Lia CabreraIn my line of work, I’ve had plenty of experience in attending social events, festivals, and parties. Naturally, they’re all a part of my industry and the brands I’ve worked for. Yet sometimes, I do get tired of them—I’d rather go straight home after work.
But when a friend wanted to hold an epic surprise engagement party, my spark came running back. She didn’t know where to start, but luckily for her, I was eager to help.
I told her to relax as I sifted through the best event planners in San Diego. I looked for those creative enough to turn her vision into reality. If you want to have a blast planning your own celebrations, check out our shortlist.
How much do event planners charge in San Diego?
Event planners in San Diego typically charge $75 to $150 per hour for general event planning services, excluding materials and rentals. For flat fees, full-service planning starts at $3,000 and ranges up to $10,000.
1. Iman Lee
Contact Details:
- +1 760 473 9587
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Tue-Wed: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thu: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Fri: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
- Mon, Sat-Sun: Closed
Iman Lee offers full-service destination planning with over 15 years of experience in weddings, corporate events, and private events nationwide.
They stand out for their expertise in design, venue management, vendor relations, and social media strategy. We believe they can address most celebration needs.
Moreover, they take pride in their elevated and refined execution. This is why most of their clients require full wedding planning.
For inspiration, some notable themes from their portfolio include coastal desert, tropical garden, and a winery love story.
Their pricing is based on custom packaging tailored to the wedding location, guest count, and details. While there are no fixed fees, people we spoke with noted that their rates align with standard San Diego event-planning costs.
Additionally, the team’s busy schedule can lead to delayed email responses, which can cause frustration for some.
Made our night one of the best of our lives
“Iman is THE BEST! She not only made our night one of the best of our lives, but she helped us every step of the way. My husband and I could not dream of having done this without her and her team. She was a sounding board, helping to navigate the crazy bridal/wedding world and always provided an honest response. If you are planning a wedding in SoCal, you MUST consider her planning services.”
-Madison Steinberg, Google Review
Simplified the process and made us feel comfortable
“Iman was the absolute best! Planning a wedding seemed incredibly daunting but she simplified the process and made us feel comfortable and understood our wants the entire way! She executed everything to perfection, and she helped us plan for things we never would have thought of. I can’t recommend her enough! She is thoughtful, charismatic, professional, and an all around amazing person. Thank you Iman!”
-Brett Beebe, Google Review
2. Gaslamp Event Management
Address: 835 Fifth Ave, Suite 311
Contact Details:
- +1 619 944 8900
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon-Thu, Fri: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Sat-Sun: Closed
If you own a hotel or restaurant, Gaslamp Event Management (GEM) specializes in nightlife, pub crawls, grand openings, and hospitality promotions. They’ve been operating since 2005, making them experts in the game.
For us, their best asset is their location—the Gaslamp Quarter is the center for nightlife access. It’s also a beautiful, century-old Victorian structure named after the famous gambler and lawman, Wyatt Earp.
Not to mention, their CEO, Sin Bosier, was awarded “Trailblazer of the Year” in 2006 by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and dubbed the “Queen of Nightlife” by various media.
It helps that they have strong local ties and media networks too. With this, the team can deliver full event production, management, marketing, and talent booking as a one-stop shop.
Regarding costs, they charge standard fees for custom events—pub crawls range from $20 to $50 per ticket, and full planning starts at $5,000. This already covers venue access, deals, free shots, and media coverage.
But as you know, they’re all about painting the town red, so their services naturally aren’t ideal for weddings or other quieter events.
Super organized team, which made starting early really worth it
“Had such a fun time at the San Diego Zombie Crawl! It’s a great way to explore Gaslamp and hit multiple bars in one night with friends. The team was super organized, and the welcome shots were available as soon as the bars opened, which made starting early really worth it. Definitely recommend going in with an open mind and enjoying the night, can’t wait for next year!”
-Jacqueline He, Google Review
Prioritizes professionalism and customer service
“Gaslamp Event Management offers the highest events experience in the San Diego area include San Diego Zombie Crawls, Irish 4 A Day, and Gaslamp Mardi Gras. Their service is prioritize professional and customer service to bring the most memorable experiences for everyone!”
