Lydia Mattern
How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost for a Lake Tahoe Wedding?
Updated: Mar 3, 2022

Have you been dreaming of a wedding in Lake Tahoe but aren’t sure how to make your vision come to life? Then you need the help of an experienced wedding planner. Hiring a wedding planner is one instance where spending more money will actually save you time, energy, and money. Planners are experts at coordinating all aspects of your big day so that everything goes smoothly from start to finish. However, we know the million-dollar question is how much does a wedding planner cost for a Lake Tahoe wedding? While we can’t speak for all luxury Lake Tahoe wedding planners, we are excited to educate you on everything you need to know when considering a wedding planner and share the cost of our wedding planning services.
Types of Wedding Planners
We’re going to answer the question, “How much does a wedding planner cost?” But before we get into the numbers, it’s important to understand that not every wedding planner’s services are created equal.
If you’ve started researching wedding planning services, you’ve likely come across the terms “full service wedding planning,” “partial wedding planning,” and “day-of wedding planning.” After years of designing Epic Thyme weddings, we’ve come to believe that no couple deserves less than full service wedding planning. It is the only way to ensure your wedding is truly perfect without a single detail missed. That’s why, at Epic Thyme, we only offer the best to our clients: full service wedding planning in Lake Tahoe.

How Long Does it Take to Plan a Wedding?
Okay, it’s time to get into the numbers. To understand the cost of a wedding planner, we first need to answer, “How long does it take to plan a wedding?” The numbers may surprise you!
After many, many years of research, we’ve discovered… it takes 380 hours to plan a great wedding and 500 hours to plan a WOW wedding.
Does this mean you have to spend 500 hours planning your wedding? Absolutely not, so long as you hire a Lake Tahoe wedding planner to take on the majority of the tasks. Typically, the time investment is split between the planner (65%) and the couple (35%). At a minimum, you and your fiancé can expect to invest 150 hours into planning your wedding, whereas your planner will contribute a minimum of 230 hours for full service planning.

