Looking for a wedding consultant business plan? You're in the right place.
A wedding business gets paid in installments months before the work is done, and it earns most of its money in a handful of weekends. A lender or a partner will want to know how many weddings one planner can really run, what each package earns, when the deposits land and what happens in the slow months. A blank template won't show you what credible answers look like.
In this article we'll walk through a complete sample plan for a wedding consultancy in Las Vegas, Nevada, section by section. We'll cover the executive summary, the SWOT analysis and, in particular, all of the financials.
Here's what you'll take away:
- The executive summary: see how to describe a three-package wedding business on one page, so a reader knows the offer, the ask and the first-year result
- The package mix: work out how elopement, full-planning and day-of fees fit together, and how much of the revenue should come from each
- Planner capacity: check how many weddings one planner can run in a peak month before quality slips, and when to hire
- Partner commissions: learn how to show chapel, officiant and venue referral income openly, and how large a share of revenue it can be
- Deposit and balance timing: see when each installment arrives and why the quietest months can still be the cash low point
- The five-year profit, cash flow and balance sheet, plus a downside case: understand what a 20% booking shortfall does and how the owner responds
If you're setting up a wedding planning business, read this before you write your own. The company is fictional, so take what fits your market and change the rest.
In this plan
Looking for a wedding consultant business plan template? The Toolkit builds yours with your own numbers.
The Short Version
Ember Moor is a Las Vegas wedding consultancy that opens on January 1, 2027. It sells three packages: elopement and chapel packages, full wedding planning, and day-of coordination. Founder Dana Whitcomb owns 100% of the company. She spent eight years running wedding services at a Strip resort before leaving to build a smaller practice in which she knows every couple.
The company needs $120,000: $80,000 of Dana's savings and a $40,000 bank term loan. Of that, $78,000 is held as a cash reserve, $26,000 buys computers, ceremony stock and studio fit-out, and $16,000 pays for legal work, licensing and the launch.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $228,840 | $476,746 | $630,005 |
| Net income after start-up costs | ($64,159) | $18,550 | $29,686 |
| Closing cash | $31,201 | $46,984 | $62,980 |
Year 1 delivers 102 couples: 72 elopements, 8 full-planning weddings and 22 day-of weddings. Full planning starts slowly because the first contracts are signed in February and a wedding of that size needs months of work, so the first one is delivered in August. The year loses money because planners and a studio are paid for before the spring and fall weekends can cover them. Year 2 is the first profitable year.
About 10% of Year 1 revenue, and 12% after that, is commission paid by chapels, officiants, venues and vendors that Ember Moor recommends. The planning agreement states every commission, and the couple chooses whether to use the partner.
If bookings run 20% short in every year, the company slows hiring, drops its last planner, cuts marketing and Dana's pay, stays in the first studio and pays no distributions. It stays cash-positive throughout.
Ember Moor: Studio, Packages and Targets
Legal name: Ember Moor, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company. Owner: Dana Whitcomb, 100%. Premises: a 700-square-foot studio with a consultation room, leased in Las Vegas. Opening date: January 1, 2027.
The three packages
| Package | What the couple gets | Fee, Year 1 | Planner hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elopement and chapel | Chapel or outdoor venue booked, officiant, photographer and flowers coordinated, license walk-through | $1,450 | 12 |
| Full planning | A planner from engagement to the last dance: venue, vendors, budget, guest travel, timeline, rehearsal and the wedding day | $6,800 | 80 |
| Day-of coordination | Couples who have booked their own vendors hand over the plan about a month out, and a coordinator runs the rehearsal and the day | $2,100 | 26 |
Fees do not include chapel, venue, officiant, flower or photographer charges. The couple pays those to the vendor directly.
Targets for the first two years
- 102 couples in 2027, rising to 170 in 2028.
- A profit after tax in 2028.
- A second lead planner in January 2028, when booked weddings would otherwise exceed the hours of one lead planner and one associate.
- Repay the bank loan on schedule and begin owner distributions in 2029.
