Whether you initially included a Wedding Coordinator in your wedding budget or not, they can be worth their weight in gold.
Wedding Coordinators work closely with a couple in the days, weeks and months leading up to the wedding to be sure no detail is left behind. They are in constant communication with your venue and vendors on your wedding day. They’re there to make sure your mom doesn’t miss you slipping into your dress while your venue needs to be set up, and ensures everything is in place for your dessert station and sparkler exit while your friends and family are dancing the night away.
Ultimately a Wedding Coordinator provides peace of mind and allows you and your loved ones to truly experience the wedding you’ve spent months planning.
We may be biased, but a Wedding Coordinator can be one of the most important vendors you’ll hire.
So if you’re unsure whether a Wedding Coordinator is absolutely necessary for your wedding, or maybe you don’t think it’s worth the money – here’s why we believe hiring the right Wedding Coordinator can be one of the best investments you can make for your wedding.
01. Timeline creation
A Wedding Coordinator will work with you to craft a solid, realistic timeline that encompasses every aspect of the day, from beginning to end. From the time you start hair and makeup, to your formal exit at the end of the night – nothing will be left behind.
They will communicate and work closely with each of your vendors to be sure not only everything you envision is accounted for, but that their needs are met as well. A Wedding Coordinator will think through the complicated logistics so you don’t have to.
For example – what to do when the photographer suggests the bride gets into her dress at 11am, but hair & makeup is slated to end at 11:30am and your videographer isn’t contracted until 12pm.
Another example – what to do when the caterer won’t be arriving until 2pm, but the florist needs to arrive at 11am and is expecting the tables to be in place and linens to be down.
A Wedding Coordinator will work through possible scenarios with you to find a happy medium that works well for everyone involved. Ultimately, they will then execute and manage the timeline on the day itself ensuring your wedding day runs smoothly and seamlessly!
02. Details + Logistics
With all the details and moving parts involved in making a wedding day happen, advanced planning is necessary to get all the logistics coordinated. A good Wedding Coordinator will meet with you on multiple occasions in the weeks and months leading up to your wedding day. They will take the time to walk through every last detail of your wedding, area by area if you will, reviewing your vision for the ceremony, the cocktail hour, the place settings, and even your dessert station setup item by item.
They will even conduct a site visit with you and review contracts and event orders to be sure every detail is accounted for.
For example – ensuring that the correct size linens are not only accounted for on the rental order but that they also match the correct number and size tables on the catering order.
A Wedding Coordinator will dig deep into every aspect of your day so that no detail is forgotten.
[Related: Investing in a Wedding Coordinator Part 2: From a Mother of the Bride’s Perspective]
03. Cheerleader
Wedding planning can be stressful at times, and it’s not unheard of for brides to get overwhelmed by the many questions and opinions that their family and friends may have throughout the process, especially in the final few weeks and days prior to their wedding. While it’s not a Wedding Coordinator’s job to continuously navigate family dynamics, they can however step in as a neutral party to help clear the noise, act as a sounding board and even help navigate disagreements or difficult decisions with valuable advice.
When hiring a Wedding Coordinator, it’s important to of course consider their experience and knowledge of the industry – but it’s even more important to hire someone whose personality meshes well with yours and one who genuinely wants the best for YOU and YOUR wedding.
04. Execution
Nothing can really substitute for experience. And having a seasoned Wedding Coordinator on the day of your wedding is so important. Not only are there many moving pieces when it comes to managing and executing a brides vision, but there also always seems to be something that doesn’t go as planned.
An experienced Wedding Coordinator will know how to handle each and every situation, always having your best interest top of mind. Without a Wedding Coordinator, as the bride you end up being the contact person. You’re the one making sure everyone’s on time, answering what feels like 100 different vendor questions and handling all the little emergencies that pop up. Managing all of that on your own wedding day can be stressful and takes away from you celebrating with your friends and family.
There are so many last minute stresses that can come up and you want someone who has been in the trenches before. Someone who has experience with vendors, experience with all the moving parts of a wedding day timeline and even experience with challenges that can suddenly come up. Having a professional Wedding Coordinator is worth every penny, and your peace of mind.
Xo,
Jess
Image by Ivan & Louise Images
Related resources
Investing in a Wedding Coordinator Part 2: A Former Mother of the Bride’s Perspective
Investing in a Wedding Coordinator Part 3: A Former Bride’s Perspective
What exactly is a Day of Wedding Coordinator?
3 Signs You Need a Day of Wedding Coordinator
19 Most Common Wedding Planning Questions Brides Ask
