A wedding planner helps a couple organise the biggest party of their lives without losing their minds or their savings. Some plan from the engagement; others step in six weeks before the day to make sure everything arrives on time. South African weddings range from a 40-guest garden ceremony to a three-day traditional celebration with several families, so the right planner depends on your culture, venue and budget. Tell us your date, area, guest numbers and level of help, and planners and coordinators near you will send quotes.
Full planning, partial planning or day-of
Pick the level that matches how much you want to do yourselves:
- Full planning starts 9 to 12 months out. The planner finds the venue, shortlists suppliers, manages payments and attends every key meeting.
- Partial planning starts once you have a venue and a few bookings. The planner fills the gaps and checks your contracts.
- Day-of coordination starts four to eight weeks out, includes a rehearsal and a final run sheet, and ends when the last supplier leaves. It is the one most couples regret skipping.
A coordinator is not a replacement for a good venue manager; the two work together.
White weddings, traditional ceremonies and mixed celebrations
Many couples hold more than one event: a traditional ceremony such as umembeso, lobola celebrations, an Indian or Muslim ceremony, and a white wedding or reception. Each has its own guest list, food, dress code and timing, and often takes place at a family home with a tent. Ask a planner whether they have run the ceremony you are holding and can brief caterers and elders respectfully. They should help you divide costs and responsibilities between families, plan seating by relationship, and add buffer time for speeches and processions, which almost always run long.
Wine farms, game lodges or your own venue
Wine farms and lodges usually bundle the venue, chairs and some catering, but limit who can supply, when music must stop and how late guests can stay. Their packages can look cheaper until you add decor, sound and transport. An open lawn or family farm has no restrictions but needs everything brought in: a marquee, toilets, power and a kitchen area. Compare using event hire prices and ask your planner to price both options. If the plan includes a marquee, see marquee hire.
Fees and what to ask before you sign
Wedding planners charge a flat fee or about 10 to 20% of the wedding budget. Day-of packages typically cost R7,000 to R20,000, partial planning R15,000 to R45,000, and full planning R30,000 and up. Ask how many weddings they take on the same weekend, whether an assistant will attend, and what is covered on the day: the ceremony, the reception or both. Confirm the deposit, payment dates and what happens if you postpone. Ask for supplier recommendations to be free of hidden commissions.
What to include in your request
- Wedding date and type of ceremony or ceremonies
- Number of guests, and whether it is one day or several
- Venue booked, or the area and style you want
- Level of help: full, partial or day-of
- Your total budget and any suppliers already booked
Wedding Planners for different events
- Weddings and traditional ceremonies: a planner who books suppliers, manages payments and runs the ceremony and reception on the day
- Corporate functions and year-end parties: a staff member's wedding or a partners' celebration with company guests handled discreetly
- Conferences, launches and expos: a destination wedding where a planner coordinates accommodation and transfers for out of town guests
- Birthdays and private parties: an anniversary or vow renewal with a small ceremony, dinner and a formal programme
- Kids' parties and baby showers: a flower girl and page boy plan, with children's seating, snacks and activities at the reception
- School events and matric dances: an engagement or wedding for a teacher or alumni held at a school hall with decor and catering
- Funerals, church and cultural gatherings: an umembeso, lobola celebration or church wedding with a home tent, food for hundreds and elders' protocol
- Festivals, markets and sports days: a wedding weekend with a welcome braai, ceremony and farewell lunch across more than one venue
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wedding planner cost in South Africa?
What does a wedding coordinator do on the day?
When should I book a wedding planner?
Do I still need a planner if the venue has a coordinator?
Wedding Planners by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg