WEDDING PLANNER VS. WEDDING COORDINATOR
The wedding planner & coordinator roles are the most alike of the services that I’ve listed. However, a wedding planner typically includes the day of coordination but a coordinator does not include planning. In either case though, the planner or coordinator’s role is to work as your agent, communicate your needs, and hold the big picture
We hear a lot of different terms used to describe similar but different roles within the wedding that relate to the wedding planner role. I want to shed some light on the differences that these roles have to help you make the best choice for your needs. It is worth noting that some vendors may provide these individual services or a combination of them. You will want to request clarification when interviewing vendors to make sure that your bases are covered.
Wedding Decorator
This vendor specializes in decor installation. You will provide the decor & the design. They may also provide tear down services post event as well. In most cases, their service is labor only and does not include any product. This service does not include coordination or organizational services in most cases.
Wedding Designer
As the name suggests, this vendor works with you during the planning process to create the design aesthetic. This encompasses colors & motif, table settings, fonts, stationery & signage, floral selections, linens, lighting etc. It is important to clarify installation services with this vendor such as how they coordinate with venue/rental companies/and florists as needed.
Wedding Coordinator/Day of Coordinator/Day of Management
I find a range of services that vendors provide under these terms. Frequently the working relationship with this vendor begins somewhere around one month prior to the wedding. At this point most of the planning will be completed but all of the plans down to minute detail will need to be communicated to the wedding coordinator. They will likely help you create or refine the day of timeline, help you submit final numbers to the caterer, venue & rental companies. Sometimes this service will include a walkthrough of the venue prior to the rehearsal. Otherwise, they will provide coordination services at the rehearsal, working with the officiant. On the wedding day, typically they will assist vendors as they arrive onsite to get settled in. This service may also include some decor set up & tear down as well. Their main focus will be to coordinate between you, the bridal party, family, and vendors. This coordination is communicating in real time between all of the involved parties to make sure that everyone is kept current with schedule and plans. The role of an independent coordinator is different from a venue coordinator. A venue coordinator’s role first and foremost is as an employee of the venue. They are responsible to oversee venue staff and the service that you are receiving from the venue. An independent coordinator’s first responsibility is to oversee your day and the service that you are receiving from all of your vendors. A venue coordinator and an independent coordinator’s roles are complimentary to each other, not opposed.
Wedding Planner
This is the most involved of all roles here. A wedding planner becomes involved as soon as you hire them. You will get the most benefit from their services if you hire them at the very beginning of your planning process prior to hiring any of your other vendors. However, if you have already started planning and realized later that you desire to have that role filled by a pro, you will still gain benefit from hiring one in your current stage. A wedding planner’s role is to assist you with defining your desires, vision, and budget for the wedding day. They will be able to help you set expectations and create the steps to achieve the vision. Their role throughout the planning and on the wedding day is to act as the agent of the couple. They will advocate for you with vendors & other involved parties. It’s their responsibility to learn the individual workings of each of your vendor’s services to ensure that the roles are coordinated in sync with each other. This allows you to receive the best outcomes from each vendor and cohesive organization of the wedding day.
In conclusion
The wedding planner & coordinator roles are the most alike of the services that I’ve listed. However, a wedding planner typically includes the day of coordination but a coordinator does not include planning. In either case though, the planner or coordinator’s role is to work as your agent, communicate your needs, and hold the big picture in mind as the planning and wedding occur. As a wedding planner, I completely understand the desire to plan & design your own wedding. I understand that there may be multiple motivations to DIY-the exercise of creativity, concern that your vision may not be achieved by someone else, or budget. However, I would like to bring up just a couple of considerations for you. First, you will need to be very intentional about ensuring that wedding planning doesn’t take away from these precious moments of your life. Second, create a plan for boundaries with volunteer wedding planners that pop up in your life-family members or friends. Whatever direction you take, make sure that your relationship and marriage are kept front and center!