What’s Included In a Full Service Wedding Planning Package?
When choosing a Lake Tahoe wedding planner, it is vital to ask about what’s included in their full service package because not all services are the same. At Epic Thyme, we know (because we’ve asked) that we offer way more services in our full service package than any other Lake Tahoe planner. This is because we do not like to upcharge for small things, such as constructing budgets, creating layout design, and building/reviewing your wedding website.
It’s important to have the layout and creation done properly without an extra fee because this is what the rental companies, staff, and venue need to ensure everything is where you want it to be. Your wedding website needs to be checked for grammar, times, addresses, etc. to ensure your guests have the correct information. All of these things are equally important to have a seamless event, so they are all included in our packages upfront, not charged additionally.
Whereas some planners are just “planners,” we also are designers, financial advisors, and decorators! For example, think of it in terms of real estate. Some planners are just the “real estate agents” in a sense–they help you review contracts, line up appointments and tours, complete paperwork, and follow a timeline–BUT we are your real estate agent, interior designer, decorator, and financial advisor; we get your furniture, place it, style it, and pack it up. We’re your laborer and personal assistant–anything and everything you need to have the wedding of your dreams, including planning, design, and styling.
Epic Thyme’s Full Service Wedding Planning in Lake Tahoe
We don't believe you can do some things and not ALL of them. We want each event to be perfect, so our team does everything to guarantee it is. To give you an idea of what we mean by “full service,” click through each element to learn about our scope of services.
Budget
Initial consultation
Budget conversation
Budget advice and allocation
Venue
Venue inspiration
Venue consultation
Curating options
Sourcing quotes & performing negotiations
1 day of touring with the client
Venue walkthrough
Overlooking contract
Venue management
Layout and/or floor plan creation
Crosscheck onsite rentals
Crosscheck linen
Final venue walkthrough
Pre-wedding meeting with the venue
Vendors Overall
Vendor referral based on desires
Vendor management
Planning vendor meals
Planning vendor rentals
Catering
Catering consultation
Sourcing quotes
Contract review
Banquet event order review
Tasting (optional)
Beverage and menu revisions
RSVP updates
Rental meeting with the caterer
Crosscheck any print materials (menu) with the caterer
Final details meeting
Bar
Bar consultation
Curating options
Bar services meeting
Overlooking contract
Tasting (optional)
Menu revisions
Curating signature drink recipes
Ordering sheet (how much booze to buy)
RSVP updates (pricing updates)
Rental meeting with bar (glassware)
Ordering of glassware
Final details meeting
Cake
Cake consultation
Curating options
Overlooking contract
Tasting (optional)
Menu revisions
RSVP updates
Rental meeting with cake lady (risers, cake stand, plates)
Final details meeting (arrival and exit strategy)
Photography
Curate options for client
Sourcing quotes & performing negotiations
Curating shot list with client
Overlooking contract
Timeline overview with photographer
Videography
Source inspiration video from clients
Curate options for client
Sourcing quotes & performing negotiations
Overlooking contract
Curating shot list and vibe of video with client
Timeline overview with videographer
DJ
Source music inspiration from clients
Curate options for clients
Sourcing quotes & performing negotiations
Overlooking contract
Curating song list and vibe with client
Rental conversation with the vendor
Timeline overview with DJ
Band
Source music inspiration from clients
Curate band options for client
Sourcing quotes & performing negotiations
Overlooking contract
Curating song list and vibe with client
Rental conversation with vendor (stage, AV equipment, lighting)
Planning vendor menu choices, dietary restrictions
Sourcing greenroom for band
Meeting with Band Manager
Timeline overview (set breaks, set times)
Transportation Management
Sourcing transportation company
Locating amounts of guests and transportation pick up and drop off locations
Creating a transportation schedule
Updating website with transportation details
Rentals/Design
Collection of “must-haves” and inspiration
Source inspiration photos from clients
Comprehensive design concept and direction
Creating Decor Board
Design meeting
Rental curation and ordering lists
Overlooking contract
Schedule site tours for rental companies (if they need to measure space)
Rental coordination (arrival and exit strategy)
Oversee of Rentals Set-up and Strike (by the rental company)
Final details coordination
Florals
Source inspiration photos from clients
Collection of “must-haves” and inspiration
Curate options for client
Sourcing quotes & performing reevaluations
Overlooking contract
Flower design meeting
Creating Floral Board
Floral meeting
Final floral sheet 30 days prior with updated (list)
Schedule timeline and personal drop-offs
Favors
Assisting with items such as welcome bags, guests favors, family gifts, and hospitality gifts
Sourcing artisans
Sourcing samples
Coordinating distribution or location of favor
Officiant
Curate options for clients
Sourcing quotes
Overlooking contract
Meeting with officiant
Final meeting with the officiant
Beauty
Curate options for clients
Sourcing quotes
Meeting with hair and makeup vendors
Overlooking contract
Scheduling trial sessions
Scheduling hair and makeup into the timeline
Coordinating floral for hair (if necessary)
Final meeting with hair and makeup
Stationary
Stationery consultation/advice
Approving any print material with client and venue
Curating or assisting with literature for save the dates and invitations
Revising or curating seating chart
Bar menu approval based on the final menu
Signage curating
Wedding Website
Website consultation/advice
Proofing website for grammar and punctuation
Curating RSVP section
Curating “Things to Do”
Final proof prior to the event
Brides Fashion
Scheduling dress shopping (if necessary)
Scheduling dress fittings (if necessary)
Grooms Attire
Attire advice
Schedule fittings (if necessary)
Travel and Accommodations
Curate options for clients
Sourcing quotes and doing negotiations
Curate a list of hotels based on needs
Site tours (only if necessary)
Create hotel rooms blocks
Add codes and instructions to websites
Production Staff
Putting together a detailed list of tasks per person for wedding day
Scheduling staff member hours
Communication
Unlimited email support
Aisle Planner
Full access to our wedding planning software (subscription ends after the event)
Meetings
Planning meetings every 6 weeks
Weekly meeting starting 6 weeks prior to the event
Timeline meeting/detailed timeline creation
Design meeting
Styling and decorating
Final details meeting(s) RSVP management
Day Prior to Event
Coordinate and conduct the rehearsal of all aspects of the ceremony
Make sure everyone is comfortable with all ceremony details, including procession and recession
Recommendations for rehearsal dinner (note we can decorate the rehearsal dinner space for an additional fee)
Day of Event - Ceremony
Reserve seats for family and any special requests if needed
Set up all personal ceremony items (candles, sand ceremony)
Organize all wedding parties and family for processional
Cue the musicians and all attendants for the ceremony
Day of Event - Reception
Oversee load-in and vendor setup
Troubleshoot any issues, keep the event flowing and on-time
Oversee set up and make sure tables, chairs, floral, and all other décor is set according to the diagrams and floor plans
Set up all of your personal items such as place cards, guest book, and favors
Styling and decorating
Oversee the wedding timeline and make sure all creative partners are on schedule
Cue bride, groom, wedding party, and parents for grand entrances, toasts, dances, cake-cutting, garter toss, bouquet toss, and the grand exit
Cue lasers
Coordinate all vendor breaks and meals with the catering provider and venue
Pack up of your personal items

