If you’ve started planning your wedding and are wondering whether a luxury wedding planner is right for you, you’re not alone. The term itself often sparks a few questions - is it just about budget? Is it only for celebrity-scale events? What exactly makes a wedding planner “luxury”?
In reality, luxury wedding planning isn’t defined by extravagance alone. It’s about expertise, intention and creating an experience that feels effortless, refined and entirely personal to you. It’s for couples who want to feel looked after at every turn, and who value not only beauty and detail, but trust and calm along the way.
Let’s explore what truly sets a luxury wedding planner apart, and whether it’s what you’ve been looking for all along.
What actually counts as a luxury wedding?
Let’s clear something up early. Luxury doesn’t always mean huge.
Yes, many luxury weddings fall in the region of $100,000 to $500,000, and some more elaborate celebrations can stretch well beyond $1 million. But the overall spend isn’t the only measure. A smaller guest list with thoughtful details and an elevated per-person budget can still absolutely qualify.
A good rule of thumb for what counts as a luxury wedding? $1,500 to $2,000 per guest. So a $50,000 celebration for 30 guests, for instance, could still be classed as luxury. It’s about the experience, the intention behind each choice and the level of care in every element.
It’s not just about colour palettes and seating plans
There’s a common misconception that wedding planners, luxury or not, are simply there to choose flowers or manage a timeline. But at this level, the role is far more comprehensive.
A luxury wedding planner is part creative director, part logistics expert and part trusted advisor. They help you define your vision and bring it to life with polish and precision.
They’ll oversee everything from budgets and timelines to styling, guest experience, etiquette and flow. And they’ll do it with a focus on keeping the process smooth, stress-free and enjoyable for you.
From the initial concept to the final farewell, every little detail of the wedding is curated with care and expertise.
Personal service that goes far beyond the brief
Luxury wedding planning is all about relationships. A planner at this level doesn’t take on dozens of weddings a year. Instead, they work with a select number of couples so that each celebration receives their full focus and energy.
This allows space for real connection, trust and calm. When decisions start to feel overwhelming, a luxury planner should be there to guide both the design and logistics of your special day. Quietly, consistently and with total discretion.
Destination weddings: the world is your venue
For many couples, their luxury wedding dream involves a setting beyond borders. Think hillside ceremonies in Lake Como, candlelit dinners in Tuscany or blissful island celebrations in Mykonos or Santorini.
Destination weddings are unforgettable, but they bring added complexity. Time zones, language barriers, local laws, customs restrictions, guest travel and cultural nuances all come into play.
That’s where a luxury planner with international experience becomes essential. They’ll not only have trusted relationships with the best local suppliers, but they’ll also anticipate challenges before they arise. Whether you’re planning from afar or visiting the location just once, your planner will coordinate every moving part to ensure nothing is missed and everything flows with ease.
Access to the best of the best
A luxury planner brings more than taste. They bring access.
They’ve spent years building strong, trusted relationships with the most talented high-end creatives in the industry - florists, photographers, chefs, musicians, stylists and more. They know who’s right for your style, who can deliver your vision and who can be trusted with the details.
This curated network makes a huge difference for you to be able to find vendors that match you and your partner’s vision.
So… do you need a luxury wedding planner?
That depends entirely on how you want to experience this part of your life.
If you’re planning something truly personal and want to feel fully supported - creatively, logistically and emotionally - then a planner like Matthew Oliver Weddings may well be one of the best investments you can make.
Our experienced luxury wedding planning team has been planning high-end weddings for over 15 years, with a special focus on high-end destination weddings.
If that sounds like the kind of support you're looking for, we’d love to hear more about your plans. Contact us today to start a conversation – we’d love to be part of your love story.
