How to decide if you need a wedding planner OR a wedding coordinator
Welcome back!
This week we wanted to touch base on a very common question about wedding planners and some misconceptions about coordinators. Almost every time I hop on a new client call, one of the first things that the bride says is, “I don’t really know what a wedding planner does, because I’ve never done this before.” It’s totally ok to have no clue what you’re doing in planning a wedding, because chances are you haven’t planned one before. The good thing is, you’re on the right path and your intuition was spot on to assume you should start planning your wedding by contacting a wedding planner. Now you’ve gotta figure out what a wedding planner does, what types of packages there are, and what will be the best fit for you both as a couple and your wedding day.
So… What are the differences between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator?
***I created that little chart above to help you visualize some of the differences in each type of planner/coordinator. It is a general outline of duties but things can fluctuate depending on who you book and what their services include.***
In general, if you hire a Full Service Wedding Planner or a Partial Wedding Planner you can expect more involvement in the planning process from start to finish. Oftentimes, your planner is even involved beyond your wedding day. He or she may help with your honeymoon arrangements or post wedding activities. This person is with you the entire process and is your go to pro for all things wedding. There truly is so much that you may not know when it comes to planning a wedding, because you don’t know what you don’t know.
We get tons of inquiries from couples who already know what they want and how to execute it and simply need help with eliminating any stress on the day of their event. This is often referred to as a Month Of Wedding Coordinator or a Day Of Wedding Coordinator. This type of planner or coordinator is great for that couple that already has it all together. The last thing you want on the day of your wedding is to be stressed with dealing with vendors, set-up, possible mix-ups, and managing the timeline all while trying to marry your best friend and enjoy the day. At the very least I would say a coordinator is a MUST. Not everyone needs a full planner, but if you want to enjoy your wedding you need to get a PROFESSIONAL wedding coordinator.
Wanna know why I put “professional” in all caps? Well, simply put… your mom or aunt or sister who is already married and planned her wedding is not a qualified wedding coordinator. Harsh right? Yeah I guess, but they have too much emotional investment in you and not enough experience with handling vendors, contracts, final payments, and working with vendors to ensure a smooth wedding day. Forbes rated wedding planning as the 5th most stressful job in the US. So, if you don’t want to see any stress on your wedding day don’t hire anyone who isn’t a pro. Plus, you should let (make) your family and friends relax and enjoy your wedding day. I had the mother of a bride come up to me at a recent wedding and tell me that she is so glad that her daughter opted to hire a wedding coordinator, because her first daughter didn’t and she (the mom) ended up doing it all on the day of. The mom admitted to me that she didn’t remember a single thing about the wedding and she couldn’t enjoy it because she was so stressed out trying to plan/coordinate it. So, ladies- give your mommas a break and hire the damn planner or coordinator.
It’s important to understand that your venue coordinator is not the same thing as a wedding coordinator. Yes, that person may also offer wedding coordination services, but they typically are a separate fee. A venue coordinator is there to ensure that everything with the venue goes smoothly. They are not going to assist you in the planning process outside of the venue scope and they are not going to manage your wedding day and timeline. They are there to represent the venue. A wedding coordinator is there to represent you and your wedding. Many venues may offer a venue coordinator that you can pay extra to have coordinate your wedding. If this is the case, do your homework on researching their track record as a wedding coordinator and consider them equally in the mix as you would consider all other wedding coordinator recommendations.
When you are planning your wedding day make sure you look at all your options with planners and coordinators and select which one you feel will best fit your day. It’s important to look over each package option and work with the potential planner to see what the best route to take is. Before you lock in on your planner or coordinator, make sure your personalities will match and that all expectations are discussed.
Further, you should definitely check out their reviews on WeddingWire or theKnot (or other review sites) to see what their work history with couples is. A true wedding professional that is reliable should have a 4.8 or higher out of 5 stars. I say 4.8 because there’s always a possibility that they had a bride that just could not be pleased no matter what they did… you know… bridezilla. At the same time, they could have 50 other 5 star reviews that rave about their experience.
I hope that all helps clear up any questions you may have had about the difference between wedding planners, wedding coordinators, and venue coordinators. If you still have some questions or wanna look into working with us, head over to our contact page and drop an inquiry. You can also check out the YouTube video that corresponds with this blog post!