Yes, let's talk about money.

When you compare proposals you will come across three models.

• Percentage: The fee is a share of the total wedding budget. This is common for full planning, because the work grows with the size of the celebration.
• Flat fee: A fixed amount for a clearly described service. You know in advance what you get and what it costs.
• Hourly rate: You pay for the time actually spent. This is flexible but harder to estimate up front.

This is how it works with me: full wedding planning costs 14% of your wedding budget, with a minimum of €3,500. Day-of coordination is a package from €1,500. For partial planning and the decor concept I quote a fixed price for exactly the scope we have discussed.

Either way, the proposal states a fixed sum. You do not have to keep calculating with a percentage in your head while your budget is still moving.

Two weddings with the same number of guests can mean very different amounts of work. These points drive the effort most.

• Guest count: More guests mean more coordination, for the seating plan as much as for the catering.
• Location: A celebration in the countryside around Munich is planned differently from a wedding day at Lake Chiemsee with travel and an early set-up, or a weekend at Lake Garda.
• Scope: With partial planning it depends on which building blocks you book. A venue search in Munich for sixty guests is not the same as a complete vendor team for a weekend by a lake.
• Length of the day: Day-of coordination includes 12 hours on the wedding day. If I stay longer, each additional hour costs €70.
• Decor: For the decor concept it comes down to the size of the celebration, the number of areas and the pieces you choose.

That is why I do not state one amount for partial planning and the decor concept here. A number that is wrong for half of all couples does not help you. What I can promise: partial planning always costs less than full planning, and you know your price before you commit to anything.

My fee is a line of its own in your budget, and it would not be honest to pretend otherwise. In return you get three things.

The rest of the money is spent more deliberately. I know which quotes are in line with the market, where saving makes sense and where it backfires later. I keep the budget plan up to date throughout the planning, so you can see at any time where you stand.

Wrong bookings become less likely. The venue that is too small for your guest list, or the band that can only set up once the reception is already under way: I notice these things before a contract is signed. Nothing is booked without your approval.

You gain time. Obtaining quotes, comparing them, following up and coordinating appointments costs many evenings and weekends. You get those back.

Whether that is worth it for you depends on how much you enjoy organising. If planning is your hobby, day-of coordination may be all you need, and I will tell you so in our first call.

The proposal lists everything I charge. Two things are still worth knowing.

Travel and accommodation. Within 30 km of Munich I work at no extra charge. For longer distances, for example to the Bavarian lakes or to Lake Garda, I charge €0.60 per kilometre, plus an overnight stay where needed. If your venue is already set, both are in the proposal from the start. If you are still looking, I calculate travel and accommodation as soon as the venue is chosen.

Your vendors. You sign the contracts with venue, catering, photography or music yourselves. I prepare them and keep track of dates and payments. These costs belong to your wedding budget, not to my fee.

For the decor concept I list concept and rental separately, so you can see what you are paying for and decide freely what to add.