Charlene LaskyA long-time friend recently announced that she’s getting married. She was so excited because they wanted to have a low-cost celebration without a third-party organizer.
But that happiness was replaced by stress because their dream wedding venue got double-booked at the last minute. She and her fiancé tried contacting multiple vendors themselves, but this only made scheduling messier.
Frustrated, she asked our friend group for help. I stepped in and researched top wedding planners in San Diego with the capacity and connections to find an alternative. And with our list, a big load of pressure was taken off her back.
So if you’re also struggling with managing everything on your big day, here’s our shortlist to consider.
How much do wedding planners charge in San Diego?
Wedding planners in San Diego typically charge from $1,700 to over $8,500. The final costs depend on the professional’s experience level, scope of service and package, pricing structure, wedding scale and complexity, and seasonality.
1. Willmus Weddings
Address: 4010 Sorrento Valley Blvd #410, Floor 1, Torrey Pines Business Park
Contact Details:
- +1 760 475 1270
- [email protected]
Business Hours: Open 24 hours
Willmus Weddings is a full-service wedding planning and photography-videography team based in San Diego. Founded in 2015, they’re a husband-and-wife duo (Heather and Christophe) specializing in a “she plans, he captures” model.
For us, their integrated workflow (or hiring the same team for all) is their edge. This makes their work very cohesive, as the planner and photographer are already so in sync.
They offer very flexible packages too, which include full or partial planning and month-of coordination. We appreciate that they even provide à‑la‑carte help, involving budgeting, RSVP tracking, design, or day-of assistance.
It’s also handy that they’re well-connected with local venues, like The Thursday Club and The Lane. They often act as hidden gem scouts for couples.
And while specific final quotes vary, their full-service planning starts at $7,995. Meanwhile, their partial planning starts at $4,990. They generally fall into the mid-to-premium pricing tier compared to other wedding planners in the city.
A client we spoke with also noted that the process can feel intensive due to Heather’s high-detail approach and frequent checklists.
Top-level service, professionalism, and artistry
“Simply the best! We worked with Heather as our planner and Christophe as our photographer and videographer for our wedding at the Martin Johnson House. The event was a total dream come true thanks to their top level service, professionalism, and artistry. Many of our guests specifically expressed gratitude for the Willmus team. We are very grateful for the experience of working with them and would certainly recommend to local couples.”
-Jack McGarry, Google Review
Super easy to communicate with, which made everything run smoothly
“Had a great experience working with Heather from Willmus Weddings. She was super easy to communicate with, always quick to respond, and very clear over email and text , especially on the day of the event, which made everything run smoothly. Really appreciated how organized and courteous she was throughout. Would love to work together again!”
-Fiesta Events, Google Review
2. Events Inspired
Address: 3288 Adams Ave #16192, Floor 1, Larabee Real Estate
Contact Details:
- +1 619 840 4206
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Tue-Fri: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Mon, Sat-Sun: Closed
Active since 2012, Events Inspired is a full-service wedding planning and design company based in North Park.
Their owners, Julia and Stephanie, were interior designers first. We believe that’s where their visual style, layout, and decor knowledge and skills come from.
In addition, they’re big on creating events with digital design boards inspired by the client. They prioritize the couple’s personal style, colors, and story, so we reckon you won’t get cookie-cutter templates.
That process applies to their clear tiers, such as full-service planning and design, partial, month-of, and day-of coordination.
Sometimes, they even add hourly add-ons (like extra vendor meetings or tastings). This is helpful since it lets couples scale up or down based on their needs.
But because of their comprehensive design development, their fees are more expensive than those of many mid-range San Diego wedding planners.
Full-service planning and design with them starts at $10,500, often including a percentage of the total wedding cost for high-budget events. Meanwhile, their partial planning begins at $5,950, which typically begins 6 months before the wedding.
So if you’re on a very tight budget and only want basic logistics, we feel their design-heavy approach might seem like overkill.
She was incredibly organized, handling every tiny detail
“Stephanie is an absolute miracle worker! We hired her for our wedding at The Ultimate Skybox in San Diego, driving down from NorCal. She was incredibly organized, handling every tiny detail. She even offered to buy our decor locally so we wouldn’t have to haul it with us! Our wedding day went flawlessly. Hiring Stephanie was the best decision we made. We highly recommend her!”
-Jackie & Christian, Google Review
Made our entire wedding experience so seamless and stress-free
“I cannot say enough nice things about Stephanie VandenBerg! She made our entire wedding experience, from start to finish, so seamless and stress-free. She was very knowledgeable in regard to helping us choose our food, rentals, band, etc. and kept everything simple and organized. She perfectly played the line of being easy-going and opinionated when it mattered. Thank you so much Stephanie for helping us organize such a special wedding. We will be recommending you to anyone getting married in the San Diego area. We couldn’t imagine working with anyone else. – Rod & Kira”
-Rod Quirk, Google Review
3. SISTI & CO
Address: 1072 11160 Rancho Carmel Dr Ste 106
Contact Details:
- +1 858 240 9740
- [email protected]
Business Hours: Open 24 hours
SISTI & CO is a San Diego-based wedding planning and floral design studio that blends high-end planning with full-service flowers.
They offer a polished, design-first experience for couples who want their wedding to look magazine-worthy but still feel stress-free.
We think this makes sense since their owner, Kimberly, has an artistic background. Her family has roots in portrait painting and professional photography, which she translates into fine art floral arrangements.
And when it comes to their bespoke designs, they emphasize custom masterpieces rather than packages. Your final quote will vary depending on the specific floral variety and installation complexity.
Their full-service planning and floral services typically start with a $5,500 planning fee and an $8,000 floral minimum.
On the other hand, their month-of coordination starts at $2,400. This already includes venue walkthroughs, contract reviews, and full day-of management. Do note that these rates are higher than several mid-range options in the city.
Also, we reckon their aesthetic might feel too niche or whimsical to some. For example, if you’re looking for an ultra-modern, industrial, or strictly “boho” look, their signature romantic style might not be for you.
Everything was magically and beautifully set up on the big day
“EASY BREEZY. As a bride planning my own wedding, my mind was completely scrambled and I was definitely high-strung. Thanks to Kimberly, the florals were the one thing I never had to worry about. She accommodated my short timeline, followed my inspiration photos, worked within my budget, and boom…everything was magically and beautifully set up on the big day. Save yourself the stress and call Kimberly!!!”
-Gianina Moyano, Google Review
Their creativity and attention to detail made all the difference
“We are beyond grateful for our wedding planner, Kim, who was also our florist. Despite unexpected rain forcing us to move our garden wedding into our home at the very last minute, she completely transformed the space into something truly beautiful. Her floral design was incredible, and her ability to adjust seamlessly to the new location made everything feel intentional and intimate. Kim’s creativity and attention to detail made all the difference, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
-Karla Bravo, Google Review
4. At Your Side Planning
Address: 6353 El Cajon Blvd, Suite 124 – 177, Floor 1, The Rive San Diego
Contact Details:
- +1 619 322 7084
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon-Thu: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Fri-Sun: Closed
Formerly known as Ah Le Party, At Your Side Planning is a boutique-style wedding and event planning company. They’ve been in the wedding scene since 2004 and focus on day-of and month-of coordination.
Conveniently, they’re known for doing small weddings and elopements. They tailor packages for small groups, which we believe is ideal for simple, low-stress celebrations.
Their current rates are also budget-friendly, falling below the city average for established planners. Wedding coordination begins at $1,700, which typically covers up to 10 hours of day-of management plus a rehearsal hour.
Moreover, their full-service planning starts at $4,500, while their partial services start at $2,200. These are among the lowest professional entry points in San Diego for start-to-finish planning.
Still, owner Diana Romero and her team hold professional certifications in Meeting & Event Planning from San Diego State University (SDSU). For us, this gives them an edge over side-hustle coordinators who charge similar rates but lack formal training.
Of course, this small company doesn’t have the massive staff of a luxury agency. If you have a large-scale guest list, you might need to pay for extra coordinators to maintain their hands-on standard.
Extremely knowledgeable and completely on top of everything
“Working with Diana, Robin, and Kendra was a breeze! All the ladies were so kind. The team is extremely knowledgeable and completely on top of everything for our wedding. They keep you on track and think of everything. The day was perfect and I didn’t worry about anything. Highly recommend using these ladies for your wedding!”
-Jessica Geary, Google Review
Understood my vision and executed it better than I could’ve imagined
“I had the pleasure of working primarily with Robin as our coordinator, and with Diana in the months leading up to our wedding. The entire At Your Side team is amazing. They made sure our day ran incredibly smoothly, and had our timeline perfectly managed. Robin made sure we had time together as a couple to soak in the day, something we ended up valuing more than anything else. The team understood my vision and executed it better than I could have imagined. I do not have enough good things to say about this team!”
-Caitlin Brandt, Google Review
5. Bliss Events
Contact Details:
- +1 619 252 1058
- [email protected]
Founded in 2004, Bliss Events is a wedding and event planning company that highlights customized, less stressful planning. The team strongly emphasizes full-service packages and day-of coordination.
Their owner, Rachel Welland, found her passion in design and leadership from her hobby of organizing her 4th-grade pajama party.
Plus, we believe her degree in fine arts and work experience at L’Auberge Del Mar Resort and Spa add depth to her event design process overall.
Another thing that makes them unique is their drive to blend fresh ideas to create unforgettable celebrations. They experiment with colors and styles that truly represent the couple, which we believe makes them popular for LGBTQ+ weddings.
Their packages start at $3,600, where they manage vendors and handle details and logistics. But if you want their comprehensive help from start to finish, expect their fees to go from $13,000 and above.
This puts these planners on the higher end of the city mid-range, which makes them not the cheapest for day-of-only help.
So competent, professional, experienced, and kind
“Every bride deserves a Rachel on their wedding day! I was stressed about my wedding day logistics and managing all the vendors, but Bliss Events made our lives so easy. They are so competent, professional, experienced, and kind. I couldn’t believe how smooth everything went on my wedding day. Rachel was a comforting presence and I was so relaxed knowing she was on top of everything. Her assistants were also so wonderful, consistently asking me if I needed anything. I promise you will love working with Rachel and her team!”
-Paige Cavendish Morrison, Google Review
An amazing support system throughout the entire planning process
“Working with Ashley at Bliss Events was one of the best decisions we made during the whole wedding process. We were able to relax on our wedding day and really enjoy every second because we knew she had everything under control. She was an amazing support system throughout the entire planning, and was the reason our wedding went off without a hitch. I could not recommend Ashley more!”
-Reilly Todd, Google Review
