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The Difference Between Wedding Planners and Coordinators

Updated: Oct 17, 2022

Got engaged and now start thinking about the wedding planning process, you may have heard the terms “wedding planner” & “wedding coordinator” and thought that they both are doing the same job.


Wedding Planner  Vs  Wedding Coordinator

The full-service wedding planner is the one who is with you during the majority of your wedding planning process and takes the role of a wedding coordinator on the day of your wedding while the wedding coordinator is typically seen as a separate person for those brides and doing the majority of planning themselves. Sound puzzled?

The use of a day-of wedding coordinator is one of the most popular wedding planning trends nowadays. A day-of wedding coordinator is usually known as a wedding day coordinator, they help engage couples in multiple beautiful ways for their big day.

Hiring a wedding Coordinator will help you to eliminate a lot of stress associated with the final days of planning as well as reduced the pressure often related to the day of logistics. A wedding couple should be able to enjoy their special day without worrying about the implementation of their planned details on the big days!

People frequently conflate the duties of a day-of coordinator with those of a wedding planner. A day of coordinator and a wedding planner are two very different things. Even though day-of wedding coordinating isn't a very novel service, it's crucial to explain what it entails, particularly for couples who are organising their own wedding.

On the day Wedding Coordinator in the UK, London

The wedding coordinator, on the other hand, works for the venue. Their main focus is on making sure that everything at their facilities and with their personnel functions smoothly. Some venues reserve many areas, so the wedding coordinator may need to manage several simultaneous weddings and celebrations. Additionally, it is not fair to think they will want to customise the wedding to meet your demands; instead, they are likely to want to follow a routine.

Everything linked to the wedding venue itself, such as making sure the air conditioning is on and the restrooms are clean, falls within the purview of the wedding coordinator. After dinner is finished, they are often off duty because they oversee the kitchen and wait for personnel.

They are only in charge of the meal preparation and serving when it comes to controlling the timetable.

A wedding coordinator's duties often consist of:

  • A site visit one month before the wedding (when you will present all of your schedules, contacts, and arrangements for the day)

  • Creating and distributing your timeline for the wedding day

  • Confirming the last arrangements with your venue and suppliers, such as the timings for arrival and departure and who will be responsible for what on the big day.

  • Controlling preparation and organisation on the actual day (including managing suppliers and guests, setting up furniture and decor, moving items between locations, and handling last-minute emergencies)

What Does a Wedding Planner Do?

Compared to a wedding coordinator, a wedding planner has more decision-making power. They may assist you with setting a theme or mood for the wedding, designing the decor, managing your budget, hiring the right suppliers, and carrying out the actual planning. A coordinator is there to ensure that the arrangements you made are correctly carried out.

Wedding planners focus on the details, from vendor recommendations and contract negotiations to carrying out your vision on the big day. The ultimate aim of every event planner is to inspire excitement among the guests.

Because of this, event organisers should think strategically while selecting the ideal location, entertainment, meal, etc. Meeting attendees' wants and expectations is essential for a successful event, but doing so can be challenging.

A customer's needs, vision, and budget are discussed through communication between the event planner and the client. For instance, the number of attendees and the event's formality should be decided by the event organiser. Determine the general tone and concept of the event as you plan it.

Day-to-day tasks

  • Helping to find settings for the ceremony and the reception's venues

  • Setting up and participating in site visits and appointments

  • Researching and reserving all necessary daytime suppliers

  • Assisting you to establish, assign, and monitor your budget (including managing invoices and payments)

  • Making and sharing a timetable for your wedding day

  • Coordinating supplies, and visitors, and dealing with last-minute crises! supervising setup and coordination on the day!

  • The ideal choice for couples looking to delegate the majority of their wedding planning to a professional is a full-service wedding planner.

  • The ideal choice for couples looking to delegate the majority of their wedding planning to a professional is a full-service wedding planner.

  • This choice is especially excellent for time-strapped, harried couples who might have to juggle wedding preparation with full-time employment, family obligations, and other responsibilities.

Final Thoughts

Consider the location, scale, and approaching date of your wedding as we talk about "major details."

Do you have a lengthy or brief engagement?

You will require more assistance the less time you have.

Are you holding a large party or a small ceremony?

You will require more assistance the more visitors you invite.

Do you intend to get married locally or elsewhere?

You will require more assistance the less acquainted and closer you are to your wedding location.

It is crucial to have a wedding planner on location, especially for destination weddings, which can recommend local suppliers and make choices on your behalf when you can't. If you're unsure whether a wedding planner is right for you.

Couples sometimes underestimate how much time organising a wedding truly takes, especially when they have busy social schedules and hard workdays. It can be overwhelming to know where to start when there are so many details to arrange, which occasionally causes you to feel entirely overwhelmed.

Knowing you have someone fully on your side, prepared to step into any circumstance to guarantee your day is exactly as you'd planned (if not better), might be the best investment there is. After all, with such an important event, you don't want to look back and wish you'd done things differently.





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