Wedding blog

Why Hiring a Day-Of Wedding Coordinator Will Save Your Sanity

Why Hiring a Day-of Coordinator Will Save Your Sanity // Lovely & Planned #weddingplanning

You have planned every detail of your wedding. You have secured your vendors, your dream dress is ready for pick up, and you couldn’t be happier with your stationery design! CONGRATULATIONS, you have done a fantastic job! Now it’s time to hand over the reins and hire a professional day-of wedding coordinator!

I know you think you have everything under control, and you can save a ton of money if you DIY! How hard can it be, right? Right! But think about it this way, do you want to be responsible for finishing up the decoration on your wedding day? Do you want to call the baker why the driver is not on time? Do you want to argue with the florist because your bridal bouquet is a mess? I didn’t think so! So keep on reading how a day-of coordinator will save your sanity!

What’s the difference between a day-of coordinator and a planner?

First things first, a day-of coordinator does not plan your wedding! That’s what a wedding planner is for!

A wedding coordinator coordinates the details and logistics of your wedding day and ensures that everything comes together exactly the way you envisioned it. A day-of coordinator is the point of contact for all your vendors and creates and oversees the timeline for your big day.

A wedding planner, on the other hand, takes care of creating a wedding concept, recommending vendors and venues, negotiating with your vendors, managing your budget, assisting with hotel bookings for your guests, mailing invitations, managing RSVPs, and so much more.

So what does a day-of coordinator do, exactly?

Every day-of coordinator works differently and offers different packages. But usually, you will have the first meeting one or two months before your wedding day. The primary duties of a day-of coordinator include:

Getting to know your vision and everything you have planned for your big day.
Confirming delivery times and setup details with your vendors.
Creating and overseeing your day-of timeline.
Having a meeting with the venue for a final walk-through.
Helping with the creation of a floorplan.
Being the point of contact for all your vendors.
Addressing any overlooked details like asking your guests for allergies.
Managing everything on the day of your wedding from start to finish including setting up small decoration items and providing a solution to small or big last-minute emergencies such as an umbrella if it suddenly starts to rain or aspirin if you get a headache.
After the wedding, a day-of coordinator might also take care of the clean-up and break-down.

Real case scenario

There was this charming couple who have planned their wedding right down to the last detail. Spoiler: they did, however, not hire a day-of coordinator.

So, on their wedding day, things looked perfect! The guests were at the ceremony venue, the pastor arrived, the groom was already there, and the bride was supposed to come any minute. But minutes turned into 30, and 30 eventually turned into 2 (!) hours.

So, what had happened? Actually, not much. Or let me rephrase that: there was not one big emergency, but many small incidents:

The hair and makeup didn’t get done on time.
It took so much longer to get dressed than anticipated.
The wedding bouquet didn’t look as expected, so one of the bridesmaids had to go back twice (!) to let the florist fix it.
The sash for the wedding dress couldn’t be found anywhere.
And halfway to the ceremony location, the bride realized she forgot her veil.

By the time the bride and her entourage finally made it to the location, the bride was close to tears, her fiance was a mess, and the pastor completely stressed-out.

There doesn’t have to be this ONE HUGE incident, but there are a lot of tiny details that need to run smoothly on your wedding day. Don’t get me wrong, things like this can still happen if you hire a day-of coordinator but, if something does go wrong, your day-of coordinator knows how to handle the situation fast and with ease and confidence!

So who should hire a day-of coordinator?

Every couple should hire a day-of coordinator unless you already have a full wedding planner! Planning a wedding is stressful enough, so you deserve a stress-free wedding. It is, after all, supposed to be the happiest day of your life!

Even if you have friends and family who want to help you on the day-of, they shouldn’t have to! They will either have so much to do on your wedding day that they will not be able to enjoy it. Or they may not take their roles seriously, which can also turn out terribly in case of a real wedding emergency.

My advice, let a day-of coordinator give you peace of mind on one of the most exciting and most beautiful days of your life! You deserve to have a dream wedding and to enjoy every single second of it!

I hope you found this post helpful! If you like to find out how I can help you on your big day, get in touch with me today to set up a complimentary consultation call!

Love, Michaela