What the commissions are
Chapels, officiants, venues and some vendors pay a referral commission when a couple books through Ember Moor. On an elopement the partners together pay 12% of about $1,500 of spend, or $180. On a full-planning wedding Ember Moor books about $34,000 of venue and vendor spend and receives 4% of it, or $1,360. The planning agreement names each partner, the rate and the amount. A couple can ask for a different vendor and the fee does not change.
Commissions are 10% of Year 1 revenue, so the lender's question is how firm they are. Two chapels and one officiant company have signed non-binding letters of intent to send elopement couples to Ember Moor, and a venue has agreed to the 4% rate in writing. None is an exclusive arrangement, which is why the plan counts 44 partner bookings in Year 1 rather than more.
Marriage in Clark County
The Clark County Clerk publishes the requirements. It listed a $102 marriage license, no waiting period, original government photo ID for both applicants, and an online pre-application that stays on file for a year. Both applicants must still appear together to receive the license, so the license and the ceremony can fall on the same trip. Ember Moor does not issue licenses or perform ceremonies. It books officiants and confirms with the Clerk that each is authorized to solemnize marriages in Nevada before the first booking, and it checks the Clerk's current fee and process before every season.
Dana's former employer
Dana's resort employment agreement included a 12-month non-solicitation clause. She reviewed it with a lawyer before resigning, and Ember Moor takes no bookings from couples the resort introduced. Every Year 1 booking in the plan comes from a source that does not depend on that relationship.
Las Vegas Weddings: Who Comes and Why
Why people marry here
Las Vegas sells speed, spectacle and a single place to do everything. A couple can apply online and finish the license at the Clerk's office with no waiting period. That suits elopements, small guest lists and couples who live elsewhere. It suits full-planning clients less obviously: a destination couple of 60 guests still needs hotel blocks, transport, a rehearsal and a timeline for a city they have never worked in.
The plan does not use a market count. It sizes the business from planner capacity and booked weddings instead, as the operating section shows.
Planner pay as a cost benchmark
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median of $61,160 a year for meeting, convention and event planners in May 2025 and projects 6% employment growth from 2025 to 2035. The plan pays an associate planner $52,000 and a lead planner $66,000 at launch rates. The BLS median covers all event types nationwide. It is a reference point, not a Las Vegas wage.
Who a couple could hire instead
| Alternative | What it offers | Why a couple picks it | How Ember Moor differs by design |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resort and hotel wedding departments | Venue, catering and a coordinator under one roof | One contact, one invoice | Independent of any one venue, with commissions disclosed |
| Chapel in-house coordinators | Ceremony booking and a short package | Convenience and price | A planner who also arranges photography, flowers and the reception |
| Solo independent planners | Personal service | Price and personality | A team that covers the same weekend if one planner is booked |
| Online elopement bundles | Fixed packages booked on a website | Speed and a clear price | A named planner who answers by phone and visits the venue |
| Couples planning alone | No fee | Cost | Day-of coordination as the entry-level option |
Providers change their packages often, so this plan quotes none. Each publishes its own.
SWOT
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Eight years of wedding operations at a resort | Single location; the brand starts at zero |
| Three price points, so couples can start small | Year 1 loses money and draws on the reserve |
| Commissions disclosed up front | Dana is the only planner from January to March |
| Opportunities | Threats |
|---|---|
| Destination couples searching for a local planner | Resort packages that bundle a coordinator |
| Partner referrals from chapels and officiants | A bad weekend in peak season cutting referrals |
| Day-of couples who upgrade to full planning | Summer heat and travel costs pushing weddings elsewhere |
The Couples Who Book
Three kinds of couple use Ember Moor, and each arrives by a different route.
The eloping couple. They live elsewhere, book six to ten weeks ahead and want a ceremony, photos and a plan for the day. Many arrive through a chapel or officiant partner. They stay two or three days, and their fee is the smallest of the three.
The destination wedding. Sixty or so guests, flown in, with a reception and a rehearsal. They sign six to twelve months ahead, ask about hotel blocks and transport, and want one person who has been in the room before. This is the full-planning package.
The local couple with vendors already booked. They want someone to run the day. Day-of coordination takes the plan over about a month out. About one in five of these couples asks about full planning on the next occasion, a family event or an anniversary.
What every couple asks
A named person. A fixed fee. A statement of where the planner's other income comes from. A clear answer on what happens if a date moves.
