Knowing how much it will cost to hire a wedding planner is a bit like asking how much a house costs. It all depends on exactly what you”re looking for, the size, quality, and location. Except for the size, the cost of a wedding planner is exactly the same. It depends on exactly what you want. Wedding planners have different methods of charging for their services so be sure you know how much they charge as well as how they charge. The five methods below are the most common.

1. Consultation fee “” Some wedding planners charge for an initial consultation while others do not. Depending on where you live, whether in a rural setting or a metropolitan area, this fee can range from $150 to $500 for a full 3-hour consultation where you preliminarily outline details for the wedding. If you want more than just an initial consultation, this cost can be included in the entire package price.

2. Percentage of the wedding budget “” This is probably the most common method used in hiring a wedding planner. The typical wedding today costs $28,000 and the typical percentage for a wedding planner is 10-15%. Some experienced wedding planners can charge as much as 20%, depending on their clients and reputation. Based on the average wedding cost example, a wedding planner charging 15% would cost $4,200.

While this may seem like a lot of money, keep in mind that wedding planners often negotiate the vendor costs down to compensate for their percentage of the wedding. You would want to ask about this at your initial consultation but if they do negotiate vendors down to a lower price, you might not even notice the cost when factored in to the whole wedding.

3. No charge to client — Occasionally wedding planners will not charge their clients anything but instead, will take their pay from the vendors they hire for the wedding. Some clients take issue with this method, considering this “kickbacks” from vendors. Just be sure you ask if the wedding planner tells you there will be no cost to you.

4. Hourly fee — If you are looking for a wedding planner to complete certain limited tasks for you, this could be a good option. Because wedding planner hourly wages vary, make sure you know their hourly rate before agreeing to this pricing structure. Fees can range from $50 to $100 per hour, depending on what you need done.

5. Flat fee — Occasionally you’ll find a wedding planner who will work with you for a flat package fee. In this case, make sure you have a written contract to clearly outline what the wedding planner will do and what they will NOT do. (The “not do” is more important than the “do” because it eliminates all confusion later.) This fee can range from $500 to $5,000 and cover many responsibilities.

Also remember that most of the time wedding planners require a deposit at the initial consultation with the remainder due on the wedding day or sometime shortly before or after. Also, if you are planning the wedding 9 months or more in advance, they might also require monthly payments. So be prepared when you go for your initial consultation to provide some form of payment, based on your previous arrangements.

No matter which payment option you choose, you should know in advance how much it will cost you and have a written agreement spelling out exactly what will be done and when. This will make your job easier and give everyone involved a clear outline of their responsibilities.

Invitation cards are a mandatory part of all the Indian weddings. Selecting an Indian wedding card, irrespective of the religion, is no less than a serious matter of several days involving a lot of considerations amongst a lot of important people in the family; thus playing a pivotal role in the marriage. Some people use these as a gesture to continue the age old ritual of sending invitation prevalent during those times when there were no other means of invitation. Some people send them to showcase their taste and style through customized invitations. Some people send them just to avoid unnecessary complexities which might among their relatives having orthodox mindset!

Recent Trends in Indian Wedding Cards

Since the olden days, these Indian wedding cards have come a long way and have evolved a lot in style and elegance. Today they stand for style, personality and also depict the invitees class! Following are some of the latest trends seen in Indian wedding cards-

3D texture is used in Indian wedding cards as a highlighter these days. Such an element is seen as unique. This can be a plastic or metal religious symbol pasted on the front page, or a flower on top, or just laces and wires used as decorative.

Couple sketches or pictures are also quite prevalent in some Indian wedding cards. Ideally engagement pictures are used for the purpose. It also adds a personalized touch.

The wordings chosen in Indian wedding cards have also moved from formal to a casual tone. A special care is taken here so that they appear to be woven with extra love and affection and do not look arrogant or too blunt.

Judge the book by its cover is the new mantra! The couples to be have always taken care in designing and accessorising their marriage cards, but now they even pay attention to how the envelope looks like!

The retro look is in these days. From offbeat silvers and pastel shades, the Indian wedding cards are again going back to older richer designs and floral vine decorations. Vintage fonts and other classy designs are also in. they even include quotes and sayings from ancient scriptures.

Wedding theme also plays an important role in designing the invite. If the theme is royal wedding, the wedding card might be in a Farman or scroll pattern.

The use of handmade paper is also on a rise as seen in the selection of Indian wedding cards. These cards bring on an elegant texture, also being environment friendly.