As a leading UK wedding planner, there’s one question I’m often asked by couples looking for some professional wedding planning help – what’s the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator? If you’re currently exploring the services of a wedding planner or wedding coordinator, then today’s blog should be a great read for you!
Firstly, I want to dispel a myth for you – hiring a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator is not merely an American tradition or a luxury that only the enormously wealthy indulge in! In this day and age, busy couples are investing vast amounts of cash in planning and styling the wedding of their dreams, so it makes sense that you want to produce an amazing wedding that exceeds all expectations!
Hiring a wedding planning business to help you create this amazing occasion can ensure your planning experience is smooth, stress-free and fun, so definitely worth the investment! Knowing the type of service you should explore is a little tricker, so here’s a brief overview as to what you can expect from both a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator.
Hiring a Wedding Planner
A professional wedding planner is your wedding partner in crime! A wedding planner will usually have input and involvement in planning your wedding from a very early stage in the wedding planning process and will provide professional support with everything from selecting your wedding venue, recommending trusted wedding suppliers, and helping you manage your wedding budget reviewing contracts etc.
It is a wedding planner’s job to ensure the planning process is seamless, leaving you to forget about the less exciting details and enjoy your engagement! Most wedding planners will also be able to input into the styling of your wedding, meaning everything looks picture perfect on your wedding day.
When meeting with prospective wedding planners, it’s essential that you feel your wedding planner understands your vision and that, frankly, you like them!
Don’t forget, you’ll be working closely together with your wedding planner during the planning process, and you will need to trust their input and judgement. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and enquire about their experience to ensure your planner is a good match for you as a couple.
In a nutshell, this is comprehensive wedding planning support to ensure every detail is taken care of and that nothing is left to chance. You’ll benefit from the knowledge, skills, experience and connections that your wedding planner has, resulting in a perfectly planned wedding!
Hiring a Wedding Coordinator
A wedding coordinator will work with you from a much later stage in your wedding planning journey, although, surprisingly, much sooner than your wedding day! At One Curious Dream, my wedding coordination service begins four weeks before your wedding, which gives me plenty of time to learn about your plans, help you fix any problems and ensure I’m prepared and ready to professional coordinate your wedding day.
It is the job of a wedding coordinator to manage the logistics on the wedding day itself and ensure everything runs smoothly so that you can relax and enjoy every single moment.
At One Curious Dream, the first thing I do is meet with you to run through the plan for the wedding day to create a schedule of events.
This schedule will identify the order of events and include additional information, such as when your suppliers will be arriving and what they require to set themselves up. Your wedding coordinator will also have an overview of how your venue is due to be styled and any elements that they need to assist with throughout the day.
Your wedding coordinator will then contact your suppliers directly to finalise arrangements (one less job for you to do – yay!) and, of course, will arrive on the wedding day to manage the logistics behind the scenes. It is a wedding coordinators job to ensure that the right people are in the right place, doing the right things at the right time.
A good wedding coordinator will also be able to step in should unforeseen issues occur (In the past, we’ve had groom’s forgetting their shoes, long lost family arriving unexpectedly as a surprise, even a broken bone!) and deal with any problems that occur without you even knowing.
A wedding coordination service is less comprehensive than a full wedding planning service, but it will offer you the assurance that your wedding will be professionally managed and delivered.
So, depending on how your wedding plans are falling into place, either of these roles may be able to provide valuable support to help you have the wedding day of your dreams.
If you’re thinking of hiring a wedding planner in the UK and would like to find out more about my wedding planning services, I’d love to hear from you!
You can reach me on 0800 772 0765 or [email protected] or book a free, no-obligation wedding consultation here. In the meantime, keep up to date with my wedding planning adventures on Instagram!