From Inquiry to Deposit
The path to a signed agreement
An inquiry gets a reply within one working day. Dana, and later a lead planner, holds a 30-minute call, sends a written package proposal within two days, and signs the planning agreement with the first payment. Elopement couples are often booked in one call.
Payment calendar by package
| Package | At signing | Middle | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full planning | 30% | 40%, three months before | 30%, one month before |
| Day-of coordination | 50%, about four months before | – | 50%, one month before |
| Elopement and chapel | 50% at booking | – | 50% in the month of the ceremony |
Year 1 revenue in the model is shown when each payment is received. Later years count each wedding in the year it takes place, which means deposits for next spring that arrive in November sit outside the year they are paid. Customer deposits are not shown as a liability in the model, a limit disclosed in the financial section.
How deposits are held
Deposits go into the operating account in the model. Dana's plan is to move them to a separate deposit account that she does not spend from until the wedding is delivered, and to confirm the treatment with a Nevada CPA and counsel before opening. The planning agreement states what is refundable: nothing after the first payment, apart from a goodwill refund at Dana's discretion. Refunds for a vendor's failure, such as a chapel that cancels, are the vendor's obligation to refund, and Ember Moor re-books the couple at no extra planning fee. The refund allowance in the cost lines is $3,000 in Year 1 and $5,200 in Year 2.
Dates and cancellations
A date is held only once the first payment is made. A couple who moves a date within 12 months keeps the booking and pays any extra planner time at an hourly rate.
Where Bookings Come From
What Year 1 marketing buys
Year 1 marketing is $38,000: $10,000 of launch spend paid from the start-up capital and $28,000 of operating spend. That is about $373 per couple booked, or $275 counting operating spend only, and 17% of Year 1 revenue. The share falls to 7% in Year 3 and 6% in Year 5 as partners and referrals carry more of the load.
| Source | Couples booked | Spend | Cost per couple |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner referrals (chapels, officiants, venues, photographers) | 44 | $5,500 | $125 |
| Google Ads | 20 | $10,000 | $500 |
| Wedding directories and a bridal showcase | 12 | $5,000 | $417 |
| Social content and a styled shoot | 17 | $6,500 | $382 |
| Friends, family and Dana's personal network | 9 | $1,000 | $111 |
| Total | 102 | $28,000 | $275 |
The Google Ads line uses planning figures: $10,000 buys about 3,300 clicks at $3.00 each, 3% of clicks send an inquiry (about 100), and one in five inquiries signs, which gives 20 couples. A lower click-to-inquiry rate of 2% would cut that to about 13 couples and the cost per couple would rise to roughly $770, so the plan treats search as the channel to watch.
| Launch item | Year 1 | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Website and brand photography | $8,500 | Package pages, a booking form and a styled ceremony shoot with local vendors |
| Partner open house | $1,500 | Introductions to chapels, officiants and vendors |
Milestones
- January 2027: studio open, first elopements booked.
- February 2027: first five full-planning contracts signed.
- April 2027: the associate planner is working a full month and 2 weddings are on the calendar.
- October 2027: the busiest month, with 6 weddings and 10 elopements.
- December 2027: 102 couples delivered and 2028 deposits arriving.
How a Wedding Weekend Runs
The studio
700 square feet with a consultation room, at about $29 a square foot a year ($20,300 in Year 1), on a lease with a personal guarantee. Planners work from the studio on weekdays and on site at weekends. The ceremony stock (arches, aisle pieces, signage and lighting) is stored there. At the start of Year 3 the company moves to about 1,500 square feet, at about $45,000 a year plus $12,000 for the move, when the team reaches five planners and a coordinator.
Capacity by season
In Year 1, 22 of the 30 full-planning and day-of weddings fall in the six peak months, March to May and September to November. The plan puts about three in four weddings in those months in later years. It allows a planner no more than two weddings in one weekend, and treats elopements as weekday work.
| Year 1 | Year 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-planning and day-of weddings | 30 | 76 |
| Planners on payroll at year end | 2 plus a part-time coordinator | 4 plus a part-time coordinator |
| Weddings per planner in an average peak month | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Weddings per planner in an average off-peak month | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Hours are the harder limit, and the annual figure hides the season.
