HIRING GUIDES

Hiring events professionals

Planners, photographers and crews that make events happen. 13 guides, each with a sourced cost range, the questions to ask, and the red flags.

Typical rates in events

$800–$3,500per event9 guides

$55–$250per hour3 guides

$65per person1 guide

All cost guides

Photo showing audio mixer, console and control panel.

$50–$150 per hourAV technician

What an AV technician does, what they cost by the hour, and how to hire one who tests everything in advance and has a backup when the microphone dies mid-speech.

Photo showing culinary, caterer and food.

$25–$150 per personCaterer

What a caterer does, what per-person pricing really includes, and how to hire one who's licensed, insured, and can handle your headcount, allergies, and alcohol service.

$600–$3,500 per eventDJ

What an event DJ does beyond playing music, what they cost, and how to book one who reads the room, brings backup gear, and locks your date with a deposit.

$35–$75 per hourEvent bartender

What an event bartender does, what they cost by the hour, and how to hire one who's certified, insured, and clear on who's legally responsible for serving alcohol.

Photo showing planner, free wallpaper and march.

$800–$5,000 per eventEvent decorator

What an event decorator does versus a designer, what full decor costs, and how to hire one who handles setup, teardown, and a backup plan for outdoor weather.

Photo showing audience, band and concert.

$400–$2,500 per eventEvent host / MC

What an event host or MC does, what they cost, and how to hire one who keeps your event on schedule, reads the room, and has a plan when things run late.

Photo showing woman, photographer and camera.

$150–$400 per hourEvent photographer

What event photographers charge per hour, what actually shows up in your gallery, and how to vet one before the day.

$1,500–$10,000 per eventEvent planner

What an event planner actually handles, what full-service planning costs, and how to hire one who won't disappear on event day.

$500–$6,000 per eventFlorist

What an event florist does, what full floral design costs, and how to hire one who works to your budget, sources seasonally, and has a plan if the flowers wilt.

Photo showing bass guitar, musical performance and concert.

$500–$4,000 per eventLive musician

What a live musician or band brings to an event, what they cost, and how to book one with backup plans, the right sound gear, and a deposit that locks your date.

Photo showing camera, film and recording.

$400–$1,500 per eventPhoto booth operator

What a photo booth operator provides, what a rental costs, and how to book one who brings a backup printer, an attendant, and prints that don't jam mid-party.

Photo showing camera, camera equipment and interview.

$1,000–$8,000 per eventVideographer

What an event videographer does, what full coverage costs, and how to hire one who delivers a finished film — with a deposit, a backup plan, and a clear timeline.

Photo showing wedding, wedding planner in chandigarh and photography.

$800–$15,000 per eventWedding planner

What a wedding planner actually does, what full-service planning costs, and how to tell a planner from a Pinterest board with a fee.

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