Whether you are new to the whole idea of wedding planning or knee-deep in it and struggling, you may have wondered what the difference between a wedding coordinator and a wedding planner is. Do you need either one? Keep reading to find out.

Definition of a Planner:

A wedding planner truly does it all. Though planning packages vary from planner to planner, design, vendor selection, and overall flow and feel are often included. A planner can help incorporate your unique love story into any wedding and help create the wedding of your dreams almost entirely out of thin air. On the financial side of things, a planner is your go to. They can handle budgets and negotiate contracts for you taking a huge load off the wedding planning process. A wedding planner will almost always be there for the big day to execute the details and handle any issues or emergencies that arise.

Definition of a Coordinator:

A wedding coordinator is typically not overly involved with the wedding until about 3-6 months out. While they care about all your wedding details, they are not responsible for helping you make any decisions or plan most elements of the wedding (though I bet they have great advice!). A wedding coordinator’s job includes day-of management, set up of decor, coordination of ceremony and reception, assisting all other vendors, and much more. To put it simply, you plan the wedding, and the coordinator makes it happen!

Difference between a day-of coordinator and a wedding coordinator:

You may notice that coordinator costs can vary greatly, ranging from $500-$2,000+. What is the reason for this? A lot of it has to do with experience and location. But I encourage you to take a good look. How involved is your coordinator? Do you want someone who truly just shows up on your wedding day after having maybe one or two meetings and is expected to run the whole show? Then go with the cheaper option of a day-of coordinator. However, if you are looking for something a little more involved and someone who you can really get to know and trust before the big day, then you may want to consider investing in a wedding coordinator.

Partial planning:

You may be reading this and think that you would love to plan your own wedding, but you need a coordinator and/or there is that one little element of wedding planning that you just know is not up your alley. Great! Most wedding planners and some coordinators offer partial planning packages. This is a very broad and vague service, so I suggest reaching out to some planners that you are interested in so see if they offer what you are looking for. 

How do I decide which type of vendor I should hire? I’m glad you asked! Answer the questions below to find out if you need a coordinator or a planner:

Which option best describes you/your wedding?

A. “I am all over the place when it comes to organization”

B. “Spreadsheets are my jam”

A. “What is a color palette?”

B. “My tablescape is already selected!”

A. “Planning my own wedding gives me anxiety”

B. “I have been dreaming of this my whole life!”

A. “I want to sit back and relax and let someone else present me with all my options”

B. “I have considered every possible scenario and am creating my perfect wedding”

A. “I am too busy to plan a wedding”

B. “My nights and weekends are devoted to Pinterest”

A. “I would love someone to be with me through this whole process”

B. “I just need someone to worry about the day-of details so I can be the bride”

Mostly a’s? You are probably in need of a wedding planner. Mostly b’s? I highly recommend looking into a coordinator.

Whatever your style, know this: your wedding day is in desperate need of a go-to point person to manage the day so you don’t have to. Not a lot of brides genuinely think through how the wedding that they carefully planned is actually going to happen. You need a coordinator or planner that you can trust!
If you decide to go the coordinator route, I would love to be considered! Since you are already on my website, have a look around. You can see my pricing and services and get to know me a little bit better. Ready to reach out to The Best Day Details? Email us at info@thebestdaydetails.com to check on availability for your date!