The 5 Best Wedding Planners in New Jersey
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Written by Annie Muscat
Editor & Publisher
- December 3, 2025
- 14 min read
- Events
Source: Peerspace
Whether you’re dreaming of a ballroom overlooking the Manhattan skyline, a historic estate in the suburbs, a laid-back beach club at the Shore, or a tented celebration on family property, a New Jersey wedding offers tons of possibilities. Couples clearly love the variety; nearly 45k weddings took place across New Jersey in 2024.
With that many celebrations happening each year, having a seasoned planner in your corner matters. A good New Jersey planner helps you balance budgets, family expectations, traffic, and venue logistics, all while keeping the focus on what you actually want from the day.
Explore these 5 top wedding planners working throughout New Jersey who understand local venues, regional quirks, and the realities of hosting guests in one of the country’s priciest wedding markets.
How we built our list
New Jersey’s wedding scene is busy and competitive, so we concentrated on industry leaders with proven experience and strong reputations. We looked for planners who can handle everything from classic North Jersey ballrooms to coastal weekends and tented backyard weddings.
Here’s what we weighed when building this list:
- Client reviews across multiple sites – Long-term, consistent feedback
- Industry awards and recognition – Features, lists, or badges from respected platforms
- Strong, diverse portfolios – Experience across seasons, guest counts, and cultures
- Professional certifications and affiliations – Memberships or ongoing education
- A reliable track record – Signs that they build realistic timelines, collaborate well with vendors, and keep couples calm even when plans change
Every planner featured here meets a high bar for professionalism, organization, and care. Their aesthetics and specialties differ, which gives you room to choose someone who matches your vision for the day.
Featured planners in New Jersey
Ready to kick things off? Browse these 5 New Jersey industry leaders who bring design sense, logistical skill, and steady support to the planning process. Explore their portfolios, schedule consultations, and notice how you feel in those early conversations.
1. Dee Kay Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: Dee Kay Events / Diane Kolanović-Šolaja
Specialty/niche: A luxury boutique planning and design studio based in Central New Jersey, offering full-service planning, partial planning, and wedding management for busy couples across the Jersey Shore, NJ, and beyond.
Notable projects or signature style: Dee Kay Events focuses on highly personalized, design-driven celebrations that feel intentional rather than “cookie cutter,” with work spanning estate weddings, coastal venues, and destination events. Diane’s background in law, tech, and corporate events shows up in the way she blends refined aesthetics with structure and clear strategy.
Pricing: Wedding day management typically costs between $4,750-$5,750. Investments for partial planning range from $9,750-$12,750 and couples usually spend between $11,750-$15,750 for full-service planning.
Why we love them: Couples who want to feel like guests at their own wedding tend to connect with Dee Kay Events’ approach. Reviews frequently mention how Diane anticipates needs, keeps communication clear, and handles the logistics so families can relax. The team has a reputation for staying calm and kind while still running a tight ship, which makes complex timelines, cultural elements, or elevated design feel achievable.
Learn more about Dee Kay Events on their website and Instagram.
2. Glass Slipper Weddings and Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: Glass Slipper Weddings and Events / Rachael Citron
Specialty/niche: A Monmouth County–based planning company offering full-service wedding planning, day-of coordination, bridal consulting, and party planning for couples across Monmouth, Middlesex, and Ocean Counties.
Notable projects or signature style: In business since 2006, Glass Slipper has guided hundreds of couples through New Jersey weddings of all kinds, from classic ballroom celebrations to eco-friendly, destination, military, and cultural events. Their portfolio leans into polished, romantic gatherings with a strong emphasis on smooth guest experience.
Pricing: Sign up for a free consultation to learn more about packages and pricing.
Why we love them: Rachael’s team is a smart match for couples who want experienced guidance without losing some of the excitement of planning. Feedback highlights how approachable and steady they feel, especially for people who need help turning a fairytale vision into something realistic. We also appreciate their range—from simple consults to full planning—which gives New Jersey couples flexibility to plug in help exactly where they need it.
Learn more about Glass Slipper Weddings and Events on their website and Instagram.
3. Petite Planning Company
Company name and founder/lead planner: Petite Planning Company / Amanda Dworkin (Adsit)
Specialty/niche: A boutique planning firm serving New Jersey, New York City, and Florida, specializing in full-service planning, partial planning, and month-of coordination for weddings and special events.