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Kate & Dylan - Keuka Lake Intimate Wedding
This summer is the story of intimate weddings, elopements, and many plans being changed. Kate & Dylan’s story is one of planning their dream wedding for over a year to discovering that their venue was unable to host their wedding just weeks
This summer is the story of intimate weddings, elopements, and many plans being changed. Kate & Dylan’s story is one of planning their dream wedding for over a year to discovering that their venue was unable to host their wedding just weeks before the wedding date. At this point they contacted me as they were working on redirecting their plans towards a second option. With ever changing wedding restrictions due to Covid-19, the second plan just didn’t feel right for them. With just 3-4 weeks left before the wedding, they chose to get married at their family cottage on Keuka Lake. I know this wasn’t the dream that they had had throughout the time that they had been planning and dreaming but the day that they had was so lovely and intimate and genuine that it felt truly complete. Despite the grief of dreams and plans being dashed, I’m seeing such a beautiful resilience shine through with my couples this year. Their dedication to their marriage and the value that they approach it with under challenging circumstances is apparent. Kate & Dylan, I wish you the very best in your marriage!
Wedding Vendors:
Photographer/Videographer: Wonder in Adagio
Planning: Radiant Events
Floral Designer: Foote Floral Design
Catering: Lake Country Catering
Cake: Simple Sweets Bakery
Bridal Dress: Ever After Bridal
Styling: Bridal Biz Beauty
DJ: Don and Moon DJ Duo
Ceremony Musicians: Silver Arrow Band
Help, I Don't Know Where to Start!
Wedding planning includes many steps which can be overwhelming. Here you’ll find the starting point which will set you up for planning success.
Create Your Wedding Budget
One of the most common statements I hear (often with a little frustration!), is “We don’t know where to start with planning the wedding.” I have good news for you! There are practical steps that will lead you from that overwhelmed place to laying the foundation for a successful wedding planning experience. Today the very important first step that we’ll be talking about is budget. Once you have the ring on your finger, the first item that I recommend on your to-do list in wedding planning is to determine the total dollar amount you want to spend. At this point, this number isn’t set in stone but will help guide some of the dreaming in the next stages of planning. Calculate the amount that you personally will be able to budget towards the wedding. If you have family members that have offered to contribute, add their amounts to this number. If your ideal budget is above the actual money that you have on hand, your next step is to either create a plan to cover the shortfall (allow more time to save) or shift your priorities to meet the amount that you have on hand.
Wedding Budget Contributors
While we’re talking about others contributing to your budget, I highly recommend that their contribution is a specific monetary amount that they’re comfortable giving (such as $5,000) rather than them “sponsoring” a category of your wedding planning. The reason for this is to avoid a conflict over cost and vendor style in their chosen category. For example, if a family member offers to cover the cost of your wedding photography, they will want to be part of the selection process for your wedding photographer. They may not be prepared to spend the amount that you had budgeted for wedding photography or may simply want to have more control over the style of your wedding photographer.
Wedding Budget by Category
When you have your total budget number in hand, break that budget down by individual category. Once you do this, you’ll be able to see if your budget is workable, or if there are categories that need be a lower priority or cut completely. You can find out the industry average cost of wedding vendors in your area by working with a local wedding planner or by searching with tools like The Knot or Wedding Wire.
Ways to Save on Your Wedding
The number one (and most awkward) way to save in wedding planning is to trim your guest list. Most of your wedding costs are dependent on the number of guests that you have. Another way to save is to eliminate categories that aren’t as important to you. Although it may seem like a smart way to save, I don’t recommend hiring the cheapest vendors that you can find. Your vendors should be hired based on your confidence in their quality of service.
Wedding Guest Etiquette
As a wedding photographer and wedding planner, we see poor wedding guest etiquette as well as some great etiquette. We’ve compiled some tips to prepare you to be a favorite guest.