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours needed | 2,076 | 4,284 | 5,492 | 6,208 | 6,812 |
| Hours available | 2,588 | 4,825 | 6,175 | 7,188 | 7,525 |
| Share used, whole year | 80% | 89% | 89% | 86% | 91% |
| Share used in a peak month | 88% | 98% | 98% | 95% | 100% |
Hours needed are 12 per elopement, 80 per full-planning wedding and 26 per day-of wedding. Hours available are about 1,250 for each lead planner, 1,350 for an associate and 975 for the part-time coordinator, counted from each person's start month. The peak-month row puts 55% of a year's hours in the six peak months. The plan hires ahead of the peak where it can, and covers the rest with freelancers.
Peak-month staffing contingency
Three freelance coordinators are on call for the peak months, at about $350 a day, and the cost sits inside the 20% day-of direct cost. When a Saturday has more weddings than planners, a freelancer takes the day-of events, and a lead planner keeps the full-planning weddings. Freelancers do not take a full-planning wedding without that wedding's planner present at the rehearsal.
Package mix
| Year 1 couples | Year 1 revenue | |
|---|---|---|
| Elopement and chapel | 72 | 46% |
| Full planning | 8 | 24% |
| Day-of coordination | 22 | 20% |
| Partner commissions | – | 10% |
Marriage license logistics
Couples apply online for the license, then both appear at the Clerk's office. A planner schedules the license visit around the officiant and photographer, and checks the day before that both partners hold original photo ID. The Clerk's fee, hours and rules are as the Clerk publishes them, and the studio rechecks them each January.
Licenses, insurance and safeguards
- A City of Las Vegas or Clark County business license, depending on the studio's address (confirm which applies), plus Nevada state business registration.
- General and event liability and cyber cover, budgeted at $5,200 in Year 1. Workers' compensation is inside the 27% payroll on-cost. Venues and chapels commonly ask for a certificate of insurance before a wedding.
- A written planning agreement with each couple, covering scope, payments, commissions and cancellation terms.
- Nevada's Modified Business Tax on payroll, budgeted from Year 2.
Suppliers and advisers
Ceremony stock vendors, a payroll provider, a Nevada CPA and an employment lawyer on call. None is hard to replace.
Who Plans the Weddings
Dana Whitcomb, founder and lead planner
Dana worked in wedding services at a Strip resort for eight years, ending as the manager of the department's coordinators. Her $80,000 investment is those years of savings. She leaves to run a smaller practice where she is in the room with every couple.
Where the team is thin
Dana has not run a business or hired planners before. The plan covers this with a Nevada CPA, an employment lawyer on call and quarterly numbers reviewed with a mentor who owns a 10-person events company in Henderson. She also relies on partners for referrals she has not yet earned in her own name.
Hires
| Role | Month | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| Associate planner, full-service | 4 | April and May weddings need a second planner |
| Part-time coordinator | 9 | Scheduling and vendor paperwork before the fall rush |
| Lead planner, full-service | 13 | Year 2 needs 26 full-planning weddings |
| Associate planner, elopement and day-of | 24 | Elopements reach 140 in Year 3 |
| Associate planner, destination | 40 | Full-planning weddings reach 38 in Year 4 |
If Dana is out
The associate planner can run any booked weekend, and a freelance coordinator is on call for peak months. Dana holds key-person disability cover.
Ownership, the bank and security
Dana owns 100% of Ember Moor, LLC and gives the bank a personal guarantee. The bank also takes a lien on the studio equipment and ceremony stock, which are worth far less than the loan over time as they depreciate, so the guarantee carries most of the security. The loan carries a covenant to deliver quarterly accounts.
The Money Side
This section opens with funding, then lists the operating figures behind each revenue line, then the statements. Year 1 is shown month by month; later years are annual.
