Today, I want to talk to you about why discounting your fee is not the answer let alone undercutting your competitor. Not only does it affect your potential business growth, but it also reduces your profitability and ultimately impacts the industry as a whole.
Imagine Wedding Planner A charges £2,000 and Wedding Planner B charges £2,200. They both pitch for a job, and Planner B decides to drop their prices to £2,000 so they get the wedding.
The next time, Wedding Planner A might lower their price to £1,900, and so the cycle repeats until they are simply competing on price. Eventually, couples believe £1,900 is the going rate and won’t value this sector as highly. By cutting prices, businesses devalue the entire industry.
Pitching against each other is not a negotiation – you are damaging your bottom line, your reputation, and your relationships with peers.

Race to the bottom
When businesses start competing purely on price, they enter a dangerous “race to the bottom.”
The more you discount, the harder it becomes to justify your true value. Eventually, you reach a point where you are barely covering costs or even making a loss. Once a business is stuck at rock-bottom pricing, climbing back out is incredibly difficult – raising prices suddenly can alienate existing clients and make it harder to secure new ones. Instead of competing on price, businesses should focus on their unique value, expertise, and the transformation they provide.
Common pricing mistakes
Incorrect pricing: Many enter the wedding industry because they have a passion for helping couples create an amazing day. That’s great, but too often they forget they are running a business. Your fee must reflect your time, knowledge, and experience.
People-pleasing at the cost of business growth: Many of us enter the wedding industry because we love to serve, but don’t let that drive you to undercharge. Stop people-pleasing to the detriment of your business. I learnt this the hard way in my early days as a wedding planner. Over committing and under charging.
Focusing on social media over profitability: I see new wedding businesses spend more time creating curated social media feeds than on making their business profitable. Similarly, I see businesses take on jobs purely for the aesthetic, slashing prices just to get the images.
Peer pressure: Discounting to match competitors instead of structuring fees based on the transformation you provide. What is the value you bring to your clients? Forget about matching competitors and focus on your worth.
Reducing fees to fit a client’s budget: No, no, no! Never reduce your fee simply because a client can’t afford you. If they want to pay less, they should receive less. It’s that simple.
I met with a toilet company and asked how much was it to have an attendant at the wedding. Purely to keep the unit clean, no technical support and they charge £25ph. I know wedding planners who are charging only £3k for full planning meaning they are earning less than that attendant. I always remember my training with you 5 years ago when you taught me how to work out profitability.
Wedding Planner, Kent
Value-Based Pricing
You should be paid for the value you bring – your knowledge, experience, and talent. When you price with confidence, you charge from a position of power.
The moment you reduce your fee to match a client’s budget – or worse, a competitor’s quote – you lose your power as a business owner. Essentially, you are saying:
“You’re right, I was too expensive. I am not worth what I was charging.”
Instead, always focus on the transformation you provide. Why are you the right wedding planner or supplier for them?

How to handle discount requests
If a client asks for a discount, here’s how to respond:
- Shift the focus from price to value: When price becomes the focus, it’s harder to close the sale. Instead, highlight the value you bring.
- Position yourself as premium, not cheap: If you lower your price to beat a competitor, you brand yourself as the cheapest, not the best. Growing from the bottom is much harder. Instead, be upfront and say, “I’m not the cheapest. My fees reflect my experience, creativity, and business costs.” Most clients don’t want the cheapest; they want the best.
- Trust the process: If you don’t get the booking, it wasn’t right for you. Believe in what you’re selling. Do you 100% love your service? Are you confident in your price? Any self-doubt will be picked up by the client. If you don’t believe in you, why should they?
- Offer less if they want to pay less: Instead of reducing your price, ask them, “What part of the service would you like to remove to fit your budget?” More often than not, they’ll opt for your original package, and you maintain control.
- Stand firm on pricing policy: Make it clear that out of respect for all clients, you do not discount services. Instead, you provide high-quality service to every couple. If a client finds out you gave someone else a discount, how will that make them feel?
If you’re getting too many discount requests…
Ask yourself why:
Is your marketing, branding, and messaging suggesting a low-cost service while your pricing is premium? If so, there’s a disconnect. Either adjust your service or change your brand message.
Have you updated your offering recently? If your pricing is outdated but your service hasn’t evolved, clients may struggle to see the value.
Consider offering a smaller package for budget-conscious clients rather than reducing prices on your premium service.

Pricing for Profitability
I always encourage my clients to focus on profit, not just sales. Quality of bookings is more important than quantity.
Every business needs to know their bottom line. What do you need to cover costs? What do you need to make a profit?
Too often I see social media posts promoting a “six-figure business”, but the real goal should be “six figures in profit”. You could bring in £100k and spend £120k, meaning your business is at a loss. Extreme example, yes, but this is why understanding your profit margins is crucial, no matter what service you offer.
If you’re juggling a part-time job alongside your wedding business, how can you price to reach the level where you can go full-time? Profitable pricing is key – do your figures allow for sustainable growth?
Confidence is everything. Many business owners hesitate when selling certain services or products because deep down, they aren’t confident in them. If you don’t believe in your service, you won’t sell it well.
Final thoughts
Pricing isn’t just about covering costs – it’s about valuing yourself and the industry you’re part of. Discounting doesn’t just hurt your profits; it devalues your business and damages the sector as a whole.
Charge what you’re worth. Focus on transformation, not competition. And most importantly, price with confidence.

Are you ready to charge for profit and transform your Wedding Business?
Imagine stepping into your CEO role with complete confidence, knowing exactly what to charge to run a profitable, sustainable business. No more second-guessing your pricing or chasing low-budget clients who don’t value what you bring to the table.
I work with service-based entrepreneurs in the wedding industry who are ready to scale, attract high-end clients, and create more freedom in their business. If you’re tired of discounting, underpricing, and feeling stuck in a cycle of working too much for too little, it’s time to change that.
It’s time to build a business that supports you financially, creatively, and personally. Let’s work together to create a pricing strategy that allows you to grow, thrive, and get paid what you’re truly worth.
Photo taken at my 2025 Annual Planning workshop by Charlie Farlie Photography