Don’t Hire A “Day of Coordinator” For Your Wedding

I know you’ve heard the phrase before, and to this day many vendors still offer this type of service. I want to share with you why I don’t jump in as a day of coordinator anymore. And why you’re better off NOT hiring one for your wedding day!

Take a minute for me and just picture this…

Wrangling hundreds of people in one location and hoping they listen to directions.

Decorating a venue space in a finite amount of time.

Directing vendors where to set up so they don’t cause a mess.

Continuously checking the time.

Eyeballing an event timeline for snags.

Fielding questions from vendors about logistics.

Smiling so hard it hurts.

Always saying “everything is going great”.

Forgetting to drink enough water.

Soothing at least one stressed wedding member.

Answering a myriad of “where is the bathroom” questions.

Making sure vendors have final payments.

It’s all in a day’s work. 

But this work doesn’t start on the morning of your big day. You’ve been planning this for months, maybe even a year. Why would you want someone to step in on that exact day only and not be prepared to know every little detail of your most celebrated day?

Some couples say they are specifically looking to hire a “day of coordinator” for their wedding but truly that concept is a myth. A hoax. A unicorn. No one wants someone to come in suddenly and take over a huge life event without any prior knowledge of the plan. Your wedding day deserves investment, communication, collaboration, and someone who knows what the heck is going on!

I am most comfortable doing my job when I know what’s going on – as most people are. Coming in as a “day of coordinator” I would feel so lost and have way too many questions!

It is crucial I know who the vendors are ahead of time so I can communicate with them about their arrival times, communicate any restrictions, and follow-up on their contracted deliveries. It’s tantamount I look over a wedding timeline to make suggestions that logistically will help make for smooth transitions during the event.

It is important for me to meet the bride & groom and hear the story of how you met. I want to learn what you like to do when you go out together. Tell me about what elements are most important to you on your wedding day. This allows me to make the best decisions while allowing you to be guests at your own celebration. It’s important for me to walk through the venue space and have clear directions about when and where things should be set up so there are no unmet expectations. 

These things are important to me because they create a day that is important to YOU!

It’s also important for me to value the work that I do, and the time that it takes to do it completely and to the best of my abilities.

The best part of my job is being able to do the little things because all the big things have already been taken care of. I want to be available to be your taste-tester, veil-fixer, train re-positioner, stain-fighter, shade-finder, hand-holder, tear-wiper and more. That way you can feel comfortable, loved-on, and totally in the moment on your wedding day.

It is only possible to get to that point once I have seen your couple style and can help cultivate an event that feels like YOU. I know it’s only possible once I have understood your family background so I can help ease tensions as they arise. It’s only possible once I know the ins and outs of the venue and know who to go-to for any issues that arise. It is only possible once I get the chance to invest in you as a couple and know who you are two are at your core.

When you get a quote from a wedding planner or coordinator, keep in mind you are paying for more than just your wedding day! You are paying for so many behind the scene elements that keep a small business running. There is liability insurance and CRM tools that allow for seamless planning. There’s paying for gas to attend venue walk-throughs, planning sessions, and wedding rehearsals. And don’t forget about the countless hours and money invested to attend workshops and online courses to grow and learn.

All of these things allow me to provide a professional, credible, organized, and creative experience for couples. You want someone who is knowledgeable, trustworthy, a task manager, a problem solver, flexible, a quick thinker – this takes years of experience to garner.

Give me the benefit of the doubt. As a planner, I would rather be involved from day one so as to know what is going on. I’m not here to control your plans or make you change your mind. This special day was sprouted from your love story, and love is no myth.

I often get asked, “when should I hire a wedding planner, Sarah? And how do I know I need a full planner and not just a wedding coordinator for event management?” Check out this Instagram post for a deep dive into the difference between the two!

Let me tell you, before becoming a Los Angeles wedding planner, I knew I was being drawn to a creative work that emphasized relationships! Becoming engaged, navigating the planning process, and maintaining a healthy marriage go hand-in-hand with all of the other relationships in your life. Marriage is the reason I work in the wedding industry. I don’t do it for that one special wedding day. I do it for every day that follows after I do! 

If you’d like to have someone like me on your vendor team to help you navigate designing a wedding that feels like you and who will keep things in step on the wedding day so you can relax like a guest, check out my small wedding planning services!