Funding the first season
| Use of funds | Amount |
|---|---|
| Laptops, tablets, printer, radios and a presentation and sound kit | $9,000 |
| Ceremony stock: arches, aisle pieces, signage, lighting and décor | $11,000 |
| Studio fit-out and consultation room | $6,000 |
| City or county business license, state registration and permits | $1,200 |
| Legal: entity, client contract, cancellation terms and partner agreements | $4,800 |
| Launch: website, portfolio shoot, partner introductions | $10,000 |
| Cash reserve for the first summer and the lean winter | $78,000 |
| Total uses | $120,000 |
| Source of funds | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dana Whitcomb's savings | $80,000 |
| Bank term loan | $40,000 |
| Total sources | $120,000 |
Dana puts in $80,000 of her own savings (67% of the total) and borrows $40,000 over five years at 11.5%, interest-only for the first six months. The bank takes a personal guarantee and a lien on the studio equipment and ceremony stock. The rate is a planning figure for a business with no trading history, not a quoted offer. The $78,000 reserve is spent rather than held: Year 1 operations use $59,302 of cash, and the lowest month-end balance is about $31,000, in December. The loan keeps Dana's savings from being the only buffer.
Operating figures
- Fees are $1,450 for an elopement or chapel package, $6,800 for full planning and $2,100 for day-of coordination, rising 3% a year from Year 2. Year 1 delivers 72 elopement packages, 8 full-planning weddings and 22 day-of weddings, 102 couples in all. The first full-planning contracts are signed in February, and a full-planning wedding needs six to twelve months, so the first one is delivered in August. Years 2 to 5 deliver 110, 140, 160 and 175 elopement packages, 26, 34, 38 and 42 full-planning weddings, and 34, 42, 48 and 52 day-of weddings, which is 170, 216, 246 and 269 couples.
- Installments follow the contract. Full planning is 30% at signing, 40% three months before the wedding and 30% one month before. Day-of coordination is 50% at signing, about four months out, and 50% one month before. Elopement packages are 50% at booking and 50% in the month of the ceremony. Year 1 revenue is shown in the month each installment is received. Years 2 to 5 count each wedding in the year it takes place. Deposits for the following year's weddings are not in Year 1 revenue and are not shown as a customer-deposit liability, so the December low point is partly a product of that rule. Real deposits for 2028 weddings would raise the December balance, but they would be owed to the couples who paid them, so the lower figure is the one to plan on.
- Partner commissions are shown as their own line. An elopement carries about $1,500 of chapel, officiant, photographer and flowers spend with partners, which pay Ember Moor 12% of it, $180 per elopement. On a full-planning wedding the company books about $34,000 of venue and vendor spend and receives 4% of it, $1,360. Every couple sees both figures in the planning agreement. Commissions are 10% of Year 1 revenue and 12% from Year 2.
- Planner hours per wedding are 12 for an elopement package, 80 for full planning and 26 for day-of coordination, including site visits, vendor calls and the rehearsal. A lead planner has about 1,250 billable hours a year after selling and admin, an associate planner about 1,350 and the part-time coordinator about 975, counted from each person's start month. Year 1 needs 2,076 hours against 2,588 available. Hours are not spread evenly: about 55% of a year's hours fall in the six peak months, so peak months run near full capacity from Year 2 and freelance coordinators cover the overflow.
- Direct costs are 8% of elopement revenue, 9% of full-planning revenue and 20% of day-of revenue. The day-of figure pays the assistants and second coordinator who work the wedding day, about $420 a wedding in Year 1. Full-planning direct costs cover printed materials, a design assistant on the day and card fees.
- Payroll adds 27% to wages for payroll taxes, health cover, workers' compensation and a retirement match (15% for the part-time coordinator). Wages in the personnel table are launch rates; 3% annual pay raises are charged as a separate line from Year 2. Nevada's Modified Business Tax is modeled at 1.17% of wages above $50,000 in each quarter. The Department of Taxation's page, gives 1.17% as the general-business rate from July 1, 2023 and says the first $50,000 of wages remains untaxed, and it announces a wage comparison resuming January 1, 2026. The 2027 rate and threshold must be confirmed with the Department.
