How do you charge? I am getting into the business, but I am confused about pricing.I read that coordinators get paid by charging a certain percentage of the wedding budget. My question is, what if there is no budget? Also, what if someone tells you their wedding budget is $5,000, but they spend $10,000? How would you know?I just planned a wedding for a couple, and at the beginning of the planning process, they told me they didn't have a budget. They said “if we like it, we'll buy it”. I was involved with most of the planning, but not ALL aspects, therefore I couldn't tell you the TOTAL cost of their wedding. In situations like that, how do you charge? People are not going to always be honest about their budget when they know the higher their budget is, the more they have to pay you, and if they do lie about their budget, there's no way for me to find out.Help Please. I'm ready to start taking on more clients, but I have to get this ironed out first.I agree with the other postings, and I also charge by package and not percentage. Most of the planners that charge by percentage have deals with local vendors and get kick-backs from them to bring them clients. That means that when the couple hires that planner, they also have to use her vendors. That is how most of them know what the couple is spending. Not that there is anything wrong with that That's just how a lot of them do it.The brides in my area are very involved in the choosing of their own vendors. They want to feel comfortable with them and feel like they “get” them. Also, they have expressed to me that planners who work on a percentage basis make them uncomfortable, because they feel that the planner may try to get them to spend more so that their fee is more. I just keep it simple with the packages instead. My website is www.valerieweddings.com if you'd like to get some ideas of the packages themselves.
