What is a day of wedding coordinator and how can they help?

A day-of wedding coordinator — also known as a wedding day coordinator, a day-of wedding planner, or simply a wedding coordinator — is a couple’s best friend on their wedding day. While the couple prepares for, and enjoys, the day, it’s the coordinator’s role to make sure everything goes according to plan. They focus on everything from making sure everyone is seated and ready for the ceremony to ensuring that specialized meals are served to the correct people. Every small detail is within the coordinator’s purview. Put simply: They’re the on-site authority making sure that everything goes off without a hitch.

What are the duties of a day of coordinator?

At its core, being a wedding coordinator is about overseeing the execution of all your wedding plans on the big day. Managing vendors when they arrive, overseeing the final walk through of the venue, managing your wedding rehearsal, managing your wedding timeline, and more. You’ve already set the menu and hired the entertainment you want, chosen who will be giving speeches and told your DJ what songs you’d liked played for specific moments, and your day of wedding coordinator is there to ensure those things happen and give you a few less things to worry about. If you’re confident you can plan your wedding yourself but don’t want to sweat the small things when the date arrives, a wedding coordinator can be just the help you need. 

Is having a day of wedding coordinator enough?

Planning the entire wedding without a coordinator is stressful enough, so we highly suggest you hire someone who can handle the stress of “THE DAY-OF!” After months planning every aspect of your wedding, don’t leave the execution of your final details to chance. Brides often rely on family and friends to help carry out plans on the day of their wedding. When this happens, we often see the last minute mishaps before the ceremony go unnoticed as the family member or friend leaves the role of coordinator to get ready and attempt to be a part of the bridal room activities.

Remember, your family and friends are your guests also!

You want them to be able to relax and enjoy your wedding and not end up feeling like “event staff.”

What does a day of coordinator cost?

The biggest concern we hear often when someone is planning a wedding is in regards to price. Coordinator prices vary depending on location, size and complexity of the wedding, services offered, etc. Generally speaking, coordinators charge anywhere from $1000+. Again, this rate is highly variable. So couples should take stock of what they need the coordinator to do and work with them on a price that makes sense for everyone. If you see a fee of $2,000 for a day of wedding coordinator who only shows up for eight hours on your wedding day, you might think that is a bit hefty. However, with more information, we hope you can see the number of hours that truly goes into a day of coordinator’s base package. For many, their work begins weeks or months before your big day. It includes a venue walk through, wedding timeline planning, vendor conformation, contract review, rehearsal assistance, plus generally 14-16 hours working on your actual wedding day. Throw in frequent emails and calls with you and the vendors, and all of a sudden this day of coordinator is now putting in about 40 hours of work just for you.

Should you hire a day-of wedding coordinator? Explore 5 reasons to consider it!

01. Day-of wedding coordinators handle the unexpected.

Planners and couples alike do their best to make sure everything is ready for the wedding day, but even the best laid plans can go awry. Experienced coordinators are experts in handling situations that can be uncomfortable or out of anyone’s control. They’re well versed in making sure that each issue is handled discreetly and quickly so that couples aren’t even aware of it. For example, if there are crashers at the wedding, the coordinator will ask them to leave. If traffic prevents the live music from arriving on time, the coordinator will find a solution. If the father of the bride is missing before the father-daughter dance, the coordinator will find them. And so on.

02. Coordinators coordinate with your vendors.

A day-of wedding coordinator has many jobs, both leading up to and during the big day. One of their most important functions is coordinating with vendors. Coordinators typically meet with vendors before the wedding to make sure they’re aware of scheduling. They work with the caterer to make sure that they arrive on time and have time to set up. They make sure that any special dietary requirements are met and that meals, dessert bars, and any special food stations are set up and ready by the time everyone arrives. Beyond helping with catering, a wedding coordinator is constantly behind the scenes working with the venue, florist, decor team, and other staff members. They make sure the tables are set according to the couple’s instructions, ensure that the officiant is on time and the ceremony starts when it’s supposed to, and that all vendors are ready. They can even work with the photographer to make sure that the couple gets the wedding photos they want.

03. Wedding coordinators help conduct the wedding rehearsal.

Aside from the day of the wedding, a coordinator also usually assists with the rehearsal, too. Coordinators make sure everyone is on the same page and knows where they need to be and when they need to be there. From the processional to the recessional, the coordinator lets the wedding party and family members know what is happening and the order it is happening in. They also work with the officiant to make sure that any and all religious parts of the ceremony are respected.

04. Coordinators stick to the vision.

Day-of wedding coordinators generally begin working with a couple about a month in advance. This gives them time to confirm everything with the vendors, work on the detailed schedule, timing, and a floor plan. Most importantly, learn the vision the couple has for their wedding. Weddings are extremely personal for each couple. It’s the coordinator’s job to make sure that the couple gets exactly what they want and have paid for. This includes making sure all decorations are in line with the vision and that the aesthetic is correct. For example, if the couple is going for a minimalist wedding, a coordinator’s task may be to make sure that everything brought into the space adheres to that. While the coordinator isn’t generally involved in the development of the vision, they are well versed in making sure that everything is in its proper place at the right time.

05. Day-of wedding coordinators make sure the wedding stays on track.

One of a coordinator’s most important jobs is to parse through the details, and the timing of those details. They go through every part of the event, making sure there’s enough time for every portion and that all vendors, wedding party members, and family members are informed of that schedule. They create, own, and modify the schedule as needed, as well as make sure that it’s flexible enough to respond to any needed changes. Doing this means that the wedding will move forward at the pace the couple set and that all of the activities involved in the event happen and are enjoyed by all.