Wedding planner vs wedding coordinator: whom do you need?

The pre-wedding time might be very exciting yet can also be the most stressful time of your life. The arrangements, decor, theme, changes, equipment, all of it has to be on point for your Big Day. The planning spectrum might go from ” I can do this easily” to ” How about hiring someone for this”. For this purpose, there are some specialised people who can help you with all your arrangements and other stuffs. 

Wedding planners, Wedding coordinators are a great investment for couples, but there can be a little confusion when it comes to the differences between them. While they might sound similar, there are actually some key differences which you should be aware of to help you find the best fit for your requirements. 

Wedding Planner: 

A wedding planner helps couples with the planning, organization, and management of their wedding. Brides and grooms often rely upon their wedding planner to be a calming presence and to also have control throughout the wedding process. A wedding planner will typically start by meeting with the couple for a consultation in order to understand their needs and wants. This includes not only the particulars for the wedding day itself, but for any other related events as well. The planner will also ask what the couple’s budget is, and based on that, explain what services they can expect to get for that amount. Getting a clear feel and understanding for the couple’s taste and their overall vision is important: wedding planners are known for their incredible organisation and multi-tasking skills as well as their attention to detail. 

Here is a list of all of the duties that a wedding planner can perform to help make your nuptials an absolute celebration: 

● Develop Design Elements 

● Initiate Family Mediation 

● Manage Wedding Finances 

● Offer Fashion Input and Expertise 

● Schedule Your Wedding Meetings 

● Send Off Invitations 

● Track Your RSVPs 

● Hire Potential Vendors 

● Plan the Guest Experience 

● Oversee Sound Checks 

● Manage Unruly Guests 

● Ensure No Moment Gets Missed 

Wedding Coordinator: 

A best wedding coordinator is pretty much a gift from the god on your wedding day. They make sure that your wedding day goes as smoothly as possible so you don’t have to worry about ANYTHING! A wedding coordinator is an external contractor booked by you and your partner. They differ from a full-service wedding planner in that their sole responsibility is to

manage and oversee the running of your wedding day itself. Unlike a wedding planner, they aren’t involved in any of the pre-wedding preparation like booking vendors or managing contracts. Instead, a wedding coordinator will step in around 1 month before the day and work with you in the final lead-up. 

The responsibilities of a wedding coordinator generally include: 

● A site meeting 1 month prior to the wedding, where you will discuss your plans, timings and contacts for the day. 

● Preparing and distributing your wedding day timeline. 

● Confirming final details with both your venue and suppliers. 

● Overseeing set-up and coordination on the day itself including managing suppliers and guests, setting up furniture and decor, moving items between locations, and handling last minute emergencies. 

Before you decide whether to go with a wedding planner or wedding coordinator, be sure to ask yourself these questions: 

● What is your general wedding budget? Are you willing to spend at least 10-15% of that wedding budget on the best wedding planner? If not, a wedding coordinator could be more friendly on your wallet. 

● How much time do you have to dedicate to planning a wedding? If it’s less than 3-5 hours a week, a wedding planner might be the way to go. 

● Do you have a lot of people in your family or circle of friends weighing in with conflicting opinions on all things wedding? If so, a wedding planner could help deflect all those little things that might come directed towards you or your fiancé. 

● Do you feel like you have the vision but don’t know the formalities of a wedding (like how to plan a seating chart or how long the ceremony should last?). A wedding planner could be a good option for you. 

In order to find the right supplier for your needs, take some time to think about the elements of your wedding you feel confident with, and the areas where you’d like some extra help! You’ll also want to consider how much time you have available to dedicate to your wedding planning and the amount of responsibility you can realistically take up to yourself. In the end, it totally depends on you and your better half to determine with whom to go ahead with as per your requirements and preferences.

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