Wedding Coordinator for the Day

What does a wedding coordinator have to do with your wedding day? As you start to plan your wedding, you might hear of the option to hire a day-of wedding coordinator. Please note that a wedding coordinator is different from the coordinator at your venue. Your venue may provide a coordinator to assist with set-up and handle the venue’s responsibilities, but a wedding day coordinator assists with much more than that. For example, a wedding coordinator handles a variety of duties that will help you stress less and be able to enjoy your day from start to finish. I love working with wedding coordinators because they handle many of the scheduling needs on the day of your wedding. They also help coordinate the timing of vendor deliveries so that no one from your family or bridal party has to worry about that. What are some of the responsibilities a wedding coordinator takes care of?

What Does a Wedding Coordinator Do?

There are many tasks that a day-of wedding coordinator is in charge of. Here are some of the things a wedding coordinator could handle for you:

Provide timeline ideas and vendor assistance.

When you meet with your wedding day coordinator prior to your wedding, they will help you organize the wedding day’s schedule. In addition, they can give you ideas for the order of events and provide vendor recommendations if you still need to book certain vendors. Wedding coordinators regularly work with vendors of all sorts and have good relationships with local venues, photographers, florists, DJs, and other vendors.

Help set up for your day.

A wedding coordinator will help coordinate the setup for your wedding day so that your family and friends don’t have to worry about it. They will also help to execute your vision for decorations without needing your assistance in a hands-on way.

Keep everything on schedule.

A wedding coordinator will help you stay on schedule on your wedding day. They will keep you updated and let you know when it’s time for photos, events, etc. Imagine not having to check your schedule of events but instead being able to enjoy the day as it happens! You won’t even have to worry about what’s next; you’ll just get to enjoy every moment.

Coordinate timing with vendors.

Many vendors—a photographer, florist, videographer, caterer, baker, DJ or band, etc.—will have a part in your wedding day. A wedding coordinator will help organize the time vendors should arrive and keep track of their contact information in case something goes wrong. They could be the point of contact for your vendors in case of any questions as well.

Create smooth transitions between events.

Another task that a wedding coordinator can assist with is creating smooth transitions between events, like your ceremony and reception. Instead of having time where you are waiting for the next event to start, a wedding coordinator will help keep things rolling out in order and on time.

Expertly handle your bridal party and guests.

Wedding coordinators are professionals at handling wedding guests, bridal parties, and family members. They can help field questions and put out any fires before you ever have to hear about them.

Wedding Planner vs. Wedding Coordinator

A wedding planner and a day-of wedding coordinator have two different roles that help bring your plans to life. Whereas a wedding coordinator is in charge of keeping things on track on your wedding day, a wedding planner is responsible for the planning that leads up to your big day. For example, some tasks that a wedding planner would care for might include:

managing your wedding budget

scheduling appointments with vendors

providing design options for your invitations and decorations

setting up your wedding website

sending invitations

and keeping track of RSVPs

They would be in charge of the planning leading up to the wedding day. On the other hand, a wedding coordinator has a hands-on role on the actual day of your wedding.

Why I Love Working With Wedding Coordinators As a Photographer

As a wedding photographer, I have been to A LOT of weddings. I’ve seen days that run effortlessly and days that kind of fall off the rails. I know for sure that the weddings that have had a wedding coordinator almost always run more smoothly than those that don’t. I love seeing couples able to fully enjoy their day without the stress of coordinating timing, guests, and vendors. That’s why I recommend working with a wedding coordinator on your wedding day if possible! If you inquire with me, I can provide you with some local recommendations for wedding coordinators in the Lubbock area.