The Best Wedding Planners in Northwest Arkansas
You just got engaged! Wow! After endless congratulatory messages, phone calls, and getting likes on your ring pics on Instagram from people you didn’t even know followed you — it’s finally time to get down to business and start planning your wedding! It is often at this point that many couples wonder whether or not they should hire a wedding planner. This is sometimes the first real decision in the wedding planning process.
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Should I hire a planner for my wedding?
What does a wedding planner in Northwest Arkansas do?
Wedding planners are excellent organizers, coordinators, and negotiators who assist couples to plan and execute all of their wedding ideas. Services differ between planners, some offer multiple packages while others stick to full wedding planning or day-of coordination only. Planners are also timeline specialists and can help with negotiations and budgeting. Planners in Northwest Arkansas have access to a network of resources that enables them to troubleshoot and organize much faster than those planning a wedding for the first time.
There are few wedding planning companies in NWA with a team of planners while others either work solo or in smaller teams. Most planners also have a great eye for detail and are expert designers in their own right.
What kind of wedding planning services are available?
Here are a few of the most popular options.
Full-service wedding planning
Partial service / or month-of planning
Day-of coordination
Virtual wedding planning
A full-service wedding planner takes the lead for couples that have large guest lists, multiple venues, and live busy lives. A full-service planner typically works with your venue, gathers and presents to you all other vendors, help with your budget, set up hotel room blocks, creates your wedding day (or weekend) timeline, works on a shot list with your photographer, assists with your save-the-dates, invites and so much more. If you have more than one wedding celebration or other wedding-related events, a full-service planner will help with those as well.
A partial service wedding planner is just that — they will usually take over about 4-8 weeks before the wedding, once you have booked your venue and other vendors. In addition to perfecting your timeline and leading the final weeks, most handle day-of coordination as well to make sure everything runs smoothly on your wedding day.
A day-of coordinator is not really the appropriate name. Although they take care of your event on the day of — your relationship starts a few weeks before, often with phone calls and/or video meetings to discuss and plan your day.
Virtual wedding planning is exactly that. Wedding planning meetings that are strictly online. A virtual wedding planner essentially handles all the tasks a full or partial-service does, except for being there on the big day.
How much does a wedding planner cost?
A frequent question I’ve gotten a lot is “how much is a wedding planner?” Wedding planning services in Northwest Arkansas range from $600 to $7500. There is obviously a world of difference between these two prices. Lower-end packages tend to be a day-of coordination package whereas the more expensive options can include months of planning, multiple add-ons and meetings, and truly personal service. On average, most planning packages are about $2000 with higher-end collections starting at $4000.
Is it worth it to hire a planner for my wedding?
Yes! A great wedding planner can actually end up saving you money, plus time — a lot of time! With wedding planning, there is a package available for almost any budget, and having someone on your day to coordinate, tell people where to go, set up tables, and answer questions is really essential. Trust me, you don’t want to be answering questions from your extended family 30 minutes before your ceremony. On the other end, planners can save you time, time that you might want to spend doing other things. So yeah, I’d say it is worth it!
Wedding Planners in Northwest Arkansas
Allie Rose Events
Allie Rose has been planning weddings for over 9 years and has helped over 350 brides make their wedding dreams come true. She always wanted to be a planner and studied hospitality at Missouri State while working for several businesses in the event industry. A florist, a rental company, a venue, another wedding planner, and a catering company. Through all those experiences she learned how to plan the best day ever.
She launched Allie Rose Events the day after graduation and has ever since then been blessed with many amazing clients that have turned into some of her dearest friends. Allie has a positive, cheerful, and upbeat personality that is helpful to both clients and vendors on a wedding day!
Price range $1100-$5000
Services include luxury planning, partial, and day-of
Service area: Arkansas, Missouri, and destinations
Allie Rose is not just a planner, but also a friend through the whole planning process
Autumn Doss
Autumn Doss has served as day-of coordinator for many weddings at Willow Brooke Farm, Osage House, the Peel Mansion, Mildred B. Cooper Chapel, Barn at the Springs, Heroncrest, Fairlane Station, Fritchie Farms, and many other venues. She truly enjoys the one-of-a-kind opportunity to be a part of the most special day in people's lives. She specializes in executing the client's vision, offering expertise and creative problem-solving as needed. Autumn has a truly unique sense of humor and is super easy to work with. Her website is simple to navigate with all prices readily available.
