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One of my #1 wedding "Do's" is hire a wedding coordinator. I received some feedback from people wondering what exactly the difference between a wedding coordinator and a wedding planner is. In
some instances, they are one in the same. But to me and the way I
define my roles in the wedding business, they are two separate
entities. So the following is MY definition and My opinion on the
differences between a wedding coordinator and a wedding planner.
Wedding coordinator: A wedding coordinator is a person who is there to, durrr!, coordinate your wedding. They will be there to do the hands on work for the
rehearsal and the wedding. This coordinator is there to make sure that
everything you planned for last three hundred sixty five days goes
perfectly. All details are overseen by the coordinator. These include
vendor management [a.k.a. making sure they are doing what you paid them
thousands of dollars to do], making sure photographs are being taken of
all the special moments [because your drunken MOH and sloppy BM might
want to boycott extra pictures so they can get their freak on], putting
the bridal party in all the right places, and countless other unique
tasks. The most important thing the wedding coordinator does is make
sure all of the guests are happy. A happy guest makes a happy
wedding. Sounds a little fluffy, but I swear it's true.
Wedding planner: A wedding planner means what you think it means. Wedding planners.. SURPRISE!! plan weddings. They can be hired at any point in the wedding
planning process. Some brides start with a planner from the very
beginning and some jump on board with only a few weeks left to go.
Planners visit vendors, negotiate prices, help develop themes, control
budgets, and offer advice. The list of what a wedding planner can do
for you is endless. Think Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner. I know some of it is cliche and fruity; but that's pretty much what planners do.
Photo acknowledgment: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0209475/
I'm all for a DIY bride, buying planning books, and reading Weddings for Dummies. However, I think the one important vendor brides continuously forget about is the wedding coordinator. They may know they don't "need" a
wedding planner, but what about hiring a person just for a day or two
to relieve the last minute stress? Most women that I talk with that
have gotten married without a coordinator regret it tremendously. They
missed invaluable wedding day moments because they were micromanaging
the vendors. They had to make sure the bartender was pouring the
champagne for the toasts instead of texting his girlfriend. They had
to find the caterer to make sure Aunt Millie got her gluten-free
entree. They had to get more favors out of the trunk of their car and
arrange them on the entrance table. Those are just a few
examples of the tasks you would have to undertake if you didn't have a
coordinator. Those girls I know that did without a wedding coordinator
could have said, "Screw it. Aunt Millie can suck it up for a night."
"Ehhh.. who needs champagne even though I paid $20 a bottle."
"Pssshhttt. I don't care about the favors I stayed up three nights in a
row hand crafting." But they didn't because they busted their little
tail bones trying to make their wedding perfect. And honey, perfection
takes work.
So, be a good little bride and hire a wedding coordinator. I'd love it if you went all out and hired a planner too, but I'll pick my battles.
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