What Does a Wedding Planner or Wedding Coordinator Do on Your Wedding Day?

Q+A

Mar 29

You may be wondering about the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator, and if there’s any difference in what they are responsible for on your wedding day.

Your wedding planner is with you throughout the planning journey, from advising on a budget to supporting you with vendor decisions. We will keep your planning process on track, provide you with the right tools to stay organized, be your voice of reason and your advocate, and so much more. Then, when your wedding day comes, your wedding planner is there to manage the details and orchestrate the perfect day.

On the day of your wedding, sometimes our “role” (or at least, what people refer to us as…) shifts from “wedding planner” to “day of coordinator.” No hard feelings, but we prefer the term Wedding Coordinator.

A wedding coordinator is a professional who is responsible for pulling together all the wedding details and managing day-of logistics to perfectly execute your wedding day.

Couples who choose to hire a wedding planner for a smaller service package (wedding management/coordination) sometimes refer to their planner as the wedding coordinator throughout the whole process. Either way, your Wedding Planner or Wedding Coordinator will help you wrap up the details and manage everything you’ve planned on the day of your wedding!

Here’s just a glimpse at what we do on your actual wedding day:

Communicate with your Vendors pre-wedding to confirm their obligations, arrival times, set-up needs, etc.
Point person for all vendors – ensure vendors arrive on time, confirm their setup is as expected, assist with any questions, and provide timeline reminders throughout the event.
Orchestrate your Ceremony Rehearsal so everyone knows when to walk, where to stand, and feels comfortable for the real deal.
Keep your Wedding Party informed of the timeline and upcoming moments so no one goes missing before photos, runs late to the ceremony, or forgets their socks (it’s happened…).
Distribute personal flowers (corsages, bouquets, boutonnières).
Manage set-up of personal wedding decor (guest book, favors, escort cards, table numbers, programs, toasting flutes, cake cutting set, centerpieces, unity elements, etc.)
Confirm the ceremony & reception sites are set up as expected (correct number of tables and chairs, gift/guestbook tables in the right place, confirm aisle or arbor décor is set up properly, signage is placed, candles lit, etc.)
Serve as your hostess for the day, greeting guests as they arrive and assisting them with questions – so they don’t come to you!
Cue your wedding party for the processional to ensure a seamless ceremony.
Anticipate any wedding day hiccups and resolve them before anyone even knows there was ever a problem.
And assistance with end-of-night organization, such as packing your personal décor & gifts and distributing vendor gratuities (within our scheduled hours on-site).

But my venue provides a coordinator…

That’s great! However, their role in your day is not as personal as a wedding planner’s.

Whether you are interested in hiring a wedding planner to guide the planning process or prefer to hire a wedding coordinator to wrap up the details, your wedding planner/coordinator always has your best interest in mind. We advocate for your needs and ensure your setup and the flow of the day is exactly as you’ve envisioned it.

A venue coordinator’s role is to ensure their contract is being followed and to manage any building-related issues or needs. Ultimately, your wedding planner/coordinator will support you in ways that your venue coordinator most likely won’t. Learn more about the difference in our roles here. Learn more about the differences in our roles here.

Your wedding is such a special day and we want it to be the very best!

From pre-wedding prep to your amazing day of, all of our couples receive professional planning assistance and best-friend-level support all the way. You know you want a carefree wedding day, so let’s make it happen!

Learn more about our services.