Event Planning Business Valuation
Event Planning Business Valuation Calculator & Exit Planning Built for Planners
We built one platform that tracks your event planning business's value monthly, identifies exit gaps early, and ensures your personal finances align with your exit timeline.
1,000+ Businesses have joined YourExitValue.com
Most Event Planners Have No Idea What Their Business is Actually Worth
Current Event Planning Valuation Multiples (2026)
Event planning valuations depend on team structure, corporate accounts, and vendor relationships. Here's the market:
Every business is different. That's why you need to track your value.
Included in Your Exit Value is a complete Exit Planning Assessment where you track your progress quarterly against your results from the previous quarter.
Know your number and watch it grow
Most business owners guess at their value. You'll know it with precision.
Our platform uses six proven valuation methodologies to give you a complete picture of what your business is worth today—and tracks how that number changes month over month. No more waiting for annual appraisals or paying $15K+ for outdated reports.
See your trends. Spot opportunities. Make informed decisions
What Actually Drives Event Planning Business Value
Your creativity matters, but sophisticated buyers evaluate these factors that determine premium pricing:
Corporate vs Social
Strong Corporate Account Base
Social events (weddings) are one-time transactions requiring constant marketing. Corporate accounts—companies with annual meetings, conferences, employee events—provide recurring business year after year. A corporate client base with multi-year relationships is significantly more valuable than wedding-dependent revenue. Pursue and document corporate relationships.
Wedding-only = constant client acquisition
Team Depth
Event Managers Beyond Owner
If you're personally managing every event, you're selling a job. Having event managers who handle client relationships, coordinate vendors, and execute events independently demonstrates scalable capacity. Clients should have relationships with your company, not just with you. Build a team that delivers without your presence at every event.
Solo planner = key person risk
Vendor Relationships
Documented, Transferable Partnerships
Your vendor network—venues, caterers, florists, photographers—is a major asset. But these relationships must be documented and structured to transfer. Preferred vendor agreements, negotiated rates, and documented contacts enable new owners to leverage your network. Personal friendships with vendors may not survive ownership change.
Personal vendor ties = may not transfer
Recurring Contracts
Annual or Multi-Year Agreements
The best event planning businesses have contracts—annual corporate retreats, quarterly employee events, ongoing association work. Contracted relationships provide predictable revenue and transfer to new ownership automatically. Build toward contractual arrangements rather than project-by-project bookings.
Project-only = unpredictable revenue
Systems & Templates
Documented Processes, Event Templates
Can someone else plan events your way? Documented planning processes, event templates, timeline frameworks, and vendor management systems enable consistent delivery regardless of who's managing. These systems transform personal expertise into transferable business assets. Document everything.
Undocumented = knowledge walks out
Brand & Portfolio
Strong Brand, Documented Success
A portfolio of successful events, strong testimonials, industry recognition, and professional brand presence demonstrate capability that buyers can evaluate. Your track record—documented with photos, testimonials, and case studies—provides evidence that the business produces results beyond any individual.
No portfolio = unproven claims
How to Value an Event Planning Business
The U.S. event planning industry generates approximately $6 billion in annual revenue across thousands of companies. Event planners coordinate corporate events, weddings, conferences, galas, and social events.
Seller's Discretionary Earnings (SDE) is the standard valuation method. Event planning businesses typically sell for 1.0x to 2.5x SDE. Companies with corporate event contracts, venue partnerships, and a team of planners who execute events independently from the owner command the higher end.
Revenue multiples generally range from 0.25x to 0.50x annual revenue. Companies with corporate retainer contracts achieve the upper end.
The unique valuation factor for event planning is the corporate client base and venue relationships. Wedding planning is project-based and highly seasonal, while corporate event contracts provide more predictable, year-round revenue. Companies with established relationships as preferred planners for venues, hotels, and convention centers have built-in lead generation. The biggest valuation challenge is owner dependence — in many event planning businesses, the owner is the creative visionary and primary client relationship holder, making the business difficult to transfer without the owner's continued involvement.
The event planning industry has recovered strongly post-COVID, with pent-up demand for both corporate and social events. Companies with diversified client bases and strong operational teams are best positioned. Use our free calculator above to get your instant estimate, then track your value monthly with YourExitValue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What multiple do event planning businesses sell for?
Most event planning businesses sell for 1.5x – 3.0x SDE. Businesses with corporate accounts, team depth, and documented systems command the higher end. Solo wedding planners fall at the lower end.
Why are event planning businesses challenging to sell?
Because value often depends on the owner's personal relationships and creativity. Building a team, documenting systems, and pursuing corporate (recurring) business creates transferable value.
Who buys event planning businesses?
Other event planners seeking established businesses, venue companies adding planning services, marketing/PR firms expanding, and hospitality companies building capabilities.
How important are corporate accounts?
Very important. Corporate clients provide recurring annual business, unlike one-time social events. Building corporate relationships significantly increases value and provides predictable revenue.
How do I make vendor relationships transferable?
Document everything—preferred vendor lists, negotiated rates, contact information, partnership agreements. Ensure relationships are with your company, not just personal friendships.
What's the fastest way to increase my event planning value?
Three high-impact moves: 1) Pursue corporate accounts for recurring revenue, 2) Hire event managers so you're not handling every event personally, 3) Document all processes, templates, and vendor relationships.