How Much Does a Wedding Planner Cost?
Now you know how long it takes to plan a wedding and what we consider “full service.” Next, let’s talk costs. The cost of a Lake Tahoe wedding planner ties directly to the amount and quality of services they provide. Because we know that a WOW wedding takes 500 hours–and we don’t want to rush or miss a single detail–our full service wedding planning packages range from $9,000 to $15,000 depending on whether we help plan, design, and style other events, like your brunch and rehearsal dinner.
But of course, Epic Thyme isn’t the only Tahoe wedding planner out there. There are also other types of wedding planning packages, such as partial and day-of planning. If you opt for a full-service planner, you can expect to pay anywhere from $7,500 up to $30,000. What’s the difference between a $7,500 wedding planner and a $30,000 planner? Experience, time, offerings, and customization.
Choosing Between Full-Service, Partial, and Day-of Planning
Some wedding planners offer their services as a part-time gig, alongside their other full-time jobs. That’s what works for them! Because of this, they don’t offer the immersive planning experience that other full-service planners do. A WOW wedding doesn’t just take full-time hours but full-time attention to details, customization, and management. The Epic Thyme team has three full-time planners. This isn’t something we do on the side or only dedicate half of our time and attention to. It’s all we do because we love it, we dream of ideas throughout the day, we have staff meetings about how to make your wedding stand out, and we know exactly what it takes for a wedding to be perfect.
Does that mean partial and day-of planners aren’t great at what they do? Absolutely not. It just means what they do is different. Rather than breathing life into your wedding vision and having their hand on every detail to ensure it is perfect from start to finish, they help you coordinate and manage the plans you put together yourself. Partial planners typically start working with couples a few months before the wedding to finalize details and develop a day-of wedding plan. Day-of planners typically start working with couples a month before the wedding and are active on the actual wedding day to make sure everything goes smoothly. These services tend to be less expensive, typically ranging from $3,000 to $6,000.
It’s no secret that planning a luxury wedding in Lake Tahoe takes time and money. However, Epic Thyme couples save an average of $10,000 when booking our services because we know the best deals and vendors in the area. We use our industry relationships to negotiate vendor contracts and pass the savings on to you. We also know what’s a good deal and what’s not to help you spend your money wisely (and find a better deal when we know it’s possible). We are triple-checking your quotes and estimates to make sure there are no mistakes. We know every little detail that makes a wedding perfect, and all of our time goes into ensuring that for your special day.

Planning Your Lake Tahoe Wedding with Epic Thyme
When you plan your Tahoe wedding with Epic Thyme, my only focus is to ensure it is perfect. And my team and I will do everything in our power to make that happen. We cannot wait to hear your vision and, together, bring it to life. Contact us today to chat about planning your luxurious Lake Tahoe wedding.