While some couples might have the time to visit wedding venues, research photographers, make DIY decorations, collate Pinterest mood boards and tick off everything else on the never-ending wedding ‘to-do’ list, other couples like to enlist the help of the experts. And we don’t blame them. Because even though wedding planning looks fun (it is) and you’re excited about the thought of organising something with all the people you love, a wedding is likely something you haven’t planned before and, if we’re totally honest, there are moments when wedding planning can get both stressful and overwhelming. So we’re here to remind you that it’s ok to ask for a helping hand. If you’re currently on the lookout for a wedding planner and you’re not sure where to start, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite party planners to choose from (who can actually get the job done) – so that’s one thing already ticked off your list. Here, then, are our favourite, highly recommended, wedding planners to book for your big day…
How to choose a wedding planner
Similar to choosing the best wedding photographer, while you’ll want to choose a planner who’s efficient, organised and well-connected in the industry, you’ll also want to find a wedding planner that aligns with you as a couple and shares your values. After all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time making some big decisions with this person – so you want to be able to get along with them. They should ideally feel like a teammate – like having another person on your side – helping you to bring your vision and dream wedding, to life.
When to hire a wedding planner
If you have no idea where to start and want someone to help guide you through the maze of wedding suppliers, then, ideally, you’d want to reach out to a wedding planner right at the beginning of the planning process – so whenever you’re ready to get the ball rolling after getting engaged.
If, however, you’ve already started booking suppliers and feel happy checking things off that to-do list, you may feel that you might not need a wedding planner as such, but instead want the help of an on-the-day wedding coordinator to help manage things a couple of months leading up to the big day, and to help make sure everything goes smoothly.
Whatever level of support you’re looking for, these are our favourite wedding planners to have on speed dial for your big day…
The best wedding planners
Sauveur
Dynamic, Diligent, Vibrant
Sauveur is a creative studio revolutionising the luxury events industry. Driven by founder Matthew Shaw, they’re all about giving guests an unforgettable experience, flipping the script on weddings and parties. From intimate gatherings to large-scale events, Sauveur defies expectations with its creative flair and meticulous approach to details, to create immersive experiences.
What sets Sauveur apart from other wedding planners is their focus on people – from the hosts to the guests, to the suppliers involved in bringing the event to life. Sauveur believes in the power of unexpected details, and always goes the extra mile to understand couples and organise creative and thoughtful moments throughout the entire wedding experience. Every last detail is finessed to perfection to create the ultimate luxury, avant-garde experiences.
Covering everything from logistics and creative design to guest journey planning and family communication, Sauveur prides itself on its personable approach and happily tackles everything from elegant, traditional weddings to complex productions with the same ethos, energy, and results.
From a multi-event Asian wedding in Ireland to a show-stopping wedding celebration on the Côte d’Azur, no couple or guest list is the same and Sauveur’s people-centric approach makes sure each event is truly unique.
Based in London, Matthew leads a core team with a host of specialists on speed dial to ensure a dynamic team is assembled for each job.
Location: London, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Morocco, and further afield…
Prices: Sauveur charges a 15% management fee. Wedding budgets from £100,000 but all budgets and briefs are reviewed on a case-by-case basis
Website: sauveurstudios.com
Socials: @sauveurstudios
Cleo Alexiou
Sophisticated, visionary, and meticulous.
Step into a world where elegance meets innovation, where every celebration is meticulously crafted to perfection. Cleo Alexiou Luxury Weddings and Events is the epitome of sophistication, creativity, and flawless execution in the realm of luxury festivities. Guided by the visionary leadership of Cleo Alexiou, this exclusive event planning boutique has redefined the standards of exceptional experiences. With a reputation that precedes her, Cleo’s unique approach has become the top choice for the most discerning clientele.
