National Salary Ranges

• Based on a collection of data from 118 wedding planners and consultants, average salaries range from $21,639 to $50,879 in October 2010, according to Payscale. These figures factor in overtime pay, which ranges on average from $10.08 to $21.36 per hour, and any bonus pay. Additionally, the salaries account for any commissions planners may earn if they are employed by a large wedding-planning company.
  
  

Employment Type

• For wedding consultants, being self-employed is an option, and a change in employment type can also result in a change in salary. On average, self-employed planners have a salary range of $24,259 to $58,958, as of October 2010. Planners employed by wedding and bridal companies have an average range of $19,832 to $53,026 per year.
  
  

Experience

• Experience plays an important role in determining the pay ranges of wedding planners. With one to four years of experience, planners can expect to earn between $9.19 and $19.35 per hour, as of October 2010. At five to nine years of experience, average pay reaches its maximum with a range of $13.76 to $28.49 per hour.
  
  

Vacation

• Those considering wedding planning as a career must also look at other benefits of the job. On average, wedding consultants receive one and one-half to two weeks of vacation time per year. This figure is less applicable to self-employed planners who can choose when and for how long they want to take vacation.
  
  

Health Benefits

• Because a large portion of wedding planners are self-employed, many in the profession don't have health benefits. According to PayScale, only 29 percent of wedding planners are provided with medical care, and even fewer receive dental and vision care. In total, 70 percent of surveyed planners receive no health benefits at all.