WHY LUXURY WEDDING DECOR INCLUDES A PRODUCTION FEE (AND DESIGN FEE) IN TORONTO

If you’re planning a luxury wedding or upscale event in Toronto or the GTA, you’ll notice something in most professional quotes: a production fee (often a percentage) and a design fee.

And if you’re wondering, “Why am I paying extra on top of florals, rentals, and decor?” — you’re asking the right question.

Design is the vision, production is the execution

Luxury decor doesn’t happen because someone picked pretty flowers. It happens because a team plans, builds, transports, installs, flips, troubleshoots, and strikes an entire environment; within strict venue rules and tight timelines.

At Ethereal Creators, we charge:

• 18% Production Fee

• 5% Design Fee

They exist for two different reasons.

What the Production Fee covers (the part you don’t see)

A production fee covers the real-world execution required to bring your event to life: beyond the inventory and flowers themselves.

This includes:

1) Delivery + logistics

• Truck loading and packing

• Transportation across Toronto / Mississauga / Vaughan / Markham / GTA

• Fuel, routing, timed arrivals, and venue dock coordination

2) Install + strike labor

• Setup crew hours for full-room installs

• Strike crew hours after the event

• Night strikes, early-morning calls, and tight turnarounds

3) On-site production management

• A lead who manages timelines, teams, and decisions on-site

• Vendor coordination (venue, rentals, lighting, drape/rigging teams)

• Real-time problem solving when conditions change

4) Venue restrictions + time windows

Luxury venues often have strict rules that directly increase production complexity, like:

• limited load-in time

• dock access scheduling

• elevator-only installs

• noise/time restrictions

• union or staffing requirements (venue-dependent)

5) Risk + protection of product

• Proper packing and damage prevention

• Handling fragile decor, glass, candles, and custom builds

• Resetting and prepping pieces before and after events

Bottom line: Production is what protects quality. It’s what makes the event look flawless in real life; not just in a mood board.

What the Design Fee covers (your creative direction)

The design fee covers the creative and planning work that turns your ideas into a cohesive, high-impact environment.

At Ethereal Creators, our 5% design fee supports:

• Concept development and creative direction

• Design decisions that guide the full look (not random decor pieces)

• Sourcing and curating rentals and specialty items

• Styling decisions that affect photography and guest experience

• Revisions, refinements, and design alignment across the event

Design is the blueprint. Without it, you may still get decor… but it won’t feel intentional or elevated.

Why luxury weddings need both fees

Luxury events are not “drop-off rentals.” They are live productions.

Here’s what changes at a higher level:

• More moving parts (ceiling work, custom builds, large installs)

• More labor (bigger teams, longer hours, more coordination)

• More pressure (tight timelines, strict venues, higher expectations)

A production fee and design fee ensure the quote reflects the reality of executing your event properly; without cutting corners.

A real example of what “production” can look like

Let’s say your wedding includes:

• 200 guests

• 20+ guest tables + head table

• a statement backdrop

• an entrance moment

• candles + glass pieces across the room

• multiple vendor pickups and timed venue load-in

That’s not “decor.” That’s a full install, with labor, timing, safety, transportation, and on-site management.

This is exactly what production pricing accounts for.

How to compare quotes properly (so you don’t get fooled)

If one quote looks cheaper because it has “no production fee,” be careful.

Often, one of three things is happening:

1. The fee is hidden inside inflated line items

2. The team is cutting labor (smaller crew, rushed install, lower finish)

3. You’re not getting real production management — meaning problems will land on you

The best comparison is this:
What is included for execution, labor, delivery, management, timing, and teardown?

Because the prettiest proposal means nothing if the execution collapses on event day.

FAQs: Production fee + design fee for wedding decor

Is the production fee the same as a service fee?

No. A production fee covers execution logistics: labor, delivery, installs, strikes, management, and venue handling.

Is the design fee optional?

If you’re hiring a luxury design studio for a cohesive look, the design fee supports the creative planning that ensures everything feels intentional.

Why are fees charged as percentages?

Because the complexity and labor scale with the size of the project. A 10-table setup isn’t the same as a 25-table setup with a ceiling install.

If you’re looking for high-impact wedding decor with strong production execution, we’d love to help.

Ethereal Creators designs and produces luxury weddings and events across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, including full-room transformations, florals, curated rentals, and installation-focused production.