Introduction

Wedding planners are expensive. I’ll grant you that. For this reason, many people decide to reduce this expense by hiring someone just for their wedding day. Day-of coordinators are common, and hiring one seems like a good idea, especially if you’re organized enough (and have the time available) to plan your wedding day on your own. Unfortunately, this isn’t probably the best use of your money. Are you surprised to hear that from me? Read on to find out why.

The Problem

Background

Wedding planners are expensive. I’ll grant you that. For this reason, many people decide to reduce this expense by hiring someone just for their wedding day. Day-of coordinators are common, and hiring one seems like a good idea, especially if you’re organized enough (and have the time available) to plan your wedding day on your own. Unfortunately, this isn’t probably the best use of your money. Are you surprised to hear that from me? Read on to find out why.

Some Issues

They may not be a pro

Real planners or coordinators have actual companies. Companies are listed on the Secretary of State’s website. If the person is working alone, they should be a sole proprietor. Anyone in business as a wedding planner or coordinator should have business insurance. If someone comes to you with no more than a business card (not to mention without one), they’re questionable at best.

Day-of is too late to help

Most of the “disaster-handling” is in the prep. For instance, by the wedding day, the timeline is already written. With no experience (since, after all, you haven’t been married before), you may not know how much leeway to give yourself in scheduling. Did you allow enough time for hair and makeup? Will the caterer be able to handle an uninvited guest? If your photographer is a “friendor” rather than an experienced pro, they may not have told you how much time to allow for getting-ready photos. Running late does have some consequences. Cold food, or at least food that’s no longer at its best. Annoyed guests.The later you are, the more frazzled you will be. And it leaves less time for photos later, because your photographer is usually booked for a finite amount of time. If you have sparklers for your exit, did you plan ahead with a first-aid kit in case someone gets burned? (It happens more often than you’d think.) And if a seam on your dress or someone else’s splits, will the day-of coordinator be prepared to fix it?

Day-of coordinators only lack depth of experience

Day-of coordinators only don’t have the knowledge or network to handle potential disasters that may arise. I, and any other reputable planner, have contingency plans to run with if necessary. Not enough boutonnieres delivered? I can whip up 1 or 2 in a few minutes without ruining any bouquets. DIY arrangements coming apart? I have a glue gun in my bag. Are you worried about a particular person showing up uninvited? I and my assistant(s) will already know what this person looks like, and we’ll escort them out. What if someone gets sick and needs emergency care? Someone needs to help, but it certainly shouldn’t be you.

You get what you pay for

A day-of coordinator found on Facebook sounds great, until something goes wrong on the day of your wedding and they’re unable to help. At that point, it’s too late to do anything but damage control, and the fallout could include anything from no photos from the end of the night, to nowhere to hold your reception because you didn’t think an inclement weather plan was necessary at the time. (Spoiler alert: they’re always necessary!)

You may be left alone

Your day-of coordinator may only be there from right before the ceremony to after the cake cutting, leaving you to manage clean-up alone.

The Alternative: Wedding Management

Hire a planner! It may well be the best money you spend on your wedding. Like wedding insurance (which you should also have), a planner will minimize the fallout if something goes significantly wrong. We’ll also ensure that neither you, nor your parents, have to deal with anything that arises. Now, I can understand that for some of you, full planning may be out of reach financially. But there’s also wedding management (sometimes called month-of coordination, though I start sooner than that), which will get you the service that you need and deserve. 

In wedding management, you book me about 6 months out from your wedding day. I would make initial contact with your vendors at that time, and you would supply me with copies of your contracts. I go through each of your contracts and rental orders, ensuring you have all of the goods and services that you’ll need on the big day. As the wedding date moves closer, I would get more details about the wedding day, and I’ll schedule a walk-through of your venue with the two of you and pertinent vendors for 4-6 weeks out. At 30 days out (with your permission), I take over all communication with your vendors. I’ll then get the necessary information from you to construct the wedding day timeline: the document I and your vendors will use to keep the wedding day running smoothly. From that point on, you would have all of the same services as a full planning client: access to me to hammer out last-minute details, an assistant with you while you’re getting ready if you so choose, and then my team and I guiding you through the rehearsal and the wedding day. We also monitor clean-up carefully to make sure everything is returned to its rightful place, so you don’t have to worry about your damage deposit or replacement fees.

Conclusion

By now, I hope I’ve explained why day-of coordination alone is not in your best interest. For anything as incredibly important as your wedding day, you need, and deserve, the level of service that wedding management (or month-of coordination) provides. At Buttercup Celebrations, I ensure that all of my wedding management clients receive the same high level of service as my full planning clients, just for a shorter period of time. I’ll do everything I can to anticipate and solve problems before they arise, so your wedding day is the happy memory it should be. 

Are you getting married in a few months? Contact us to schedule your wedding management consultation, and leave your wedding day to trusted professionals! At Buttercup Celebrations, we’d love to serve you!