Wedding Planner vs Coordinator – Discover what you need

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Since the rise of extravagant and picture perfect weddings across social media, we’ve become obsessed with the idea of executing the perfect wedding day. From cliff top ceremonies, to dinner under the stars, the number of options to choose from is endless. But, now you’re planning your own wedding, and you’ve realised that you need to hire some expects to take the stress and confusion out of the planning process. So, you can spend more time enjoying the moment. However, nowadays there are so many different experts to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to start, what you need or who to hire. Wedding planner vs coordinator, what is best?

Back in the naughties you could just hire a wedding planner, however the range of experts now is endless. Also, if you’ve never planned a wedding before (which is more than likely) how do you know who to pick?

For example, what is the difference between a wedding planner vs coordinator? From the naming they sound like the same thing right? But actually they are very different roles that offer very different services and skill sets. So before you decide which expert to hire, we’ve created an easy guide to understand the difference between a wedding planner vs coordinator. So, you can choose the right person to make your dream wedding come true. 

What is a Wedding Planner?

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Definition and Role

Wedding planners are the logistical bolts of the wedding process. Think of them as the project managers of your wedding. Wedding planners take the confusion and guesswork out of the process, making planning a wedding as smooth as possible. 

From helping determine your budget, to finding vendors, to managing payments, to attending vendor meetings to making sure the wedding day comes together smoothly. Wedding planners cover the A-Z of the planning process. They will be with you every step of the way. They usually start assisting you up to 18 months before your wedding day. 

However, it’s good to note that not all wedding planners provide styling services. You should see wedding planners as strong organisers and creative thinkers. A wedding stylist or designed will execute your wedding decor.

Nonetheless, wedding planners will help with brainstorming your wedding style and help find the right vendors. They will also help your vendors execute the design. There are some ‘full service wedding planners’ that offer styling services. These are usually a team of experts who will help execute your big day.  So to understand the differences between a wedding planner vs coordinator we need to look at the differences in responsibilities

Wedding Planner Responsibilities typically include: 

• Help manage your budget and payments 
• Provide recommended venues &  vendors and handle vendor contracts 
• Track payments for all vendors 
• Schedule and attend all meetings with vendors
• Attend venue tours 
• Create detailed timelines for the day 
• Brainstorm decor themes and coordinate with appropriate vendors or stylist 
• Help create floor plans 
• Organises hotel books and transport for bridal party and guests 
• Oversee everything on the wedding day to coordinate vendor timelines, deal with any issues that may arise, manage vendors and ensure your vision comes to life

Skills and Qualities

• Strong Organisation skills – They must be able to multitask, manage timelines and multiple vendors simultaneously 
• Effective Time Management – They need to be able to create and adhere to detailed schedules during the planning process and on the wedding day itself 
• Attention to Detail – From the design elements ot the logistical arrangements, wedding planners ensure that no detail is overlooked. 
• Communication Skills – Wedding planners liaise with a variety of different clients, vendors and staff, so strong communication skills are essential 
• Problem solving abilities – Wedding planners must adapt at quickly resolving issues and unexpected problem that arise during planning and on the wedding day itself
• Flexibility and Adaptability – Wedding planners Wedding planners must be flexible and adaptable, capable of adjusting plans as needed in response to changes or unforeseen circumstances.
• Budget Management – A wedding planner must be skilled in managing budgets, ensuring that the couple’s financial constraints are adhered to while still achieving their desired outcomes.
• Project Management – A wedding planner should be proficient in project management, overseeing the entire wedding planning process from conception to execution.

Cost  

Wedding planners can vary in price, so it’s hard to put a number on it. They can range from £1000 to £20,000. It depends on the wedding size, location, services, expertise etc. Some wedding planners will take a percentage of the wedding budget rather than a fixed price. This is typical for high end weddings. 

The price of a wedding planner is a lot more than a wedding coordinator as they are there throughout the whole process. Therefore it’s important to understand if you have the budget for a wedding planner. If you need help with figuring out your wedding budget check out this article ‘Wedding Spend Breakdown’ .

