What Is A Wedding Coordinator

You Have A Flexible Schedule

Should I Have a WEDDING COORDINATOR? (WHAT IS A WEDDING COORDINATOR?)

Wedding planning is time-consuming. It requires research, email and phone correspondence, payment planning, venue visits, and vendor meetings. It is a part-time job, so if you dont have the extra hours in your day to commit to planning or the time-off saved up to make dress-fitting appointments, cake-tastings, and venue walk-throughs, you may want to hire a more full-service wedding planner rather than a wedding coordinator.

If you do have the room in your schedule to take on the work of planning and the flexibility to make appointments, then you may not need a coordinator in the early stages of your wedding planning process. Also, if you have a long engagement and can spread out decision making and meetings, you can alleviate the hourly burden per week or month, making wedding planning more manageable on your own. In either of these cases, month-of wedding coordination can be just the level of service you need.

Types Of Wedding Planners:

Wedding Planner and Design Stylist This type of planner will handle all of the logistics and details, as well as help you pull off a creative design and style for your big day.
Traditional Wedding Planner A tried and true wedding planner will purely focus on all of the logistical details, budget, and making sure all of the systems run accordingly.

The Day Of Wedding Checklist

Checks in With the Couple

The first matter of business on the wedding day is to check in with the couple. The coordinator will see how they are feeling, if they need anything, and provide them with any important updates.

Keeps the Wedding on Schedule

On the day of the wedding, your coordinator makes sure everyone sticks to the prepared timeline as closely as possible. They are the ultimate timekeeper, and will make sure everything stays on schedule, plus shift things accordingly if need be.

Coordinates With Each Vendor

The wedding coordinator will communicate with each vendor as they arrive, make sure they have everything they need, and check that they have fulfilled all of their services as promised. The coordinator should have all vendor contracts on hand, so if anything is forgotten or not as expected, they can address it.

Keeps Tabs on the Wedding Party

The coordinator makes sure your wedding party is where they need to be at the correct time, whether that means in the makeup chair, putting on ties, or lining up for the grand entrance. He or she also keeps the bride tucked away, so neither guests nor her SO will spot her before her walk down the aisle.

Keeps Track of Important Items

Some of the smallest details of your wedding are the most important. The coordinator knows this and is in charge of keeping track of these crucial items, either by entrusting them to an assistant or member of the wedding party:

Wedding rings
Vows

Oversees Set-up and Tear-down

Puts Out Fires

Also Check: How To Address Families On Wedding Invitations

Wrangle Your Family Members So You Dont Have To Track Everyone Down

You know when its time for that rogue best man of yours to make a toast? Im going to make sure he isnt throwing down nips in the bathroom while hes supposed to be on the mic.

The beauty of a day-of wedding coordinator is that they are the go-to point person for the family and friends who have responsibilities at your wedding . While your other vendors are managing their set-up, your closest people know your day-of wedding coordinator can help them out with any questions or concerns.

Day-of wedding coordinators also help your photographer wrangle family members to breeze through the formal family pictures so you can dive right into those hors doeuvres youve been dreaming about.

What Does A Wedding Coordinator Do

A wedding coordinator oversees a couples wedding day. While a wedding planner assists the bride and groom to choose everything from attire, to music and food, your job as a wedding coordinator is focused on the execution of the actual wedding day. Your responsibilities include meeting with the couple a few weeks before the wedding, confirming vendor contracts and pre-established plans, and planning the logistics and timeline of the ceremony and reception. While you are not responsible for choosing any aspects of the wedding, you must ensure that they happen without issue. You are there to create a stress and responsibility free event for the couple, the family, and guests on the big day. Wedding coordinators usually work for an event planning company, but you can also work for yourself. Many wedding planners also offer coordination services.

Also Check: Planning A Wedding Under 5000

A Venue Coordinator Works For The Venue Not You

So the answer is yes, it does matter!