Notable projects or signature style: Petite Planning Company focuses on elegant, detail-forward celebrations that still feel relaxed and welcoming, with work featured on a number of curated directories. Amanda’s background in finance and marketing shows in the way she balances creative ideas with clear budgets, timelines, and decision-making structures.
Pricing: Wedding management starts at $2,800; petite planning at $4,500; and full-service planning at $9,000.
Why we love them: Couples who want both structure and warmth tend to feel very at ease with Petite Planning Company. Reviews note how organized and communicative Amanda is, which makes big decisions feel less intimidating and keeps everyone on the same page. We also love how she tailors support to each couple’s comfort level—some clients want a true partner from day one, while others need a pro to refine their plans and manage the final stretch.
Learn more about Petite Planning Company on their website and Instagram.
4. Lisa Ivler Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: Lisa Ivler Events / Lisa Ivler
Specialty/niche: A North Jersey–based planning, design, and styling studio offering bespoke wedding planning alongside mitzvahs, corporate events, and social celebrations across New Jersey, New York, Westchester, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and beyond.
Notable projects or signature style: Lisa Ivler Events is known for creative, highly styled events with a fresh, editorial perspective, showcased in hundreds of real-event photos on platforms like PartySlate. As an active member of professional wedding organizations, Lisa brings industry connections and design fluency to ballroom weddings, tented celebrations, and everything in between.
Pricing: Rates vary based on scope, location, and event complexity. Schedule a free consultation to receive a custom quote based on your wedding plans.
Why we love them: Lisa and her team are a strong fit for couples who want their wedding to feel polished and imaginative without losing genuine warmth. Reviews and portfolios alike point to a knack for cohesive design—everything from stationery to lighting feels considered—paired with logistics that keep the day running on time. Clients often mention feeling both creatively inspired and practically supported, which is exactly what you want from a planner who works across so many venue types and regions.
Learn more about Lisa Ivler Events on their website and Instagram.
5. Well-Dressed Events
Company name and founder/lead planner: Well-Dressed Events / Kristen Ligas
Specialty/niche: A full-service wedding and event planning studio based in Jersey City, planning stylish, personal celebrations for busy professionals across New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina.
Notable projects or signature style: Well-Dressed Events leans into polished, fashion-forward parties with playful touches—think strong visual concepts, sharp details, and a focus on guest experience. The studio has earned multiple Best of Weddings honors on The Knot and is frequently featured across major wedding platforms for its modern, energetic work.
Pricing: Submit an inquiry to receive a full pricing guide including package overviews.
Why we love them: Well-Dressed Events is ideal for couples who want their wedding to feel like a well-produced, personality-filled event rather than a generic template. Reviews call out Kristen and her team’s ability to keep planning organized and stress levels down while still championing bold ideas and creative risk-taking. Their combination of clear communication, vendor collaboration, and confident energy makes it much easier to host an unforgettable party and still be fully present for it.
Learn more about Well-Dressed Events on their website and Instagram.
Choosing the right NJ wedding planner
Ask where in New Jersey they actually work
A Jersey City rooftop, a North Jersey ballroom, a Shore club, and a rural farm all demand different logistics. When you talk to planners, ask which regions they serve most often and which venues or venue types they know well. Someone who regularly works in your part of the state will understand local traffic patterns, vendor options, and what’s realistic for your timeline.
Look for experience with parks, beaches, and permits
If you’re picturing a ceremony in a state park, at Liberty State Park, or on the beach, permits come into play. The New Jersey State Park Service requires a Special Use Permit for many organized events in state parks, forests, and historic sites, including weddings. Ask planners how they’ve handled state park or beach permits before, what that process looks like, and how far in advance they like to file. Planners who answer confidently probably know the system well.
Read reviews for patterns, not just star ratings
Scan reviews across multiple platforms and look for repeating themes. Pay attention to how couples describe communication, expectations, and what happened when plans shifted—weather, timelines, or vendor changes. When you see the same strengths mentioned over and over, you’re likely looking at someone who delivers consistently, not just occasionally.
Make sure they understand your cultural and family dynamics
New Jersey hosts a huge range of cultural, religious, and multi-day weddings—South Asian, Jewish, Catholic, interfaith, and everything in between. Share any important rituals or family expectations early and ask for recent examples of similar events. A strong fit will respectfully and enthusiastically weave those traditions into the day and coordinate with clergy, officiants, or elders.
Confirm that their planning systems match your needs
Some planners run everything through shared portals and project-management tools; others prefer email, documents, and regular calls. If you’re commuting into the city, juggling shift work, or planning from out of state, be honest about how you like to communicate. You want a planner whose systems help you stay on track without turning planning into an extra shift.
