Wedding Planner vs Coordinator: What’s The Difference?
This question has been popping up more and more, as we’re noticing it’s increasingly common for our gorgeous couples to be working with multiple vendors on their big day. Each has a special part to play in bringing a particular wedding vision to life. Perhaps no role is more central (and, at times, misunderstood!) than that of wedding planners and coordinators, however. While there are a lot of similarities between the two jobs, they are quite different in their responsibilities. Below we break it down…
Wedding planners
They are the primary decision-makers - they help you to actually plan your wedding by handling the logistics i.e., determining and managing your budget, booking vendors, and accompanying you to site tours, menu tastings and other wedding-related appointments.
Some also assist with the creative specifics of your wedding, helping to design a ‘feel’ or ‘look’ for the day that’s unique and personal.
They are highly skilled at staying on task and on time (basically, keeping everything on track in the lead up to your wedding).
They’re especially useful for couples who have limited free time and want the least possible amount of wedding-related stress. Couples who aren’t terribly organised/don’t have a clue where to start when it comes to planning often find it’s a wise idea to outsource and get as much assistance as they can as well. Of course, if you’re throwing a destination wedding in an unfamiliar place or a wedding weekend that involves multiple events, a wedding planner can be extremely handy!
Their services can be expensive, so make sure you have the budget for it.
Wedding coordinators
They tie all of the pieces together and help fill in any holes in the information provided by you and/or your wedding planner.
They are logistically-focused but on a shorter timeline than wedding planners, usually finalising and confirming everything a month or so out from your wedding.
They tend to be the go-to contact on the day as well and are responsible for communicating with your chosen vendors on site (and solving any little problems along the way!)
They’re great for couples who want to play an active role in the wedding planning process but would like someone to take care of the final details and make sure nothing is missed.
Regardless of whether you hire a wedding planner or opt to do the planning yourself, it’s vital that you put someone (who’s not you!) in charge of day-of tasks. While most venue coordinators are more than happy to handle basic logistics and simple setups i.e., placing menu cards at each place setting, it’s a good idea to ask a trusted and reliable friend or family member to oversee the smooth-running of your wedding.
Here at Peppers Creek, our Wedding Coordinator is Katie - and she is just lovely! She is a wealth of knowledge too. Get in touch by emailing weddings@pepperscreekbarrelroom.com.au.