We all need some extra help on our wedding day–it’s a fact. The last thing you want is to stress about the flower arrangements or bridal order when walking down the aisle. You need someone on your side fighting to ensure that everything you spent so much time and money on is perfect–and no, this can’t be your mother, brother or best friend, either! Remember that you want your guests to be able to enjoy your special day just as much as yourself, rather than have to work.
Many couples are intrigued by the thought of day-of wedding coordination, believing someone can magically swoop in on the morning of their wedding and be fully prepared to deal with any issues that arise–and trust us, issues do arise. We agree, you do need a wedding sidekick, but be wary of any day-of wedding coordination claims.
Your Coordinator Shouldn’t Just Be Day-of
Your coordinator needs to be present during the planning process in the months leading up to the event. Building trusted relationships and becoming familiar with a couple’s needs are crucial for a successful day.
A wedding coordinator should get to know the couple, so if changes or emergencies pop up (and they will), the coordinator can make decisions based on how well he or she knows the couple.
The bottom line is that even the simplest wedding planning takes time, and day-of wedding coordination is next to impossible. Weigh your options–the extra investment could equal a huge return in ease of mind alone!
It Comes Down to Experience
Don’t be fooled by the enticing lower cost of utilizing day-of wedding coordination. It may seem easy–that you just need someone to take care of the small details on the big day and you’ll enjoy a stress-free, smooth wedding. Wrong. Usually, more inexperienced planners will lower their fees and offer a day-of wedding coordination service to build their portfolios. They’re not familiar with emergency situations, they’re unsure how to manage vendors and likely haven’t built up a list of trusted contacts to have at their disposal should anything need to be fixed, fast.
Also, when looking for a day-of coordinator, ask if they have worked with any of the vendors or venues you will be using for your wedding. This way, you can ask your vendors about their experience working with this coordinator and whether they would want to work with them again.
Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day…
…And neither was your wedding. Chances are, you’ve been planning your big day for up to a year or more by the time the date rolls around. That’s countless hours of sourcing vendors, creating contracts and defining details, no matter the size of the occasion. How is someone– essentially a stranger–supposed to be familiar with the overall vision and plans for your day after a couple of consultations? They have no rapport with your vendors andonly have the basic details laid out on paper. Remember these points to avoid being fooled into believing day-of coordination can work:
- Site visits to your venue are essential–your coordinator needs to know room layouts, set-up, electrical placement, food & beverage menus andscheduling while being able to properly relay this information to other vendors on site.
- Managing contracts–your coordinator should be an excellent resource for completing contracts and they should be familiar with all vendors and their terms for the whole event. They will be the first to know if something is wrong and the first to fix it–hopefully before anyone even knows there’s even an issue.
- Agenda–a timeline of the day is something you need to work on together with all details and timing made clear. Your coordinator should know this as well as you do and know how to keep you and your party on schedule. Time management and sticking to the itinerary is key.
- Rehearsal–you’ll want someone directing your friends and family through this process who knows what they’re doing and has an unbiased voice that everyone will listen to. No one wants a four hour rehearsal the night before your wedding.
- Set-up–your décor or venue vendor will likely be handling the majority of your wedding set-up, but what about the last minute items such as guest favours, the cake cutter or the guest book? You’ll need someone trusted to ensure all those miscellaneous items arrive on time and are in the right place.
Day-of wedding coordination does not exist—they should really be called “month-of” coordinators, as they’re with you every step of the way for one to two months before the big day. They’re taking care of all your last-minute issues and running around confirming numbers, helping drop things off at the venue, reconfirming start times of the vendors, and more.