If they tell you they can handle things on the day of your wedding, its true- they can, but its only within a certain scope. And so, since Im kind of the person who says things about planning weddings that not many others will, lets chat a little more about this

A venue coordinator is looking out for the venues best interests. A wedding coordinator is looking out for YOUR best interests. The venue coordinator deals with everything having to do with the venue- food, setup, bathrooms, etc. A wedding coordinator will deal with aspects of the venue that pertain to you, such as setup, and will make sure everything is to your specifications.

If your ceremony is at a location other than the venue, your wedding coordinator will be there with you. A venue coordinator will not be at that offsite ceremony. If the ceremony is at the venue, the venue coordinator will be there to help with the coordination of the ceremony. But if theres an issue happening with the venue itself, you may find that your venue coordinator will be nowhere to be found.

A wedding coordinator contacts your vendors before your wedding to make sure everyone is confirmed and knows what time they will be arriving. A venue coordinator may contact vendors that have to do with setup of the reception, but its not common. Other vendors, like your photographer or hair and makeup, would not be contacted by your venue coordinator.

What To Expect From A Dms Wedding Coordinator

Wedding day timeline creation for the entire day of the wedding.

Be the point person for vendors so questions are diverted away from you and your family.
Help identify any flaws in the planning or any detail that may be missing
Provide Wedding Management and oversee the entire event.

Works with current restrictions or socially distant guidelines related to any state mandates at the time, ensuring your wedding is set up properly for everyones safety.
Make sure pictures run seamlessly and on time.
Direct and line-up your bridal party for the ceremony.

Cue musicians and entertainment.
Work with your officiant to make sure your rehearsal runs smoothly.
Coordinate the change-over .

Oversee that your reception runs and looks as planned.
Set up and style all of your details and decor.
Triple confirms that all vendors are on time and present.

Make sure that all your important wedding materials and memories get back to you and so much more!

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Choosing A Wedding Planner

Anyone can claim to be a wedding planner. The profession is unregulated and doesnt require any licenses, specific training, or official credentials. You may see the term certified or master planner by someones name, but thats an industry designation, not a state-sanctioned one.

That said, make sure a planner is a member of an established wedding planner organization, recommends Foster. In the U.S., the best known include the American Association of Certified Wedding Planners , the Association of Bridal Consultants , the National Society of Black Wedding & Event Professionals , and the Wedding International Professionals Association . It shows theyre a serious professional, says Fosterwilling to pay dues, subscribe to a code of ethics, and even take courses to maintain or advance their status.

The perils of an unprofessional planner were made clear to one Washington, D.C., couple, both attorneys. Right after they signed the planners contract, six months before their wedding, she ghosted them. It turned out she had a busy day job wedding planning was only her sideline gig. The couple ended up finding most of the vendors and venues and making arrangements themselves. Their planner did show up for and handle the day-of logisticsthough not seamlessly. As the bride walked down the aisle, sounds of a ringing phone filled the air the planner was playing the music through her mobileand had forgotten to turn off the ringer.

How Much Is A Wedding Planner And When Are They Worth The Cost

What Does a Wedding Coordinator Actually Cost and WHY?

Written by Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Apr 19, 2021

Between hunting for the right venue, finding that perfect dress and coordinating hundreds of guests, hiring a wedding planner can go overlooked. Quite often, the key to taking control of your wedding planning checklist comes down to allowing a professional to take the reins.

Recommended Reading: What Goes First Engagement Or Wedding Ring

A wedding coordinator is not a wedding planner. Its a completely different role.

Wedding coordinators are typically not involved in the planning process at all their work happens in the days leading up to and on the day of the wedding.

Wedding planners assist in booking vendors and designing concepts for the wedding. They work with the florist, caterer, videographer, and other wedding vendors to plan how the days events will go and what everything will look like.

Planners help the couple-to-be choose table settings, floral arrangements, decor, and music. They make sure the lighting is right and that the ceremony space looks exactly how the couple wants to look.