- Rent is a 700-square-foot studio at about $29 a square foot a year, $20,300 in Year 1. At the start of Year 3 the company moves to about 1,500 square feet at about $30 a square foot, $45,000 a year, with $12,000 for removals and a larger fit-out, because five planners, a coordinator and the ceremony stock no longer fit in 700 square feet. Insurance is general and event liability plus cyber cover, $5,200 in Year 1; workers' compensation sits inside the 27% on-cost. Ceremony stock is replaced from Year 2 at $4,500 to $6,500 a year.
- The cancellation and refund allowance is 1.3% of revenue in Year 1, falling to 1.0% by Year 5. Planning fees are non-refundable after the first installment, so the allowance covers goodwill refunds and vendor disputes rather than lost fees.
- Federal tax is charged at the 21% corporate rate, with the Year 1 loss carried forward, as a cautious placeholder. The model includes no state income-tax line; Nevada's payroll tax is in the cost lines above. If Dana elects S corporation status, the profit is taxed on her personal return and the company keeps more cash. Both points need confirming with a Nevada CPA.
- Owner distributions of $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 are paid in Years 3 to 5, only from cash the model shows the company can spare. The loan runs to term.
Revenue by package
| Revenue stream | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elopement and chapel packages | $104,400 | $164,285 | $215,363 | $253,513 | $285,598 |
| Full wedding planning | $54,400 | $182,104 | $245,280 | $282,361 | $321,445 |
| Day-of coordination | $46,200 | $73,542 | $93,571 | $110,147 | $122,906 |
| Partner commissions (disclosed) | $23,840 | $56,815 | $75,791 | $87,943 | $99,743 |
| Total revenue | $228,840 | $476,746 | $630,005 | $733,964 | $829,692 |
| Growth on prior year | – | 108% | 32% | 17% | 13% |
Elopement packages bring the most couples, 72 of the 102 in Year 1, and 46% of Year 1 revenue. Full planning is 8 couples and 24% of revenue, and takes 80 hours a wedding. Day-of coordination is 22 couples and 20%. Commissions are 10% of revenue and follow elopement and full-planning volume, because day-of couples have usually booked their venue before they arrive. Year 2 revenue is 108% above Year 1 for three reasons: Year 1 is the opening year, the first full-planning contracts are signed only in February so just 8 weddings are delivered, and Year 2 is the first year with a second lead planner.
Month by month in Year 1
| Month | Elopement and chapel packages | Full wedding planning | Day-of coordination | Partner commissions (disclosed) | Total revenue | EBITDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2027 | $7,250 | $0 | $2,100 | $540 | $9,890 | ($11,510) |
| Feb 2027 | $13,775 | $10,200 | $6,300 | $720 | $30,995 | $7,521 |
| Mar 2027 | $10,875 | $2,040 | $6,300 | $1,260 | $20,475 | ($1,965) |
| Apr 2027 | $7,975 | $4,080 | $3,150 | $1,440 | $16,645 | ($5,419) |
| May 2027 | $7,975 | $2,720 | $4,200 | $1,440 | $16,335 | ($5,698) |
| Jun 2027 | $4,350 | $5,440 | $4,200 | $540 | $14,530 | ($7,326) |
| Jul 2027 | $7,250 | $7,480 | $3,150 | $540 | $18,420 | ($3,818) |
| Aug 2027 | $9,425 | $6,800 | $6,300 | $1,900 | $24,425 | $1,597 |
| Sep 2027 | $11,600 | $9,520 | $4,200 | $3,980 | $29,300 | $5,993 |
| Oct 2027 | $12,325 | $2,040 | $3,150 | $4,520 | $22,035 | ($558) |
| Nov 2027 | $6,525 | $4,080 | $3,150 | $2,980 | $16,735 | ($5,338) |
| Dec 2027 | $5,075 | $0 | $0 | $3,980 | $9,055 | ($12,263) |
February is the strongest month, at $30,995, because the first full-planning contracts are signed then: five 30% signing installments ($10,200) arrive for weddings in August, September and October, alongside deposits for spring elopements and day-of weddings. Revenue is lowest in December, at $9,055, then January at $9,890. EBITDA is positive in February, August and September and negative in the other nine months. December is low because the fall weddings have been delivered and next year's deposits are counted in the year of the wedding. Month-end cash bottoms in December at about $31,000.
