How to Find a Wedding Coordinator You Trust
A wedding coordinator’s job is to make sure your wedding goes off without a hitch. After the hard work of planning your celebrations, there comes a time when you have to hand off the detail management to someone you trust. You may be considering a responsible friend or family member who will make sure vendors and guests alike know where they’re going, but there’s a professional option designed to help — a wedding coordinator.
What does a wedding coordinator do? A wedding coordinator steps in late in your planning process, typically in the month, weeks, or days leading up to your wedding, and acts as the point person for your wedding vendors. This allows you and your partner to enjoy your celebration.
J & C with Wanda at their Highlands Ranch Highlands RaHighlands Ranch Mansionwedding reception. Image by Photography by Jewels
What a Wedding Coordinator Offers
When you’ve done most of the planning for your wedding yourself, it may be hard to see the need for professional support. But no matter how organized your planning process, there are always questions or little changes that happen when your planning becomes a reality. Your vendors are skilled professionals, but they still may need support or insight into how you have imagined your wedding day coming to life.
You may want to list the pieces of your wedding you need managed on the day of and then analyze your wedding coordinator needs. While a wedding coordinator wears many hats, their main role is to act as a liaison between you and your vendors, wedding party, and guests.
If you’re not sure whether you really need the full support of a professional, ask a few wedding coordinators in your area what services they offer, the differences between their packages, and what package might be the best fit for your needs. Understanding their process can help you determine whether their support will be needed for your wedding day.
Securing Your Date
Once you’ve determined you’d like a wedding coordinator, you’ll need to find someone who’s available on your wedding date as soon as possible. Booking your coordinator well in advance gives you time to share your wedding details and ensure that they’ll mark your wedding date off on their calendar.
When booking your coordinator, consider if there are dates and times other than your wedding day when you want to reserve their services. A wedding coordinator can provide support for many of the events in the week leading up to your big day, like your rehearsal dinner or wedding morning preparations.
If you want more planning help than one month in advance, you should consider a wedding planner to help with long term planning.
Finding the Right Personality
Wedding coordinators are experienced professionals who want to help you have the wedding of your dreams, but they are also individuals who will play a part in your memories of your big day. When considering options for your coordinator, look for a professional who clicks with you and your partner. Ask about past weddings your coordinator has planned. Talk about your theme, decor, number of guests, and venues. Ask about detail management and how they would handle any issues that might come up throughout your wedding. Understanding how your coordinator would work with you can help you determine if they would be a good fit both in personality and experience.
What Are Your Expectations?
Laying out clear expectations for your wedding coordinator helps you both stay on the same page while your coordinator manages the details and you have a wonderful time celebrating with family and friends. Understanding where the line between planner and coordinator is an important one. If you choose to hire a wedding planner, a big part of their job is connecting you with other vendors who they know will be able to bring your vision to life and helping you manage all the many details of the planning process. This is different from your wedding coordinator, who connects with your vendors right before and on your wedding day to ensure everything goes smoothly. Be honest with your wedding coordinator. They can only help you if they know what you want and what you don’t want. Communication is key!
Hiring a wedding coordinator allows you to hand over the details of your wedding just in time for you to enjoy all your hard work. With an experienced wedding coordinator, you know that your wedding is in safe hands. Here at Blue Linden, we have years of experience and would love to help manage your wedding day experience so that it’s everything you planned for and more. Get in touch to talk about your wedding needs and how we can help.