Article by:
eKasal.com
Ever since they were young, most women dream about their wedding day. In their minds, they have already visualized the venue, their theme colors, wedding gown, and other details. But of course, dreaming is not the same as planning for the real thing!
In reality, preparing for a wedding can be a daunting task. Unless you are a super organized person with plenty of time on your hands, you could easily get stressed! Fortunately, there are people who can help: wedding planners and day-of-wedding coordinators.
In this article, we will discuss the roles of wedding planners and day-of-wedding coordinators, as well as the differences between them. We will also talk about how you can decide if you need a wedding planner, or a day-of-wedding coordinator. Let us begin!
What Does a Wedding Planner Do?
As the name says, a wedding planner specializes in planning weddings -- from start to finish. That’s right! He/She is with you every step of the way, from brainstorming about the theme, choosing a venue, finding a caterer, contacting the florist, hiring a band, and basically every other detail that you can think of!
If you don’t know where or how to start, don’t worry… Your wedding planner can pretty much take care of everything! He/She will be your “go to” person, whose role includes the following:
Finding the best venue for the wedding ceremony and/or reception;
Getting in touch with wedding suppliers and vendors;
Scheduling activities such as gown and suit fittings, food tasting, wedding rehearsals, and other tasks; and
Ensuring that everything works smoothly and according to plan!
In other words, it is the wedding planner’s job to turn your dream wedding into a reality. Based on your ideas and preferences, he/she is there the whole time -- providing much-needed organization, direction, and logistics so that your big day would be a success!
What Does a Day-of-Wedding Coordinator Do?
Let us suppose that you’ve already started planning and contacting suppliers (e.g. venue, florists, caterers, etc.), and preparations have begun. However, you still need extra help… someone who can oversee everything and ensure that your big day will go smoothly. In this case, you could get a day-of-wedding coordinator.
You might be thinking, “What’s the difference between a wedding planner and a day-of-wedding coordinator?” You see, while a wedding planner is usually hired several months before the event and is involved in pretty much everything… a day-of-wedding coordinator is often hired just a few weeks before, and is focused more on putting together a seamless program on the day itself.
Specifically, the day-of-wedding coordinator’s role includes:
As you can see, the day-of-wedding coordinator may not have been involved at the start of your wedding plans, but he/she is certainly there to make sure that all things come together in the end!
Which One Should I Choose?
Now that you know the difference between a wedding planner and a day-of-wedding coordinator, which one should you choose? Well, here are two things that can help you decide: time and budget.
The Time Factor
If you happen to have plenty of time, and you can do much of the planning and preparation yourself -- perhaps a day-of-wedding coordinator is just what you need. In the weeks leading to the event, you can simply “delegate” everything to him/her, so that you can relax and focus on preparing yourself for your special day.
On the other hand, if you have a busy schedule: 40-hour (or more) work weeks, a jam-packed social calendar, and so on… Go ahead and hire a wedding planner, who can take care of contacting suppliers, setting appointments, and many other tasks.
The Budget Factor
Of course, money is important! Since wedding planners are hired for longer periods (several months at least) compared to day-of-wedding coordinators (about a month) -- hiring a wedding planner would definitely cost you more. So think about the budget factor, as well. And be sure to include the cost of hiring their services in your overall wedding budget plan!
Final Thoughts
Whichever you decide to hire, keep in mind that both wedding planners and day-of-wedding coordinators are there to help you prepare for your important event. Thanks to them, you can relax, say goodbye to stress, and look forward to simply enjoying every moment of your special day!
If you are currently looking for a wedding planner or a day-of-wedding coordinator, we invite you to visit eKasal. Our website contains a business directory of wedding suppliers and vendors across the Philippines. These include events planners, coordinators, and hosts who can help! We also offer Couples Packages, which come with a webpage, QR code invitation, and other features.
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