Drawing from over a decade of industry experience, including a prestigious role as the Event Manager at the renowned Aynhoe Park, Cleo’s expertise spans every aspect of event execution. Her seamless integration of front-of-house finesse and behind-the-scenes operations sets Cleo Alexiou Luxury Weddings and Events apart, ensuring a seamless and unparalleled experience for every client. Her impressive portfolio showcases collaborations with some of the world’s most prestigious brands and venues, each a testament to her boundless creativity and unwavering commitment to excellence. Cleo’s ethos is rooted in pushing the boundaries of traditional event design, blending luxury with visionary aesthetics to create truly unforgettable experiences.
Whether it’s an intimate soirée or a lavish weekend celebration, Cleo and her team have a knack for curating events that reflect each client’s unique style and vision, with a seamless journey from concept to execution. In a world where opulence can often overshadow meaning, Cleo Alexiou Luxury Weddings and Events stands out by delivering celebrations that are not only grand but also deeply personal and meaningful. “With Cleo leading the way, expect nothing short of an extraordinary wedding that will leave a lasting impression.”
Location: Based in the Cotswolds, but regularly works all over the UK and
throughout Europe.
Prices: Available on request
Website: cleoalexiouevents.com
Socials: @cleoalexiouluxuryevents
Moriarty
Exceptional, Romantic, Timeless
At Moriarty, they don’t just plan weddings; they craft stories that gift the luxury of time, spark conversations, and weave memories that last a lifetime. Consider Moriarty as a creative partner or a personal atelier, here to turn visions into an incredible reality that showcases sophistication and creates moments that feel like a dream.
The offering at Moriarty spans strategy, creative concept design, consultation, and management, ensuring every wedding is a true reflection of the couples. What sets them apart is their commitment to immaculate design and execution – it’s embedded within their foundation. Georgina Griffith-Jones, Moriarty’s founder and creative director, has a background in set design, and their approach is to ensure every detail feels curated and purposely considered.
Moriarty has worked with several incredible venues across Europe, including Belmond La Residencia, Belcombe Court in the Cotswolds, and Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, producing small intimate affairs in central London to three-day celebrations in Corfu.
Location: Based in London, travel across Europe
Prices: Available on request
Website: moriartyevents.com
Socials: @moriartyevents
Alice Wilkes
Design-focused, Personalised, Shareworthy
Alice Wilkes is the event designer and planner the fashion crowd turns to time and again for unique and personal events. She’s worked with some of the industry’s biggest names and brands at venues across the world. Her events are characterised by creative touches, as well as impeccable planning and stylish design that will effortlessly capture your style.
Alice originally set up Alice Wilkes Design because she wanted a different approach for weddings and events – to offer celebrations that push the boundaries of what’s possible with design. Exquisitely melding her experience of working for luxury brands with her exceptional design skills, Alice Wilkes Design brings passion, sophistication and unrivalled planning to the world of weddings and events.
Effortlessly guiding you through the planning and design process, her company covers everything from intimate parties to weekend-long celebrations all over the world. Her most recent clients have included Pixie Lott and Oliver Cheshires and Olly and Amelia Murs.
Location: Global event planner that offers both UK and destination weddings including Paris, Rome, Vienna and South of France.
Price: Available on Request
Website: alicewilkes.co.uk
Socials: @alicewilkes_design
La Fête
Wow-factor, Multicultural, Je-ne-sais-quoi
La Fête, a bespoke wedding planning agency situated in the heart of London, truly understand that a wedding is a deeply personal and unique celebration of love. The team at La Fête takes pride in turning the subconscious dreams of their clients into breathtaking realities. The commitment to making each and every wedding an extraordinary experience is clear through their ability to craft events that range from small, intimate elopements to grandiose religious ceremonies.
Offering comprehensive full-service planning, ensuring a seamless and stress-free journey for couples from the initial idea until well after The Big Day, La Fête makes sure that all deliverables are delivered as agreed. Charlotte, named the best wedding planner in the UK
in 2022, brings creativity, precision, and dedication to every detail, transforming visions into tangible moments that will be cherished for a lifetime.