-Tu Nguyen, Google Review
3. Type A Soirée Events
Contact Details:
- +1 805 260 8709
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Tue-Thu, Fri-Sun: 9:30 am – 6:00 pm
- Mon: Closed
Type A Soirée Events focuses on custom design for weddings, corporate galas, and social events. In 2013, they were founded by Veronica Carr, who has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.
We think they’re pretty flexible, as they can handle anything from intimate to galas. This involves full planning, design, wedding coordination, corporate, and other social events. It’s no wonder the team loves working with clients from all over the globe.
If you want to give them a try, pricing starts at $1,800 per event for coordination. Full planning costs around $2,000 to $10,000. While it is higher, this would still be within the standard San Diego range.
Another downside we noticed is that they have a smaller team than other coordinators. This can lead to stretched availability for high-demand wedding seasons.
We had the perfect fairy tale wedding of our dreams
“Veronica is the best! Love her enthusiasm for planning your perfect day! She understands your vision and her team is great! We love Oni! We had the perfect fairy tale wedding of our dreams!”
-Cami Jeremiah, Google Review
Has a can-do attitude, making it easy to accomplish all client needs
“It is a delight working with Type A Soiree! We cherish the quality of her professionalism and responsiveness. Veronica has a can-do attitude, making it easy to accomplish ALL the needs of her clients and other vendors. We’re excited to see continued success working with you!”
-SociaLights Kelle and Ryan McCarty, Google Review
4. Moments Remembered Events
Contact Details:
- +1 619 368 6442
Business Hours:
- Daily: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Moments Remembered Events delivers full-service wedding planning with great custom designs. Their main services cover most things you’ll need for weddings, showers, and birthdays.
Owner LyKai Johnson has been very hands-on since 2014. We truly value her many years of event-planning experience, including managing budgets, vendors, and other intricate details.
Additionally, her multi-year experience has earned her several awards. Notable ones are WeddingWire’s Couple’s Choice Awards in 2019, 2020, and 2024. Her work also made The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame.
Their prices start at $3,000 for basic services and increase for full planning and premium services. While these are still within the standard city rates, we believe some people might find them slightly too expensive.
We also love that they show visuals from past events on their website. It’s a great way to get a feel for their style and vibe before you commit.
Had every detail under control
“LyKai is an amazing coordinator. I was the officiant for a wedding she coordinated and she had every detail under control in rehearsal and the day of the ceremony. I was really impressed with how she had the family well informed, the DJ and myself. I highly recommend her if you’re looking for a coordinator to take the stress off you as a couple and handle the details!”
-Brandon Harrison, Google Review
Went above and beyond with coordination and support
“LyKai with Moments Remembered Events was the best decision we made when coordinating our wedding! She went above and beyond with coordination and supporting us in making decisions. We are from states away and were traveling to California for our wedding with family. Even then, LyKai was phenomenal at supplying recommendations for nail salons and things to see and do around San Diego. She carried the load on our wedding day without issue and helped coordinate a crew of people. We could not have done it without her and could not recommend her services more!”
-Haylee Alexander, Google Review
5. Little Posh Events
Contact Details:
- +1 619 407 9948
Business Hours:
- Daily: 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
If you’re planning something unique, Little Posh Events crafts memorable events, such as proposals and picnics, with Instagram-worthy setups. They’re led by business owner Victoria, and have been around since 2020.
The crew is also popular for baby showers, birthdays, and playhouse celebrations, accommodating up to 20 kids for 3 hours. For us, this makes them amazing not only for couples but also for families.
With their niche for small celebrations, you’ll typically pay less for their services. This can go from $300 to $1,000 based on the planning size or setup. Extra value comes from client access to themed areas and nonstop fun elements too.
But as the company focuses on more casual or low-key events, note that they’re likely not the most suitable for gatherings with a more formal vibe.
Very responsive and helpful
“Victoria did a great job with my proposal setup. From the initial contact all the way through the proposal day she was very responsive and helpful. Highly recommend!”
-Dylan McBirney, Google Review
They communicated quickly and were easy to work with
“Amazing company to work with! They made my engagement in San Diego so special! They communicate quickly and were easy to work with. Highly recommend!”
-Craig Gerulski, Google Review
