In accordance with one or more embodiments, a planar surface wave launcher includes a substrate having a planar substrate surface. A planar antenna having first and second antenna elements on the planar substrate surface, the first and second antenna elements having edges on an aperture side of the planar surface wave launcher and opposing edges, is configured to transmit and receive first guided electromagnetic waves on a surface of a transmission medium. A conductive ground plane is provided on the planar substrate surface and coplanar to the planar antenna, the conductive ground plane having a mating edge with a shape conforming to the opposing edges of the first and second antenna elements, the mating edge electrically isolated from the opposing edges of the first and second antenna elements, wherein the transmission medium is spaced a distance apart from, and parallel to, the conductive ground plane.