Jennifer Nolan Photography
No matter what level of planning you need for your wedding, having a professional in your corner to help with the details can make all of the difference. You may need a full-service planner to take care of everything for you, or a coordinator to help you on the day of the wedding. But what is the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator? These titles are sometimes used interchangeably, but their job descriptions are not the same.
The best way to break it down is this: A wedding planner plans and a wedding coordinator coordinates. A wedding planner plans your wedding with you or for you, and a coordinator coordinates what you’ve already planned.
There are different tiers of wedding planning from partial to full-service, all of which provide more services than a day-of coordination package. While the term day-of coordinator is more widely used, “month of” coordinator is a better description. Most coordinators will start working with you 4-6 weeks before your wedding. The primary duty of a coordinator is to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly by coordinating with vendors as they drop off items, ensuring the itinerary is followed throughout the day, and handling any potential curveballs so that you don’t have to. They will not create your itinerary, help you select vendors or renew vendor contracts, as this falls under the wedding planner umbrella.
Love and Grace Photography
Is a Wedding Planner or Coordinator the Best Fit?
Are you super organized and love planning events? Do you love the idea of researching different vendors and reading articles on wedding planning? You might do well planning your own wedding and hiring a coordinator for the day of your event.
Does organization and research make you cringe? Does the idea of planning your own wedding give you anxiety instead of excitement? Are you confused by the whole wedding planning process? You might consider hiring a wedding planner to take care of these details for you.
Time and budget is also a factor. You could love the idea of planning your own wedding, but don’t have the time in your busy schedule to dedicate to planning. This is a great place for a wedding planner to step in for full or even partial planning. It’s also important that hiring a planner fits within your wedding budget. If it’s not an expense you can splurge on, opting for a coordinator might be a better fit.
Hana Gonzalez Photography
Duties of a Wedding Coordinator
Like we mentioned, a wedding coordinator will coordinate the event you have already planned. A coordinator will meet with you 4 – 6 weeks before your wedding to go over the details about your special day.
Some of a coordinator’s duties include:
Holds a meeting about a month before the wedding to talk with the couple and get information about their wedding day
Keeps the wedding party on schedule per the itinerary
Meets and directs vendors on the day of the wedding
Lines up the wedding party before the ceremony
Directs guest from the ceremony to cocktail hour and the reception
Prepares the wedding party for the grand entrance
Coordinates with the DJ/emcee to announce the grand entrance, cake cutting, and other events
Do a walkthrough of the reception area to look for any items left behind
Coordinate cards and gifts go to the proper point of contact
Maddy Williams Photography
Duties of a Wedding Planner
A planner will handle the same tasks as a wedding coordinator, plus plan your wedding for you. Depending on what level of service you choose – partial planning or full-service – your wedding planner can handle some wedding tasks to planning your entire wedding from start to finish.
A wedding planner will:
Recommend and help book vendors
Create a wedding itinerary
Schedules and attends vendor meetings
Review wedding budget and offer suggestions
Help monitor wedding checklist
Review vendor contracts
Move décor from one area to another as needed on the wedding day
Assist with gown bustling
Oversee everything on the wedding day
No matter what option you choose, make sure you hire either a planner or a coordinator to be there on the day of your wedding. That way you and your family and friends can relax, while a wedding professional takes care of the details.
If you’re getting married at Rosemont Manor or Rosemont Springs, one of our experienced wedding planners can help make your wedding vision a reality. Not only do they know the venue inside and out, they are also well-versed in many different wedding styles and traditions. Check out more information on our wedding planning services.