It’s Not About You
This is not your wedding day, so it’s ok if it’s not your style. Bring your genuine support and check the criticism at the door. When your wedding day rolls around, you can do it your way; but for today, celebrate the couple.
RSVP
That invitation you received? No doubt it came with a little RSVP card or instructions on how to RSVP. If you don’t know right now whether you can go to the wedding, set a reminder before the RSVP date to let the couple know before the deadline. They’re busy with wedding planning and shouldn’t need to spend extra time tracking responses down.
Read The Info
When you open your invitation, grab your phone and enter details like times and addresses for wedding events. If a wedding website is listed, check it out! Being informed is your responsibility.
Be Encouraging
Wedding days may be the worst days to be a debbie downer. Be the one who brings a calming, reassuring and encouraging presence. Likely the couple is dealing with some nerves on this day combined with an incredible amount of emotion.
Be Present
You’ve probably been to a wedding where a guest is out in the aisle with their iPad…don’t be that guest! No doubt, a professional wedding photographer has been hired to document the day. Let them be the ones experiencing it through the lens.
Dress Well
Dust off your dressy slacks and find a tutorial on YouTube for tying your tie. Even when casual dress is noted on the invitation, please please please don’t go in a hoodie or tank top!
Respect the Bar
That open bar? It’s there for your enjoyment, so pace yourself and keep it enjoyable for everyone. No one really wants to hear your slurred and off-key impromptu karaoke (and throwing up at wedding really ruins the vibe.) Stay classy!
Enjoy & Celebrate!
Hi, my name is Ria...
Hi, my name is Ria and I’m a wedding planner/coordinator/bridal consultant-whatever term makes sense at the moment. I’m here because I fell into the wedding industry a little by accident.
Photo credit: Gerritsen Photography
and I’m a wedding planner/coordinator/bridal consultant-whatever term makes sense at the moment. I’m here because I fell into the wedding industry a little by accident. The story starts approximately 6 years ago when friends and family started getting married and invitations were prolific in my mailbox. I’d been fascinated by weddings as long as I can remember, so when a close friend asked me to be involved in her wedding as a ceremony coordinator, I was thrilled. In her wedding, I got my first taste of directing a rehearsal & ceremony. I got my first sigh of relief when all the members of the bridal party were in position at the right place at the right time. In the aftermath of that experience, I offered to assist another friend “when the time came for her.” She remembered that offer when her boyfriend proposed, which brought me to my second wedding. This wedding landed at a time when I was working as a barista and was considering what I’d like my long-term career path to become. With the satisfaction of giving my friends the ability to be in the moment at their weddings by taking the questions and keeping track of the details, the idea of merging my need for a career and my love for planning and coordinating weddings took root. Radiant Events was born in May 2016 and I got a real life crash course on the wedding industry and business ownership. In the months that followed, I took a course to become a Certified Wedding Planner and booked my first official wedding for the summer of 2017.
A few weddings into that 2017 season, I worked with an attractive and single photographer. After a few months of strictly professional communication, I invited him to a contra dance as my partner (not date!). However, he read into the invitation a little farther than I intended and asked me out. We dated for the next 9.5 months through the busyness of wedding season. On September 16th he proposed. Our wedding followed 6 months later on March 16, 2019, and, if I’ve counted correctly, it was the 25th wedding of which I’ve been involved with the planning and/or coordination process. The experience of being a bride has brought a new perspective and passion to my work as a planner. I’ve gained a deeper sense of how sacred a wedding is, as the beginning of a marriage and the moment that marks that lifelong commitment. My greatest privilege in the work I do is to allow my clients the ability to step fully into that moment while the details of the celebration are attended to. I fully believe that weddings are a day to be honored and treasured.
Since Joe and I believe that peaceful wedding planning should be accessible to everyone, we will be adding wedding tips and strategies here on the blog as well on our vlog. Whether you’re planning a wedding or you’re a wedding junkie, or you’re just curious, we’d love to have you along for the fun!