Planners on payroll
| Role | Annual wage | Starts | Year 1 end | Year 2 end | Year 3 end | Year 4 end | Year 5 end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founder and lead planner | $82,000 | Month 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Associate planner, full-service weddings | $52,000 | Month 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Studio and client coordinator (part time, 25 hours a week) | $26,000 | Month 9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Lead planner, full-service weddings | $66,000 | Month 13 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Associate planner, elopement and day-of | $52,000 | Month 24 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Associate planner, destination weddings | $54,000 | Month 40 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Total payroll incl. on-costs | $163,637 | $289,403 | $349,940 | $401,375 | $418,520 |
Dana is the only planner from January to March. An associate planner joins in month 4, ahead of the April and May weddings, and a part-time coordinator in month 9 takes scheduling, vendor paperwork and elopement logistics. A second lead planner arrives in month 13, an associate for elopement and day-of work in month 24, and a destination-wedding associate in month 40. Each hire follows a rise in booked weddings, and the capacity tables in the operating section show the hours behind it.
Profit and loss
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $228,840 | $476,746 | $630,005 | $733,964 | $829,692 |
| Direct costs (event-day assistants, card fees) | ($22,488) | ($46,850) | ($61,910) | ($72,126) | ($81,533) |
| Gross profit | $206,352 | $429,896 | $568,095 | $661,838 | $748,159 |
| Payroll incl. on-costs | ($163,637) | ($289,403) | ($349,940) | ($401,375) | ($418,520) |
| Rent | ($20,300) | ($20,900) | ($45,000) | ($46,400) | ($47,800) |
| Utilities | ($3,000) | ($3,100) | ($5,000) | ($5,200) | ($5,400) |
| Marketing | ($28,000) | ($36,000) | ($42,000) | ($46,000) | ($49,000) |
| Insurance | ($5,200) | ($6,400) | ($7,800) | ($8,600) | ($9,300) |
| Professional fees | ($3,600) | ($4,200) | ($4,800) | ($5,000) | ($5,200) |
| Software subscriptions | ($6,600) | ($8,400) | ($10,200) | ($11,400) | ($12,200) |
| Site-visit mileage, parking and client meetings | ($5,200) | ($8,200) | ($10,200) | ($11,400) | ($12,400) |
| Licenses, memberships and continuing education | ($1,800) | ($2,600) | ($3,200) | ($3,600) | ($3,900) |
| Phones, supplies and printing | ($3,600) | ($4,800) | ($5,800) | ($6,400) | ($6,900) |
| Ceremony stock replacement | ($1,200) | ($4,500) | ($5,500) | ($6,000) | ($6,500) |
| Studio move: removals, fit-out and larger consultation room | $0 | $0 | ($12,000) | $0 | $0 |
| Cancellation and refund allowance | ($3,000) | ($5,200) | ($6,800) | ($7,600) | ($8,200) |
| Nevada Modified Business Tax on payroll | $0 | ($300) | ($1,100) | ($1,700) | ($2,050) |
| Annual pay raises (3% a year) | $0 | ($8,682) | ($21,311) | ($37,218) | ($52,528) |
| EBITDA | ($38,785) | $27,211 | $37,444 | $63,945 | $108,261 |
| Depreciation | ($4,857) | ($4,857) | ($4,857) | ($4,857) | ($4,857) |
| Interest | ($4,517) | ($3,804) | ($2,880) | ($1,843) | ($681) |
| Income tax | $0 | $0 | ($20) | ($12,021) | ($21,572) |
| Net income before start-up costs | ($48,159) | $18,550 | $29,686 | $45,223 | $81,151 |
| Start-up costs expensed at opening (legal, licensing, launch marketing) | ($16,000) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net income after start-up costs | ($64,159) | $18,550 | $29,686 | $45,223 | $81,151 |
Year 1 loses $48,159 before start-up costs and $64,159 after them. Year 2 is the first profitable year. The EBITDA margin is 5.7% in Year 2 and 5.9% in Year 3, held down in Year 3 by the move to the larger studio ($45,000 of rent against $20,900, plus $12,000 for the move) and the month-24 planner. It rises to 8.7% in Year 4 and 13.1% in Year 5. Income tax is zero in Years 2 and 3 apart from $20 in Year 3, because the Year 1 loss is carried forward.
