Wedding Planner vs. Coordinator: What California Couples Actually Need
Whether you are planning an intimate gathering for your wedding or a large and elaborate celebration, hiring a wedding planner or coordinator is a must. Follow this guide to see which option might be best for your unique wedding needs, and to understand why you should steer clear of any "Day-of" coordinator.
Wedding Planner vs Coordinator
A Planner is someone that is with you from the very beginning. From the first vendor you book to the moment you walk down the aisle- a planner is with you every step. They source and vet your vendors, negotiate and review every contract, manage your budget, block your hotel rooms, and turn your vision into a wedding that actually works. They take a lot of the work and communication with vendors off of your plate so that you can focus on enjoying your engaged season. They work to bring your wedding vision to life.
Some planners offer partial planning services too- which is somewhere in the middle of coordination and full planning. Every package will be slightly different from planner to planner, so be sure and decide on what your planner non-negotiables are and use those to decide on the best fit for you. Remember, this is someone that you'll be working with very closely for the next 12 months. Make sure it's someone you'll get along with well, and someone whose judgement you trust.
A Coordinator is someone that you hire to execute your vision. A coordinator doesn't build your wedding- they protect it. You usually hire them at the end of planning, when you have all or most of your vendors already locked in. Stepping in a few months out, they build your day-of timeline, run point with every vendor, and execute the wedding you already planned. Hire a coordinator if you've done the planning and need a pro to run the room.
Beware: Anyone who advertises true "Day-of Coordination" is selling you something impossible. With all of the logistics involved in a wedding, it takes more than just showing up the day of the wedding and being organized to make your day run just as you pictured it. You plan your wedding for months (sometimes years)- why would you leave it in the hands of a stranger? Someone who hasn't taken the time to understand your vision, hasn't introduce themselves to your vendors BEFORE the wedding day, and someone who is enforcing a timeline they didn't create. I've heard way too many horror stories about these kinds of coordinators- they can really ruin the entire day.
Coordination is absolutely a very real (and helpful) service for couples planning their wedding. True day-of coordination; however, should not exist. If you're looking for a coordinator, hire someone that does Month-of Coordination (like me!) or a coordination package where their work with you begins before your wedding day arrives. I will say that MANY of my couples who hired me for coordination ended up getting burnt out on all of the wedding decisions and vendor communication as the wedding got closer and had wished they hired me for full planning in the beginning.
Remember when I said every wedding planner's packages will be slightly different, so you'll have to decided what your planner non-negotiables are and use them to compare planners and services? I know it can be difficult to even know what your planner or coordinator non-negotiables are if you don't have any frame of reference on what kinds of services are typically offered in each package. Below, I've included a comparison of what I include in my base coordination and planning packages if you'd like to use that as your starting point.
Included in all packages:
Wedding day coffee for the Bride and Groom
Wedding Emergency Kit & Problem-solving
Setup of personal items and packing them up at the end of the day
Working closely with other vendors on wedding day timeline
Distributing vendor tips and cards
Free planning templates and checklists
Access to Alexandria for advice, questions, vendor recommendations, etc.
25-35% off of Minted customizable wedding stationery
20% off of tuxedo rentals from Generation Tux
10% off of preserved floral keepsakes
And potentially other seasonal vendor discounts
Welcome packet
Coordination
Recommended to start 3-4 months or more out
2 In-person or virtual detail appointments (+venue walkthrough)
10 hours of on-the-floor coordination on the wedding day
Unlimited phone calls and emails to your coordinator
Creating a day-of timeline and distributing it to vendors
Facilitating set up and breakdown on the day of your wedding
Vendor recommendations for any vendors you still need
All week-of communication with vendors & vendor wrap-up
Important reminders as the wedding day approaches
Planning
Recommended to start 9-12 months or more out
All logistical communication with vendors (for up to 12 vendors)
Budget management
2 Venue walkthroughs + 10 virtual planning meetings
Unlimited communication with your planner (available by text, phone call, email) with a 48 hour guaranteed response time Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm when not on vacation or working an event
Creating a day-of timeline and distributing it to vendors
Vendor sourcing and selection
Keeping you on track with vendor contracts & payments
Managing ceremony & reception logistics
Important reminders as the wedding day approaches
Ceremony and reception setup and breakdown (up to 12 hours of labor on the wedding day)
Contingency planning & crisis management
Welcome gift
If you're very new to wedding planning and you are still unsure of what you need, my wedding planning guide, Engaged, Not Overwhelmed, might be a great place to start! It's a guided workbook with wedding planning advice woven through for every stage of planning. Sometimes you just have to start the process to understand exactly what you are needing and that's okay!
I hear many couples argue that they didn't budget for a full planner, and I just know they're going to regret it. It may seem like just another expense, but hiring a wedding planner is one of the best investments you can make for your wedding, and for your peace of mind. Wedding planning is usually a lot more work than most couples realize when they start. I cover more on this in my blog post Why Hiring a Wedding Planner is Actually an Investment in Yourself.
Planning a California wedding? Book a discovery call with me today.
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