As wedding planners, we often hear: “My wedding venue has a coordinator who can handle everything for me, I don`t need an independent person to plan my wedding” from brides who are in doubt whether tohire a wedding planneror not.
It is a common misconception there is no difference between the wedding planner hired by the couple and wedding coordinator that comes with the wedding venue. Most of the couples don`t have previous experience in weddings and events, so, understandably, they assume that the wedding coordinator (also called venue coordinator) does the same job as theplanner who they would hire on their own. After all, their titles sound so similar, so it`s no wonder couples get confused.
WHO DO WEDDING COORDINATORS AND PLANNERS WORK FOR?
WEDDING PLANNERS
This one is easy – thewedding planner works for you. You have chosen her/him and you hired them. Person in charge of planning your wedding day is completely focused on your wedding day. Most experienced planners take a limited number of weddings each year so they can ensure superb service.
WEDDING COORDINATORS
On the other hand, thewedding coordinator works for the venue. Most of their focus is on managing that everything runs smoothly within their facility and their staff.
Some venues rent multiple spaces, which means that their wedding coordinator will be juggling between different weddings/events at the same time. Also, it is not safe to assume they will make an effort to tailor the wedding to your needs, but probably will want to stick to a procedure they normally do.
WHAT ARE WEDDING COORDINATORS AND PLANNERS IN CHARGE OF?
RESPONSIBILITES OF WEDDING PLANNERS
Thewedding planner`s responsibilityis to make sure that all vendors are in sync and work as one. Their job is to make sure that everything runs smoothly and that means no detail is overlooked. This includes the venue, photographers, florists, musicians and any other vendors you might have booked. The planner also needs to ensure everyone is there on time and that the wedding day timeline is followed as agreed. Your dedicated planner will handpick each vendor that fits best with your wedding vision and budget.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF WEDDING COORDINATOR
Responsibility of the wedding coordinatoris everything related to the wedding venue itself, like that air conditioning is turned on and toilettes are clean. They manage the kitchen and wait staff, so they are usually off duty after the dinner is over. When it comes to managing the timeline, they are only responsible for the food preparations and service. It is not their job to know what is your first dance song and when to set on sparkles. When it comes to selecting vendors, a wedding coordinator will probably get you a list of their recommended vendors, but all the communication and collecting proposals will be a task of yours. If your wedding ceremony takes place off-site, the venue coordinator won`t be there to cue your walk down the aisle and make sure your vail and train are perfect.
DO I NEED TO HIRE A WEDDING PLANNER IF MY VENUE HAS A WEDDING COORDINATOR?
So, do you still need to hire a planner for your wedding if your venues has an on-site wedding coordinator?Definitely yes!A wedding coordinator will manage all the operations related to the venue and make sure everything venue related, but for everything else, you`ll want to have a great planner by your side. Venue coordinators have a different point of view, they coordinate from the venue`s perspective while planners do it from your perspective.
Don`t get us wrong,we love working with venue coordinatorsand they are very helpful when it comes to the venue related issues. We just want to make sure you understand the difference and can make a decision that works the best for you and your wedding.
To conclude – thewedding planner always has your best interest in mind!
To ensure you have a perfect wedding day, our most sincere recommendation is to hire a wedding planner. He or she will make sure your wedding runs smoothly and you will be able to focus on whats important – your perfect day. Do not hesitate tocontact usif you have any question regarding your wedding or fell free to check out all of ourwedding services.