The wedding coordinator plays no role in the decision-making process. Instead, its the coordinators job to make sure that the couples plans fall into place at the right time.

For the wedding planner, its all about the look and feel of the wedding.

For the wedding coordinator, its all about logistics.

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Mirelle Carmichael

The wedding coordinator is a really important role. They make sure that all of the last-minute details are in place for the big day.

Theyre a second set of eyes, hands, and ears to help with the logistical details on the day of. The wedding coordinator exists so that the couple can enjoy the day stress-free!

Are You Suited To Be A Wedding Planner

Wedding planners have distinct personalities. They tend to be enterprising individuals, which means theyâre adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic. They are dominant, persuasive, and motivational. Some of them are also conventional, meaning theyâre conscientious and conservative.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if wedding planner is one of your top career matches.

How Is The Money Disbursed Are There Hidden Fees And What Is Your Cancellation Policy

Money and contract questions should be a crucial part of the conversation. Some planners work on a flat rate to produce the wedding, others work on commission, charging 10- 30 percent on the subtotal of the final cost of the wedding, said Ryan Hill, the owner of Apotheosis Events in Manhattan. Others work on a hybrid of both. Some planners may also receive money from vendors they have suggested for the job. My contracts state I dont do that, so it assures clients that I present the vendors best for the job rather than something Im going to get from the back end, said Mr. Hill, who presents vendors invoices to the couple for direct payment.

You also want to ask how my fee is structured, what is the payment schedule, and what my fee does not include, said Mr. Hill, which for him are hotel rooms, meals and travel. Because the pandemic was especially disruptive to the wedding industry, couples should ask planners what financial penalties are incurred for rescheduling or canceling. Couples should also ask if the planner has personal liability and professional indemnity as a business, and have a full understanding of force majeure, Mr. Hill said. Because it dictates the terms and conditions of liability for both parties when major occurrences beyond the control of both parties occur.

What Does A Month

Wedding Planning Plus: Wedding Planners In Action!

Do you need a month of wedding coordinator? To help you make your decision, we broke down just what a month-of wedding coordinator does.

If after asking yourself Do I need a wedding planner?, you made the smart decision to hire one, the next step is to determine which level of service is right for you. There are a variety of different wedding coordinators to choose from, each with varying levels of responsibility. To help make your decision easier, heres a breakdown of a month-of wedding coordinator duties compared to some other common coordination options.

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Arrive At Your Getting Ready Location With Everything You Could Ever Need

While your vendors set up at your wedding venue, a day-of wedding coordinator will come to your getting ready location and make sure the day starts off smoothly. During this time, theyll help you with anything you need, which might include:

Make sure hair and make-up runs on time
Make sure no one runs away, leaves, gets stuck in traffic or gets drunk prematurely

Bring an emergency kit full of everything you could possibly need. For example, my kit has Band-Aids, scissors, dry shampoo, earring backs, deodorant, tissues, a mini sewing kit, stain remover, Pepto, mints, wardrobe tape, hair elastics, Bobbi pins, nail files, make-up wipes, nail polish remover…ETC…so like, everything you could ever need.
Assist with your wardrobe including steaming dresses/shirts, tie bow ties, help sew a button back on, fix little stains
Pin boutonnieres and remove moisture from your bouquets when your floral gets dropped off

At go-time, fluff your train , assist with attaching, removing, fluffing and carrying the veil, and most importantly talk you through how to sit and go pee in your outfit

SO much happens at your getting ready location before you even step foot in your wedding venue. While your other vendors are setting up, snapping photos and applying hair and make-up, it is crucial to have someone there to support you with all the little things happening in the morning.

Assisting On The Wedding Day

The coordinator is available to assist the bride and groom with whatever they need on the day of the wedding. The coordinator is armed with hairspray, mints, tissues, makeup, perfume and anything else the bride may need immediately before the ceremony or reception. The coordinator may need to help the bride bustle her dress after the ceremony, provide more comfortable shoes, or assist with hair and makeup touch-ups.

References

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