Planning your big day and feel a bit lost?!?! Thinking about hiring a wedding coordinator but have no idea what they REALLY do and if it's worth it?!? I am here to give you an in depth breakdown of what we as coordinators do, what we DON'T do, and if you "need" one or not.
First off, Wedding Coordination is professional trade skill. Not just anyone can start coordinating because they are organized and can communicate well though those traits are necessary. A coordinator knows the ins and outs of event planning, how venue and DIY operations work alike, expected budget breakdowns for each vendor category, traditions and trends, and usually a whole slew of other professionals to bring on board as needed all on top of having the ability to multitask and work well under pressure.
Coordinators ARE:
Your Investigators
We help you find, narrow down, and book (if within your package) all of the vendors you need to make your dream wedding happen.
Your Organizers
We help you to figure out where you're at, where you need to be, and help you come up with a plan on how to get there. Don't know where to begin? Or feel like you kinda know what you need but just need help getting it done so you can just enjoy yourself leading up to and for sure on your BIG DAY....we got you!
Your Professional Middle Man
We can become the liaison between you and all your vendors, all the way to family members and guests. Sometimes you just simply can't stay on top of all the back and fourth. Or sometimes (hopefully not...) there is drama...you don't need to deal with that....we got you!
Your Sweat Muscle
You don't want to have to be setting things up the day of your wedding! And even if you have the best friends and/or family members that are willing and ready to work....you want to be able to hang out with them as you're getting ready...stress free.....coordinators help set up everything from tables all the way do the place cards all while making sure every vendor is showing up and setting things up as planned!
Your Cheer Leader
You're most likely not going to have another vendor as invested in your big day as your coordinator! We are here from the beginning to the end! Helping you see your vision all the way through and it is the BEST, most gratifying, and most joyful job there is! We're going to bust our tails for you and make sure your wedding looks, flows, and ends just how you wanted it to, making sure you and your loved ones just get to fully experience and enjoy your celebration!
Coordinator ARE NOT:
(though coordinators CAN and often step into these roles as needed they are NOT part of what their professional role usually includes)
We are NOT Housemen
I know I said "Your Sweat Muscle". We bring on hands and/or organize set up teams as needed. But let's say (real examples from experience here) there is a table that wants a space heater moved to a different location mid event....most coordinators are not able to just lift that bad boy up and move it! And if you have more of a DIY event and there aren't paid staff members on site to do so....you may have to deal or see if your buff cousin could lend a hand! Or let's say it's southern CA in the summer and all of a sudden we get a rare cloudburst and it rains for 5 whole minutes soaking all of your tables, linens, etc because we didn't have tent planned as it was not scheduled to rain (because it never rains in CA)...(or you saw there was a chance and said meh it's not a big deal it probably won't actually rain)...we cannot move your entire set up event. But we will do our best to ensure the event still runs as smoothly as possible and guests are not left to deal with wet tables.
We are NOT Bartenders, Servers, or Cooks
You'd be surprised how often I get asked if I clear tables of dinner. Though I have no problem doing that and helping, that is not my primary role nor can that be expected on 1 person's shoulders on a large event. These sorts of roles should be hired on outside of your coordinator if they aren't provided through your venue and/or caterer. Can a coordinator grab a drink or appetizers for the bride and groom....or grandma....absolutely! But should that be expected for all of your guests? That would take away from what we're actually hired to do, which is keeping things on track and making food and beverages are stocked and being served in a timely manner etc.
We are NOT MCs or DJs
You ever hear your own voice and think, "That is NOT how I sound in real life is it!?!?" Well I think 8/10 x no coordinator wants to hear their voice over the sound system!!! Coordinators usually help come up with your itinerary and flow for the evening. That itinerary is passed on to all of your vendors and the coordinator is there to ensure everything remains within that pre-established timeline! But they aren't up there publicly announcing your Grand Entrance or fading out music and trying to fade it back into a new song. Still hoping for a DIY event and don't really plan on having a big dance party where someone needs to professionally be in charge of song transitions.....you still should consider having an MC that communicates clearly and sometimes entertain-ily (is that a word?!?!) to your guests!
What's It Worth?
Coordination usually runs about $1,500 to hire a day-of wedding planner, while a full-service planner ranges all the way up to more than $10,000. A "Day-Of" package is not just the day of! There is time and planning that goes into what "That Day" will look and consist of. My Day Of Packages usually consist of around 24-30 hours of work. You can do the math there but let's just think about the cost of a plumber ranges from $175 to $450 for a typical job per hour......There is so much time and energy that has to go towards a big event. There are so many little details and if we're being 100% honest, something always goes wrong...the benefit of having a coordinator whether you're just having Day-Of vs Full Service is that it you're not doing it alone, you have way less pressure and stress on your shoulders for ALL of the areas of the event! You don't need to know what you're doing...or you can know what you're doing but have someone else do it for you! In my opinion, it's worth its weight in gold!!!! Convinced?!? You can check out my packages HERE. Or have questions?!? Feel free to CONTACT ME!