The agency’s expertise extends beyond borders, specialising in destination weddings across Europe, particularly in locations like France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. Fluent in the languages of these regions, they’re able to effortlessly navigate cultural nuances and logistics, guaranteeing an authentic and memorable experience for their couples.
At La Fête, the team prides itself on creating memories not just for the newlyweds, but for all the guests. Their passion lies in orchestrating events that reflect the individuality of each couple, ensuring that every wedding is a true reflection of their dreams and desires.
Location: UK, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland (they speak the languages) but all of Europe and Morocco.
Price: Starting from £5,000
Website: la-fete.com
Socials: @lafeteofficial
Tom Couch
Thoughtful, Elegant, Tailored
As a luxury events and wedding planner, Tom Couch offers the full planning process from his first contact with the client through to the execution of their special day.
Whilst most people have an idea of what they want their wedding to be like, not all understand how to make it happen and that’s where Tom comes in. There can be several stressful factors throughout the planning process and Tom sees it as his responsibility to manage these. ‘It’s a team effort and I love to work closely with the couple from start to finish to achieve their dream day,’ he says.
Tom started out specialising in weddings while working at Claridge’s, organising everything from the choice of flowers and cocktails to recommending the most suitable entertainment and wedding menu. Memorable weddings he helped organise include a gospel choir singing the couple down the aisle, the cast of Dream Girls and an entire ceiling of hanging flowers.
Working in the capacity of a ‘producer,’ Tom thrives on collaborating with top-notch industry professionals to bring their vision to life while ensuring they align with the client’s preferred style.
Currently based in London, Tom has orchestrated parties globally. Recent highlights include a wedding at Cobbler’s Cove in Barbados and a 10th wedding anniversary celebration at The Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat in the South of France.
Whether it’s an intimate gathering of four guests (his first-ever wedding) or a grand affair for 300, Tom approaches each event with the same meticulous attention to detail — a trait he, being a Virgo, takes great pride in. His first-ever boss, Lady Elizabeth, the cousin of the late Queen taught him, “The devil is in the detail” – a philosophy he embraces not only in his professional work but also in his personal life… ‘it’s much more fun!’
Locations: London and all over the world. Tom has planned parties in London, Paris, New York, Barbados, Capri and the South of France.
Price: Available on request.
Website: thomascouch.co.uk
Socials: @tomcouch
Pocketful of Dreams
Authentic, Elevated, Understated
Pocketful of Dreams, founded by luxury wedding planner Michelle Kelly, specialises in creating extraordinary, wow-factor events, from unique celebrations to epic weddings.
Since they typically only work with a handful of couples each year – never more than 6-8 events – Pocketful of Dreams pride themselves on a collaborative approach, to ensure we can create an authentic one-of-a-kind celebration that is unique to each of their couples.
Offering full-service planning – from the spark of an idea through to event execution – Pocketful of Dreams supports their couples every step of the way, typically over a 12-month planning period, orchestrating the direction of the celebration and recommending, hiring and managing the right people, products and services to bring the vision to life.
Since setting up Pocketful of Dreams in 2010, Michelle’s team has navigated numerous highlights and challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant hurdle, notably affecting a special 60th birthday celebration initially scheduled for August 2020. Due to
pandemic-related uncertainties, the event was successfully postponed to August 2021, with a mere 9 weeks to coordinate an elaborate 3-day celebration at Heckfield Place. Despite starting with only the venue and some entertainment acts booked, the team orchestrated multiple events, including an Italian Gala Dinner, a Safari Party, a Sunday Brunch, and a Greek Al Fresco Lunch.
From a small kitchen-table business in the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, nearly 13 years ago, to a dedicated team of planners operating across the UK and serving clients globally, Michelle has since planned and designed weddings and events from Suffolk to the South of France, Yorkshire to the coasts of Cornwall. Her work has been featured in a wedding book as well as numerous magazines and blogs around the world.
Location: Based in the Cotswolds with a second studio in Lancashire. Travel worldwide, but specialise in UK weddings and parties, particularly Suffolk, the Cotswolds, and the home counties.
