Wedding Planner
A wedding planner helps you throughout the preparation of your entire wedding. They help with creating a budget, designing and sending invitations, booking a venue and all vendors—they will do the bulk of the work for you. They also provide all of the services that a day-of coordinator would provide. Costs for a wedding planner could range from $3,000-$5,000 depending on the scope of your event.
Day-of Coordinator
A day-of coordinator is focused on the logistics of your big day and typically starts assisting you with final details about a month before your wedding day. They create your day-of timeline with you and confirm set-up times with your vendors that you have booked. They help coordinate rehearsal dinners and help with all logistics on the day-of so you or your family members don’t have to. Day-of coordinators can be a more affordable option compared to full-service wedding planners, costing between $800-1,600 on average.
Venue Coordinators
Venue coordinators are not the same as a day-of coordinator. They are provided by your venue and they are looking out for the venue’s best interest and deal with everything having to do with the facility—set-up, bathrooms, facility equipment, etc. You will most likely meet with the venue coordinator when you book the venue and their costs will be included in the booking price.
Which is Best for You
Choosing between hiring a wedding planner or day-of coordinator can depend on a couple of factors like your budget and time. Make sure you meet with potential planners/coordinators in person before you book them. You will be spending a lot of time with them and you want to make sure you get along and share the same style and vision that they do to ensure your wedding day goes the way you want it to.
By Kristina Freeman
Kristina Freeman is a day-of coordinator and the owner and founder of Perfectly Planned Occasion located in Orange County. She is a Type A personality who loves highlighters, sticky notes, clipboards, and planners. She has an attention for detail and loves helping brides execute their special day perfectly.