Cash movements
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash from operations | ($59,302) | $23,407 | $34,543 | $50,080 | $86,008 |
| Equipment, ceremony stock and fit-out | ($26,000) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Funding received | $120,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Loan principal repaid | ($3,497) | ($7,624) | ($8,548) | ($9,585) | ($10,747) |
| Owner distributions | $0 | $0 | ($10,000) | ($20,000) | ($30,000) |
| Net change in cash | $31,201 | $15,783 | $15,995 | $20,495 | $45,261 |
| Closing cash | $31,201 | $46,984 | $62,980 | $83,475 | $128,736 |
Closing cash is $31,201 at the end of Year 1 and rises every year. Distributions start in Year 3. The loan is repaid by the end of Year 5. Customer deposits for the following year are not shown as a liability, which is a limit of the model.
Balance sheet
| At year end | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $31,201 | $46,984 | $62,980 | $83,475 | $128,736 |
| Accounts receivable | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Equipment, ceremony stock and fit-out (net) | $21,143 | $16,286 | $11,429 | $6,571 | $1,714 |
| Total assets | $52,344 | $63,270 | $74,408 | $90,047 | $130,450 |
| Bank loan | $36,503 | $28,880 | $20,331 | $10,747 | $0 |
| Paid-in capital | $80,000 | $80,000 | $80,000 | $80,000 | $80,000 |
| Retained earnings | ($64,159) | ($45,609) | ($25,923) | ($700) | $50,450 |
| Total liabilities and equity | $52,344 | $63,270 | $74,408 | $90,047 | $130,450 |
Margins and break-even
| Measure | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EBITDA margin | -17.0% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 8.7% | 13.1% |
| Net margin (before start-up costs) | -21.0% | 3.9% | 4.7% | 6.2% | 9.8% |
| Payroll incl. pay raises as share of revenue | 72% | 63% | 59% | 60% | 57% |
| Revenue per full-time equivalent at year end | $91,536 | $105,944 | $140,001 | $133,448 | $150,853 |
| Average monthly revenue | $19,070 | $39,729 | $52,500 | $61,164 | $69,141 |
| Monthly revenue needed to cover operating costs | $22,654 | $37,214 | $49,040 | $55,254 | $59,136 |
| Debt service cover (EBITDA / interest + principal) | -4.8x | 2.4x | 3.3x | 5.6x | 9.5x |
Year 1 averages $19,070 of monthly revenue against $22,654 needed to cover operating costs, so it runs a loss. Year 2 averages $39,729 against $37,214, and Year 3 $52,500 against $49,040. Debt service cover is negative in Year 1 and above 2x from Year 2. Payroll is 57% to 72% of revenue, which is normal for a business whose product is planner time.
If bookings run 20% short
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $183,072 | $381,397 | $504,004 | $587,171 | $663,754 |
| Net income before start-up costs | ($51,995) | $10,059 | $13,076 | $37,060 | $71,511 |
| Net income after start-up costs | ($67,995) | $10,059 | $13,076 | $37,060 | $71,511 |
| Closing cash | $27,366 | $34,658 | $44,043 | $76,376 | $141,997 |
This case cuts bookings in every package by 20% in every year. The response: the first associate starts two months later, every hire from month 13 starts six months later, the month-40 destination associate is dropped, marketing is cut by 20%, Dana takes a 20% pay cut, the company stays in the 700-square-foot studio, and no distributions are paid. On those terms it ends every year with cash in the bank, at no less than $27,366, and is profitable from Year 2. Year 1 equity ends at $12,005, so a bank net-worth covenant would be close to tripping and Dana would raise it with the lender early.
Sources
- Clark County Clerk, Marriage license requirements: $102 fee, no waiting period, photo ID and online pre-application.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Meeting, convention, and event planners, Occupational Outlook Handbook: May 2025 median pay and 2025 to 2035 projection.
- Nevada Department of Taxation, Modified Business Tax: 1.17% general-business rate from July 1, 2023, with the first $50,000 of wages untaxed. The page announces a wage comparison resuming January 1, 2026; confirm the 2027 rate and threshold.
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