Price: Pocketful of Dreams works with a minimum overall budget (including venue hire) of £275,000.
Website: pocketfulofdreams.co.uk
Socials: @pocketfulofdreams
The Stars Inside
Intimate, Soulful, Sophisticated
The Stars Inside is a bespoke planning and design studio, specialising in full-service planning for sophisticated, wildly romantic elopements and intimate destination weddings all over the world.
Valentina, the founder of The Stars Inside, is all about creating magical atmospheres that couples can enjoy to the fullest, mindfully and intentionally. She loves working closely with her clients to support them and guide them in weaving their passions, stories, and values into their celebrations – and, together, bring to life something truly unique and meaningful. Her work revolves around creating deeper connections with loved ones through heartfelt, elevated, welcoming wedding experiences.
Valentina is based in the picturesque UK countryside, with an Italian passport and a passion for discovering new places all over the globe. She supports couples in planning breathtaking weddings and elopements anywhere in the world their heart takes them: from Mallorca to Mozambique, Provence to Portugal, Iceland to Italy, Crete to California, Namibia to New York – she’ll follow you to the ends of the earth to bring to life a truly extraordinary, multiple-day celebration of love and travel, for you and your nearest and dearest – whether it’s for two people on the sands of the oldest African desert, 50 people in a boutique hotel on a Icelandic mountain, or 200 people nestled in an olive grove on a Greek island.
Valentina’s work has been extensively published in wedding and travel magazines and blogs worldwide, and she has also had the joy of being interviewed for several international podcasts – as well as launching her own podcast a few years ago. She won Best Destination Wedding Planner in the 2022 Bridelux awards and is a recommended supplier in blog directories all over the world.
Location: Based in Buckinghamshire, but travels globally
Prices: Available on request
Website: thestarsinside.com
Social: @thestarsinside
Chenai Bukutu
Creative, Luxurious, Bespoke
Named one of the top planners in the world by Harper’s Bazaar, Over The Moon and Tatler’s Little Black book, ByChenai Events is a boutique wedding and event design company based in London.
Founded by the charismatic lead planner and producer, Chenai Bukutu, they specialise in bringing luxuriously personal weddings and events to life, using a signature blend of organisation, creativity and a deep love of joyful celebration.
They work with a stylish and diverse client base in the UK and internationally, creating sensational weddings and fantastic parties that are opulent without being ostentatious, and that truly reflect the style and the story of each of our clients.
From castles to stately manors, 5-star hotels to private homes, they have planned weddings and celebrations for clients of diverse backgrounds and are known for their ability to seamlessly work across cultures to deliver memorable events
Location: Worldwide
Price: Available on request – but typically 15% of the total budget (UK)
Website: bychenai.com
Socials: @bychenai
Antionette at The Lanesborough
Elevated, Glamorous, Classic
For couples looking to tie the knot in the city, The Lanesborough is a Georgian masterpiece among London’s five-star hotels and really is one of the most special wedding venues to host your dream day.
A very British institution, it features the most fabulous cuisine, fine wines and service to accompany the showstopping spaces.
Filled with grand Regency architecture and style, The Lanesborough feels like a townhouse on the grandest scale, where staff remember your every whim, where a fire roars in winter and where warm Regency colours glow in every room.
And since it’s a licensed venue for civil ceremonies, The Lanesborough has its very own events and wedding planning team, run by Antoinette Lettieri. ‘Our expertise in planning and executing your wedding to precision, accompanied by outstanding gastronomy, our fine wine cellar, and inherent elegance, is embedded in our culture,’ she says.
‘I like to inject glamour into the events I create and lean towards a classic style which endures rather than following each and every fad. Weddings and events are about storytelling, so I will always choreograph in a defined start, middle and end, so that the day ebbs and flows flawlessly until its natural conclusion.’
Location: London
Price: Available on request
Website: oetkercollection.com
Socials: @the_lanesborough
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