New Jersey wedding planning tips
Choose a season with New Jersey’s “big swings” in mind
New Jersey weather tends to give you all four seasons in full: hot, humid summers; cold winters with potential ice and snow; and milder spring and fall stretches in between. Many venues and planners report strong demand for fall dates thanks to comfortable temperatures and foliage, but spring and early summer can be beautiful too. Talk with your planner about your tolerance for heat, cold, and weather uncertainty so you can pick a season and time of day that feels realistic.
Build permits and public-space rules into your plan
If you’re eyeing a state park, Liberty State Park, or another publicly managed site, factor in the state’s Special Use Permit process and timelines. And if you’re drawn to a Jersey Shore beach ceremony, remember that every town sets its own rules. Your planner can help you pull together accurate information for your exact location so you don’t run into surprises close to the wedding.
Check statewide and local event calendars before you pick a date
Big festival weekends, beach events, and Atlantic City shows can drive up hotel rates and pack roads. Statewide and regional calendars like VisitNJ.org and Best of NJ’s events listing make it easy to see what else is happening near your preferred date.
Plan around traffic, transit, and crossings
New Jersey guests may be traveling via NJ Transit, the Turnpike, the Parkway, or bridge and tunnel routes from New York and Pennsylvania. Real-time resources like 511nj and the Turnpike/Garden State Parkway traffic alerts show how unpredictable drive times can be. Work with your planner to set realistic travel windows between getting-ready locations, ceremony, and reception, and give guests clear parking, shuttle, or rideshare guidance on your website.
Understand marriage license logistics early
New Jersey issues marriage licenses at the municipal level, but state rules apply across the board. Couples typically apply in the municipality where either partner lives; if neither one resides in New Jersey, you’ll apply where the ceremony will be held. Licenses are valid statewide (with some limits for non-residents), so confirm timing and ID requirements early and add the appointment to your planning checklist.
FAQs: New Jersey wedding prep
When is peak wedding season in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, many couples gravitate toward late spring and fall. Vendor and venue guides often note that September and October are especially popular, thanks to milder temperatures and foliage, though May and June also see heavy wedding traffic.
Do we need a permit to marry in a state park or on the beach?
For most organized ceremonies and receptions in New Jersey state parks, forests, and historic sites, the State Park Service requires a Special Use Permit and associated fees. Beach rules vary by town along the Jersey Shore—some municipalities require permits or advanced reservations, while others allow smaller ceremonies with fewer restrictions.
How does the marriage license process work in New Jersey?
New Jersey requires couples to apply for a marriage license with the local registrar in the municipality where either applicant resides; if neither partner lives in New Jersey, you apply where the ceremony will take place. State law sets age requirements, waiting periods, and documentation rules, so it’s smart to review the official fact sheet and any municipal notes well before your wedding week.
How far in advance should we book a New Jersey planner and venue?
For prime Saturdays in May, June, September, and October—especially in high-demand regions like North Jersey ballrooms, Jersey City waterfront, or popular Shore towns—12–18 months of lead time is common. Off-peak dates, Fridays, Sundays, and winter weekends may be available closer in, often in the 9–12 month range. Booking your New Jersey wedding venue earlier is often better.
How should we plan around New Jersey traffic/transit on our wedding day?
Tools like 511nj, Turnpike and Parkway travel alerts, NJDOT updates, and local traffic maps give a clearer picture of potential trouble spots. Share your ceremony and reception locations with your planner and transportation vendors early so they can build realistic schedules, suggest shuttle routes, and help you decide where to recommend hotels and parking for guests.
New Jersey wedding planners, join us!
Are you a wedding planning company serving couples across New Jersey? Peerspace highlights local industry leader talent and loves showcasing planners who create thoughtful, well-run, and visually compelling celebrations around the state. To be considered, complete our nomination form and tell us about your services.
Find a New Jersey venue that fits your celebration
New Jersey offers almost every kind of backdrop: industrial lofts and skyline views near the Hudson, grand ballrooms in the suburbs, vineyards and farms, Victorian shore towns, and modern hotels close to transit. When you match the right venue with a planner who understands the Garden State’s quirks, the day feels smoother and more intentional.
Still searching for a space that feels right? Explore unique, bookable-by-the-hour wedding venues in New Jersey on Peerspace and start picturing how your planner, your vendors, and your guests will experience the day exactly how you imagined.
