Getting Married? What to Expect from a Day of Wedding Coordinator
Wedding coordinator helping with the wedding dress
Thinking about hiring a “day of” wedding coordinator to help run everything on your special day? As a wedding planner and day of wedding coordinator in Pittsburgh, I notice that a lot of couples aren’t quite sure what a wedding coordinator does and, therefore, don’t understand the immense value of hiring a wedding coordinator.
In this post, you’ll learn what to expect from wedding coordination, including the cost for wedding coordinators and what to expect from a wedding coordinator before and on the day of your wedding.
BUT first things first…
I want to note that although I am using the term “day of wedding coordinator” for the purpose of helping readers find this post, referring to it as “day of” or even “month of” coordination is what leads to so much misunderstanding about this service in the first place. Keep reading to learn why this is so…
What to Expect from a Wedding Coordinator
Before we get into what a wedding coordinator does and how much a wedding coordinator costs, let’s talk about the basics of what a wedding coordinator is and other terms you might hear wedding coordination being referred to as.
What is Day of Wedding Coordination?
Wedding Coordination is also referred to as wedding or event management. You might often hear it being referred to as “day of” or “month of” coordination. However, we really need to drop those terms.
Effectively managing your wedding day takes a lot of organization and behind-the-scenes work during the months leading up to it. Plus, when you’re getting married, you want the people who will be around you the most to actually care about you and your day. Therefore, most wedding coordinators will come in at least 6 to 12 weeks before your big day to get to know you, help you make any final decisions and tie up any loose ends, and manage all the vendors.
How Much Does a Day of Wedding Coordinator Cost?
The average national starting price for event management / wedding coordination is $1,500. However, pricing depends on things like location, experience, demand, and the scope of services provided.
I know, I know… You were hoping it would cost around $500, right? Remember that a wedding coordinator will not only be working 9 to 12 hours on the wedding day, but rather, on average, a wedding planner spends 30 to 40 total hours on coordinating your wedding. So finding one that charges at least the average price will help to ensure that your event will run as smoothly as possible.
What to Expect from a Day of Wedding Coordinator Before the Wedding Day
Once you have signed a contract and paid your retainer, your wedding coordinator will take some time to get to know you, whether it be through sending you a questionnaire, hopping on a video call, or meeting for coffee. Getting to know you is crucial to not only providing you with the best service possible, but also establishing a more personal relationship, as you’ll want to be surrounded by people that really care about you and your wedding on your big day.
Your wedding coordinator will then reach out to any contracted vendors to let them know that they will be the new point of contact.
Next, depending on how far in advance you booked the service, your wedding coordinator will check in with you periodically to ensure that you are on track with your planning milestones and timeline. For instance, they’ll make sure you’re on track with sending invitations, dress alterations, etc.
Your wedding coordinator will also consult with you and your vendors and put together a wedding day timeline. Putting together a solid day of timeline is key to having your wedding day run smoothly and is part of the reason why wedding coordinators should start managing your event at least 6 weeks out. The day of timeline will be tweaked throughout the planning process and finalized by the week of the wedding.
Furthermore, your wedding coordinator will get to know your preferences for your wedding ceremony in advance. Your wedding coordinator will meet with you a couple times to discuss the details of the event and figure out where any loose ends are that need to be tied.
At least 2-4 weeks out from the wedding day, your wedding coordinator will reach out to your vendors to coordinate pick-up and drop-off times, the timeline, and other details. The wedding coordinator will also reach out to vendors again on the week of the wedding to confirm all details and guidelines.
Your wedding coordinator will also prepare a timeline for you to provide to your wedding party.
If you are having a wedding ceremony rehearsal, your wedding coordinator will attend the rehearsal and help to facilitate it as needed.
Your wedding coordinator will provide a wedding day emergency kit, which will hopefully help in case something goes wrong. This could be a lifesaver, say for instance, if your dress rips and needs a quick sew, or the rain messes up your hair and you need to repin it, or someone in your wedding party shows up with a wrinkly dress/suit that needs to be steamed.
As you can see, a lot goes into wedding coordination long before the day of your wedding. See below for what to expect from a wedding coordinator on the day of the wedding.
Wedding Day of Coordinator Timeline: What Does a Wedding Coordinator Do on the Day of the Wedding?
On the day of the wedding, your wedding coordinator will likely complete the following tasks and more (although, some tasks may very from one coordinator to another):
Check in with you, the couple
Check in with the venue coordinator and other vendors as they arrive
Remind the wedding party of important items needed and timeline details
Check the ceremony and reception space, ensuring the layout is correct and that personal items and decor are in place
Assist with ceremony setup and packing up of personal items afterward
Assist with sound check if A/V is involved for the ceremony
Distribute flowers (bouquet, boutonnieres, corsages, etc.)
Manage vendors and the wedding party to ensure everything is on track
Distribute gratuities to vendors
Set-up reception items, such as favors and place cards
Ensure someone is directing guests to the reception site
Check in with attendants giving toasts
Remind the band or DJ, photographer, and videographer of important timeline details
Pack up all personal items post-reception and ensure the designated person has the cards/gifts
Remove rental linens and stack rental chairs (if required)
Does a Day of Coordinator Decorate?
The decorating services provided by wedding day coordinators can vary. Likely, your wedding coordinator will set out a few decorations, such as favors, your cake server/knife, place cards, ceremony unity items, and your guest box. However, any additional decorating will likely come at an additional cost. This may include setting out tableware/china rentals, assisting with ceremony arch set-up, hanging decorations, cookie/dessert table decor, and putting out centerpieces, to name a few.
Do You Need a Day of Wedding Coordinator?
Being a wedding planner myself, I am a huge advocate for hiring a wedding planner. It might seem like it will take up a big chunk of your budget, but your wedding planner will help you plan a wedding that you love within your budget and without all the stress. (For more reasons, check out my post on why you should hire an eco-friendly wedding planner here!).
But do you need a day of wedding coordinator? In my opinion, yes! If you missed the boat to hire a full-service wedding planner, hiring a partial wedding planner or wedding coordinator is the next best thing.
As you can see from all the tasks listed above, a wedding coordinator can take so much off your plate in terms of organizing and managing your wedding so that it runs smoothly. This ultimately takes a lot of time and stress off your shoulders.
What to Expect from an Eco-Friendly Day of Wedding Coordinator
Being an eco-friendly wedding planner in Pittsburgh, PA, I would be remiss not to mention the added benefits of working with an eco-friendly day of wedding coordinator.
Although wedding coordinators typically step in after many of the big wedding decisions have been made, there is still opportunity to make your wedding more sustainable.
An eco-friendly wedding coordinator can present you with eco-friendly options and resources for vendors you have not yet booked or products you have not yet purchased. A day of coordinator that specializes in eco-friendly weddings can also coordinate tasks and services, such as recycling, composting, and donation, which would reduce waste and the ecological footprint of your wedding. Furthermore, an eco-friendly wedding coordinator could work with your vendors to see if there are any simple tweaks that could be made to make the event more earth-friendly.
Ready to hire a wedding coordinator for your Pittsburgh wedding? Learn more about my services here!