The Key Differences Between Wedding Planners & Coordinators

You have probably heard of wedding planners. They are the organized individuals portrayed in rom-com movies as the ones putting out all of the fires behind the scenes of the wedding (not totally inaccurate). Wedding planners are similar but different to wedding coordinators- and I’m sure you’ve heard both terms floating around as you’ve started planning. Both are equally integral to a smooth and carefree wedding day- it’s just up to you to determine which one best fits your needs and budget! So here we go- grab some popcorn and your soon-to-be spouse and let’s get this figured out so you can choose a guide and get on with this wedding planning process a lot less stressed and a lot more excited about your celebrations.

Wedding Planners:

• Walks you through every step of the wedding process

• Helps manage budget

• Handles the design and overall scope of your event

• Schedules and helps facilitate vendor meetings

• Creates detailed timelines, lists, and other resources throughout the process

• Looks at the big picture and the small details- and all the touchpoints in between

• Can help you save money- they know the best vendors and ways to bring your vision to life within your budget. Plus time is money- so the number of hours you have to spend planning can be significantly decreased if you hire a planner!

• Good for couples who want low stress, are extremely busy or don’t know where to begin

Wedding Coordinator:

• Typically come into the picture closer to the wedding (though we still HIGHLY recommend booking your coordinator well in advance)

• Helps you create a wedding day timeline and layout

• Manages the logistics of the event

• Brings to life all of the pieces of the puzzle you’ve already planned

• Manages vendors and timeline on the day of the event

• Gets your thoughts and plans (big or small) onto paper so you don’t have to worry about them anymore

• Often assists with setup/breakdown

• Good for couples who want to lead out in planning or don’t have the budget for a full planner

Which Should I choose?

All in all, both options bring the details of the day into a cohesive whole, so your vendor team can seamlessly execute this grand celebration for you and your partner, your family, and your closest friends. With my packages, I offer you the best of both worlds:

Full Planning & Design allows us to walk through every step of the process together, from the minute you get engaged to the wedding day celebrations. This package includes full design which allows us to co-create the vision for your wedding day- everything from florals to decor to place settings to the overall feeling guests and you as the couple get when you walk into the space.

Partial Planning still lets us guide you through the process, assist in scheduling and booking vendors, and help with the design of the event, but allows you to be more hands-on or hire us later in the planning process. We help eliminate stress, fill in the gaps, and guide you through the steps to take to get everything done well before the wedding day.

Month of Coordination is perfect for couples who want to plan their wedding from start to finish. But regardless of how much you want to plan, you NEED a coordinator. Someone to put together all the pieces for you. Otherwise, you, your mom, and your wedding party are going to be running around like crazy on the wedding day, regardless of how well you planned things out.

For those couples on a tight budget who are unable to hire a professional wedding planner or coordinator or you simply can’t find one that fits what you need—our new Wedding Planning Course: Ring It Up is the perfect fit for you. It is seven incredible modules that walk you through the wedding planning process from start to finish, and gives you tips to choose your own wedding day "coordinator" who can help streamline your event and allow you and your spouse to enjoy and be fully present during your celebrations.

♥ The Everson Events Team