$600 for a day-of coordination package
Day-of services only
NWA and beyond, travel fees apply based on distance
Additional hours and assistant coordinators available
B. Jane Events
B. Jane Events (The B is for Bethany) is one of the better known and trusted wedding and event planning businesses in Northwest Arkansas. Bethany leads a team of amazing coordinators and planners and offers both day-of coordination as well as full planning packages. In 2023 I worked with B. Jane a few times in Bentonville, Eureka Springs, and Fayetteville — and personally had the best experience.
Prices start at $1200 for wedding day management
Full planning and design is $3500
Partial planning and a la carte options available too!
Vow renewal and elopement planning also available
Brittany Bloom Events & Design
Brittany Bloom Events & Design is a premier event planning firm that values its relationship with its clients and vendors. Owner and Lead Designer, Brittany Bloom, has an extensive background in interior design and project management which has greatly lent itself to the event planning industry. This experience allows Brittany to curate and execute incredible events that leave a lasting impression not only for clients but guests alike.
Planning packages start at $2400
Services: wedding management, partial planning, full planning, and elopement packages
Services Northwest Arkansas and beyond
A la carte options available
Brittany used to manage multi-million dollar hospitality projects for Westin and Marriott luxury resorts.
Emily Wren — With Great Love Events
Based in Bentonville, AR, With Great Love Events is a wedding coordination business. The owner, Emily Wren’s aim is to help streamline the planning process, allowing the couple to focus on the joy of the moment.
Emily has long been passionate about organizing, details, and planning. She delights in working through multiple tasks to weave together an exceptional event. Before establishing With Great Love, she worked as an event planner for non-profits and weddings, providing her with ample and varied knowledge on creating an event. She loves the unique stories behind each couple and wants to bring the day together to be as memorable as possible.
Price range $1200-$3200+
Services: Full-planning, partial, day-of, and virtual
Service area: NWA and beyond
As of 2024, With Great Love Events are offering experiential wedding weekends
Madison Nichole Weddings and Events
Madison Soderquist is a Fayetteville native and University of Arkansas Alumni. Madison graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in hospitality with a focus on event management. While attending UARK, she worked at local venues including Sassafras Springs and the Inn at Carnall Hall.
With a love for organization and an eye for detail and design, Madison launched her own event planning company, Madison Nichole Weddings & Events, in 2020. In 2021, Madison expanded her business to include event rentals and day of staff with her team of servers and bartenders.
In addition to her wedding planning services, Madison is the author of the Aisle to Altar blog featuring wedding-related content every week, and a featured vendor of the month.
Price range $1850-$4000
Packages: Day of, Partial Planning, Full Planning, Wedding Design, Event Staff & Bartending
Service area: Arkansas & Texas
Add Ons: Full and custom wedding design & signage, event staff & bartending, perfectly pressed linens
Madison Nichole has a unique point of view, having worked at numerous event industry businesses in Northwest Arkansas and having studied hospitality and event management at the University of Arkansas.
Check out her blog as well, Aisle to Altar.
The Wedding Lady
There are actually two of them! The Wedding Ladies are Carolyn and Adria — a mother-and-daughter team that has planned hundreds of weddings in Northwest Arkansas. Their style is calm and approachable, and they pride themselves on taking care of all the details, so you don’t have to. They focus on full-service wedding planning, which averages about $5,000. Their couples say it’s the best money they ever spent!
Uniquely designed packages available with customized pricing
Hourly consults at $100/h
A la carte options include rehearsal, ceremony direction, and more
Rehearsal dinner coordination, hotel room blocks, welcome bags, and RSVP management as add-ons
Searching for a photographer as well? Get in touch to find out more about my prices and collections.