One of the questions we often get is “What exactly is a Day of Wedding Coordinator?” I love this question because it’s an opportunity for me to really express the importance of what we do, and why we do it!
An often misunderstood concept, a Day of Wedding Coordinator can be a life-saver for couples who don’t have the budget for a full-service wedding planner; couples who thought they could do it alone and then realize closer to the wedding that they do indeed need someone to execute the details; and couples who feel fully capable to manage and plan it all on their own, but then wisely recognize that they shouldn’t leave the day-of nitty gritty in the hands of their mom, maid of honor, or even a close family friend. Remember, your family and friends are your guests too, and you want them to be able to relax and enjoy your wedding right alongside you!
To shed some light on what a Day of Wedding Coordinator really means for a couple, I am sharing a little insight into some common questions we get:
01. What exactly is a Day of Wedding Coordinator?
As a Day of Wedding Coordinator, we do just that. We coordinate the details and logistics of your wedding day to make sure that everything you’ve spent months planning is executed exactly how you’ve envisioned it on the day of your wedding.
02. Do Day of Wedding Coordinator’s really just show up on the day of?
If you hire a professional to execute your wedding day, you will quickly realize they do not just show up on the day of your wedding able to manage and execute your ideas flawlessly without any prior meetings with you 1-1, site visits, or communication with your vendors. There is still a lot of work (and many, many hours!) that goes in behind the scenes ahead of time – from multiple consultations with the couple, timeline creation and site visits, to vendor communication, working through all your details and logistics, devising a game plan for the day of and much more!
At JDWC, we classify ourselves as Day of Wedding Coordinators, because it’s what resonates best with our ideal clients. Our ideal clients have a love for the details, and are excited to plan their own wedding – but have a deep desire to actually enjoy their wedding day with those closest to them. Our services begin anywhere between the 2-3 month mark, but we ultimately execute their vision on the day of. Hence, why we call ourselves Day of Wedding Coordinators. We have a high-touch, unmatched client experience that allows our clients to have complete confidence that we have a full understanding of their wedding and will execute it flawlessly on their behalf.
03. What kind of couple should consider hiring a Day of Wedding Coordinator?
This may sound biased, but I strongly recommend that every couple planning their own wedding hire a Day of Wedding Coordinator at the very least. If not a partial or full-service Wedding Planner. Planning your entire wedding without a wedding coordinator is already stressful enough, so the least you can do is hire someone who can handle the stress of the day. Your peace of mind (and your mom’s) on your wedding day will be the best gift you give yourself. And worth every penny – trust me!
[Related: Investing In A Wedding Coordinator: A Bride’s Perspective]
04. What kinds of tasks should a couple expect from a Day of Wedding Coordinator?
Each wedding coordinator is different, but depending on your arrangement they will meet with you on multiple occasions, do a site visit, and discuss all of the details you have planned, to get an idea of how you envision the space on your wedding day. He or she will review contracts and reach out to vendors. They will create your day of timeline, which will break down all the details regarding arrival times, setup and breakdown, where the bridal party is at all times throughout the day, photo timing, formalities, and more that encompasses everything from start to finish. Then on the day of, your Day of Wedding Coordinator will be there to actually see it all through, manage vendors and décor setup, and keep the day according to schedule throughout the entire evening.
05. Is it necessary to hire a Day of Wedding Coordinator if my venue already provides a Venue Coordinator?
Again, I may sound biased, but yes I do believe it is in your best interest to have a Day of Wedding Coordinator in addition to any venue personnel that may be onsite the day of your wedding. Although the roles may sound similar to each other, be aware; it is not the same. While Venue Coordinators can be extremely valuable and helpful on the day of (we love our Venue Coordinators!!), they often do not spend as much time focusing on the nitty gritty of your details and logistics of the day as a Day of Wedding Coordinator or full-service Wedding Planner would, and oftentimes are focused more on the venue side of things (catering, security, parking) vs. your details.
It’s important that you identify exactly what your needs will be both leading up to and on the wedding day, and know ahead of time exactly what your Venue Coordinator is willing and able to do. If your venue claims they have a Venue Coordinator available to you, here are a few questions you could ask that might help give you a better idea of how hands on they might be:
- When do we begin meeting to review details and logistics of the day? How many times will we meet?
- Will you be the person onsite the day of, or will I be assigned someone else from your staff a couple weeks in advance?
- When do we begin working on a timeline for the day? Will the timeline only encompass the reception, or will it cover the entire day?
- Who is responsible for setting up our décor on the day of? When do I hand our décor items off to you?
- Do you conduct venue tours with other prospective couples during our setup time? If so, who is managing the vendors and décor setup while you’re unavailable?
- Will you manage our ceremony procession? Do you help us determine who should be walking in with who, and the number of song changes we need?
- How long are you there on the day of? Do you stay through tear down, or do you leave after dinner?
By asking these questions, you can gain a clearer understanding of the Venue Coordinator’s role and determine if they will fulfill your needs or if hiring a dedicated Wedding Coordinator would be beneficial for a more comprehensive planning experience.
06. What is the biggest myth about Day of Wedding Coordinators?
06. What is the biggest myth about Day of Wedding Coordinators?
That you don’t need one.
[Related: Investing in a Wedding Coordinator: A Mother of the Bride’s Perspective]
That you don’t need one.
[Related: Investing in a Wedding Coordinator: A Mother of the Bride’s Perspective]
At the end of the day, a Day of Wedding Coordinator or full-service Wedding Planner isn’t for everyone and doesn’t always fit into every budget. We get that. But I would encourage couples to at least consider the idea and think about what’s most important to them on their wedding day. Do you want to worry about #allthethings that need to be done? Or would you rather be able to soak in every second of this special day that will already fly by in the blink of an eye?
I hope this gives a little insight into what a Day of Wedding Coordinator really does and provides you with a little more knowledge on how beneficial a DOC could be for your wedding day!
Xo,
Jess
Related resources
