How We Are Paid

Last updated: 27 August 2026

Couples ask us this on almost every first call, so here is the whole answer in plain English, in public.

The resorts pay us. You don’t.

WeddingPlan360 is paid a commission by the resort when your wedding and room block confirm — the same way hotels have always paid travel agencies. That commission comes out of the resort’s marketing budget, not out of your rate: the wholesale group rates we contract are usually sharper than what you would get calling the resort yourself, because we bring resorts many weddings a year and negotiate accordingly.

We charge no wedding planning fees. There is no sign-up fee. There is no percentage of your budget. You pay the resort and your vendors. You do not pay us.

The only money we ever take from you is a $500 deposit — and it comes back

To start working together we take a $500 deposit. Every dollar of it is credited toward your venue booking — it simply becomes part of what you were already paying the resort. It is a commitment marker, not a fee.

Worth knowing when you compare: elsewhere in this industry you will find per-person room deposits that become non-refundable within a day, sign-up fees sitting quietly beneath “100% free” headlines, and planning fees whose amount is only revealed on a phone call. We think the fairest response is to publish our whole arrangement on a page like this one.

Our best price promise, in writing

Because our rates come from contracts we have signed directly with resorts, we back them publicly: if you ever find a better rate for the same resort, room category and dates — it has not happened yet — we will do whatever we can to match or beat it. The full promise is at price matching.

What you get for free, specifically

• Resort shortlisting against your guest count, budget and dates — from 90+ properties we hold contracts with, including honest “that one is the wrong fit” advice
• Negotiation of your wedding package, room block and fee structure — ongoing, not just at signing
• Room-block management: contract structure, attrition protection, deadline tracking
• A professionally designed wedding website where guests book rooms and submit flight details
• Vendor sourcing — photographers, décor, entertainment — done in house
• Email and SMS reminders to guests, airport and hotel transfer coordination, and 24/7 virtual support during your wedding

The one thing that costs extra, so nothing here surprises you: an on-site coordinator physically present on your wedding day is available at an additional fee.

Frequently asked questions

If resorts pay you, are you biased toward certain resorts?

Our incentive is your wedding confirming and your guests booking happily — at whichever resort fits. We work with 90+ properties precisely so we are never dependent on steering couples anywhere, and we regularly tell couples a resort they love is the wrong fit for their group. A wedding that goes wrong costs us far more than any single commission.

Is the $500 refundable or credited?

Credited — all of it, toward your venue booking. It is not a fee we keep on top.

Do you mark up room rates to earn more?

No. Our commission is paid by the resort from its own budget, and our contracted group rates are backed by our published price match promise — a promise that would be impossible to keep if we were padding rates.

What does a planning call cost?

Nothing. Book one here — you will leave it with real numbers either way.