All businesses / Wedding planning

At a glance: money to start · hours · how fast it pays · how much you keep · how much it can earn. Taller bars are better; the dashed line is halfway.

Wedding planning: what it really costs to start

Starting a wedding planning business in Europe costs €1,500–€9,000 in 2026, with first income after about 16 weeks and earnings of up to €3,500 a month working full time.

Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page

Running the day for the couple.

Wedding planning in numbers
Money to start €1,500–€9,000 What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch.
Hours a week 20–50 What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time.
Weeks to first income about 16 How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks.
Kept of every €100 €75 What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours.
Most it earns a month €900 part time · €3,500 full time A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit.
Competition high Easy to enter, so plenty of people already do it.
Licence or qualification not usually Beyond registering the business and insurance, nothing specific in our research.

Does it fit you?

See what else fits me →

What nobody usually tells you

High fees, almost no capital, and couples book twelve months ahead so the year is visible. Every job lands on a Saturday, the emotional load is real, and the season is effectively six months long.

The route, in five steps

  1. Coordinate on the day for others before planning your own
  2. Charge a percentage or a flat €1500-4000, never hourly
  3. Venues refer more work than any advert
  4. Take a deposit that covers your time if they cancel
  5. Ten to fifteen weddings is a full year

What you'll need to buy

These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.

portfolio shootinsuranceplanning softwarevenue networking

Turn this page into a plan: the wedding planning start kit

Instant access, works on any device, save it as PDF. Digital product delivered immediately.

LaunchKit · €390 + VAT

Starting a wedding planning business? Open with a real website.

A site made for your a wedding planning business business, Google profile, domain and email, a QR poster and a 30-day launch plan built on the numbers above. Live in about a week.

Get my LaunchKit →Open the example ↗

Common questions

How much does it cost to start a wedding planning business?

Between €1,500 and €9,000 to begin. That covers portfolio shoot, insurance, planning software and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 16 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.

How long after starting a wedding planning business does the first income arrive?

Around 16 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €3,500 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 50 hours a week.

How much can you earn a month if you start a wedding planning business?

Up to about €3,500 a month working full time, or €900 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €75 stays with you after running costs.

Can you start a wedding planning business alongside a job?

Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €900 a month, against €3,500 working full time, and it needs 20–50 hours a week.

Is there a lot of competition?

Competition is high. Crowded markets are crowded because anyone can enter tomorrow, which is also why they tend to keep more of each euro but earn less in total.

Similar businesses to compare

Sources

Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.

  1. Bridebook — How much a wedding planner costs in the UK (average £1,543) what it earns
  2. UK Tax Calculators — Wedding planning and coordination: start-up costs and rates money to start · what it earns

Does it fit you?

These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.

See if it fits my budget → Get the guide free

Free: the 10 questions to answer before you spend a euro

A one-page checklist that goes with any business on this site. We email it to you straight away.