HOW TO HIRE · EVENTS & ENTERTAINMENT · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a party planner in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A party planner in Ireland costs €300–€1,500 per party, typically around €700. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a party planner in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers party planner work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — budget Management — they provide expertise in creating and managing a budget, helping you allocate funds effectively across different aspects of the event.
- How does complexity of the event change the price?A fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does number of guests change the price?The count is the first question you will be asked. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does services required change the price?Two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Vendor Management — A party planner often liaises with various vendors, such as caterers, photographers, and decorators — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a party planner job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO DJS, BANDS, MARQUEE HIRERS OR ENTERTAINERS. What exists instead is insurance that venues demand and music licensing that the VENUE normally holds through IMRO and PPI, not the performer.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Public liability insurance at the level YOUR VENUE requires — ask the venue first, then the supplier, because the venue sets the number; For anything with a structure or a ride, the inspection or test certificate; A written contract with the date, the hours, the set-up time and the overtime rate; What happens if they are ill — a named arrangement, not reassurance; Whether they have played your venue before, and what the power and access are like; PAT testing on their equipment, which many venues ask to see.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect public liability, and employer's liability if they bring crew. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers party planner work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — budget Management — they provide expertise in creating and managing a budget, helping you allocate funds effectively across different aspects of the event.
A good answer: A fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: The count is the first question you will be asked. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Vendor Management — A party planner often liaises with various vendors, such as caterers, photographers, and decorators — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a party planner job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect public liability, and employer's liability if they bring crew — venue Coordination — they can assist in finding the perfect venue, considering factors like capacity, location, and amenities.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the party planner starts, and an itemised invoice after — theme Selection — A party planner will help you choose a theme that suits your occasion, whether it's a birthday bash, a wedding, or a corporate event.
Getting the quote right
- Complexity of the event — a fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one.
- Number of guests — the count is the first question you will be asked.
- Services required — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours.
- Materials — supplying your own can bring the quote down.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: complexity of the event — a fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one
- They will not talk about it: number of guests — the count is the first question you will be asked
- They will not talk about it: services required — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours
- A price for the party planner before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the party planner has begun
What a party planner costs: €300–€1,500 per party
The figures are for the job, per party, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Wedding planner and Corporate event planner each carry their own band. Party Planner price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Party planners near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstComplexity of the event — a fiddly job needs more care and more skill than a straightforward one — that is what the party planner is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneNumber of guests — the count is the first question you will be asked — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfServices required — two jobs that look alike can differ here by hours — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherMaterials — supplying your own can bring the quote down — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the party planner is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, influencing costs include the planner's experience level — training has to be paid for, and the rate reflects it.
- Theme Selection
- A party planner will help you choose a theme that suits your occasion, whether it's a birthday bash, a wedding, or a corporate event.
- Venue Coordination
- They can assist in finding the perfect venue, considering factors like capacity, location, and amenities.
- Vendor Management
- A party planner often liaises with various vendors, such as caterers, photographers, and decorators.
- Budget Management
- They provide expertise in creating and managing a budget, helping you allocate funds effectively across different aspects of the event.
- Wedding Planner
- Specialises in coordinating all aspects of a wedding, from venue selection to vendor management and day-of coordination.
- Birthday Party Planner
- Creates memorable birthday celebrations, handling everything from themes and decorations to entertainment and catering.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a party planner: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the complexity of the event, the number of guests, and the services required. Additional factors include the planner's experience level and the location of the event.
The duration of planning can range from a few weeks for smaller gatherings to several months for larger events. A good planner will work with you to establish a timeline that suits your needs.
Many party planners can coordinate additional services, such as catering and entertainment, which can streamline the planning process. Discuss your needs upfront to see what they can offer.
Party planners usually do not handle tasks like venue construction or major renovations. They focus on coordination, logistics, and vendor management rather than physical alterations to venues.
NO REGISTER APPLIES TO DJS, BANDS, MARQUEE HIRERS OR ENTERTAINERS. What exists instead is insurance that venues demand and music licensing that the VENUE normally holds through IMRO and PPI, not the performer.
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 the work must be carried out with reasonable skill and care, and put right if it is not. Say what is wrong in writing first.
MORE GUIDES