 However, more often than not wedding planners have good vendor contacts which means they can usually get you a discount on services. So, although a wedding planner can be expensive, you may save money in other ways through hiring them. It’s recommended to hire a wedding planner if you fall into any of the below categories. 

Hire a Wedding Planner If… 

• You are planning a destination wedding and you are not familiar with the area 
• Or You are holding a multi day event/weekend 
• You don’t have any free time to organise a wedding 
• Or You don’t know where to start when planning a wedding
• You have the budget for this level of expertise 
• You are throwing a wedding in a very short time frame (under 6 months) 

What is a Wedding Coordinator?

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Definition and Role

Like a wedding planner, a wedding coordinator is based on timelines and logistics, however they do not assist you through the whole planning process. Wedding coordinators are also be known as on-the-day coordinators. They typically begin helping you a month before your wedding, and position themselves as the main point of contact on the wedding day for anything and everything. 

You will have to source all your vendors yourself, however the wedding co-ordinator will confirm all your vendors and communicate with them a month before your wedding. They will also create a day-of timeline, and ensure payments, guest counts and vendors are in order. They will also contact the venue to make sure everything 

However, they won’t be involved in any earlier planning or budget management. Nonetheless, they ensure all the planning you’ve done up until they take over is seamless, and they will help tie over any loose ends or flag any issues they see arising. 

This is a great option for those who are confident in the planning process, but want someone on the day to take the coordination stress away from them and ensure their wedding day runs smoothly. 

Often large wedding venues will come with a venue coordinator. They are similar to a wedding coordinator, however the big difference is, the venue coordinator works for the venue not you. Whilst they ensure the day runs smoothly, their main focus is working for the venue rather than for you. So it’s always recommended to hire your own wedding coordinator as their sole responsibility will be you. 

Responsibilities of a Wedding Coordinator 

• Communication around 4-6 weeks before the wedding to understand the wedding planning so far 
• Check in with vendors to review contracts, timings and prices 
• Create an on-the-day timeline to make sure the day runs smoothly 
• Flags any overlooked details from their expertise 
• Oversee everything on the wedding day and ensure set up is as requested

Skills and Qualities

• Excellent time management skills 
• Strong Attention to detail 
• Good interpersonal and communication skills 
• Strong Empathy 

Hire a wedding coordinator if… 

• You are a very organised person and can handle managing a variety of different vendors 
• You want to be actively involved in the planning process and choosing vendors, but you would like someone to take care of the finer details. This is highly recommended, as it means you can actually relax on the day and enjoy your months of planning. 
• You don’t have the budget for a full service wedding planner  

Key Differences Between a Wedding Planner vs Coordinator 

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Scope of Work

Wedding planners are involved from the beginning to the end of the wedding planning process. Whereas, wedding coordinators typically step in 4-6 weeks before the wedding day. 

Moreover, wedding planners assist in the planning, design and management of the wedding planning process, whereas wedding coordinators are typically just involved in the on the day management. 

Timing and Duration of Services

Wedding Planners typically begin their work around a year before the wedding, but this can vary depending on different providers. Whereas, wedding coordinators will begin working with you typically 1 month before your wedding day. 

Level of Involvement

Wedding planners will help with the overall vision, vendor selection, budget management and logistics. They will provide comprehensive support and guidance throughout the planning process. Whereas, wedding coordinators will focus on the final stages from on the day logistics, to vendor coordination and problem solving. 

Cost Differences

Wedding planners are typically a lot more expensive than wedding coordinators as planners are there during every step of the planning process. However, the extent of services and the duration of involvement will impact the overall cost. 

Conclusion – Wedding Planners vs Coordinators

Hopefully now, you have got to grips with the differences between a wedding planner vs coordinator. Wedding planners will provide extensive wedding planning support from start to finish , wedding coordinators will step in closer to the date to ensure a smooth execution and handle day-of details. 

The level of help you require is completely up to you. It will depend on your desired level of involvement, the complexity of your wedding, your time scale and budget. But make sure you think carefully about which type of assistance is best for you, to ensure your day is everything your heart desires!

Additional Resources

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