

If you want to learn more about how we can help you, head over to our events section to peruse our full range of event services.