6 Things You Should Expect From a Wedding Day Coordinator

As we are halfway through what we hope to be the last lockdown of the year, we are aware of the peak in wedding preparations, particularly the research undertaken by couples as they prepare for a post-lockdown sprint of supplier bookings.

You may already have enlisted the support of a phenomenal wedding planner (such as Coco Wedding Venues’ resident expert Katrina Otter Weddings), in which case you are already in very safe hands, and this article is not for you. However, if you are one of the many couples planning their own day, and are curious about what wedding day coordination can offer, read on!

What is Wedding Day Coordination?

Wedding day coordination is an increasingly popular choice for many couples as it allows you absolute control of the details and planning, before handing over the reins of responsibility for the smooth running of the day itself. It provides a happy medium for those who want to plan their wedding, without being the event manager on the day. In other words, you have all the control with none of the worry, allowing you to enjoy every minute of your wedding day.

More and more couples are planning their own unique weddings rather than turning to a planner. For them, the support and security of a wedding day coordinator is invaluable as they are expert at making sure that everything is covered in order for you to have a seamlessly smooth day. All you have to do is relax and enjoy the ride!

Though wedding day coordination is increasingly popular, we know that there are still many couples unaware that the service exists. So, as experienced experts in this field, we thought we would give you a quick overview of what you should expect from a professional wedding day coordinator in order for them to deliver a seamless wedding day experience.

Here are the 6 core services you should expect:

Logistical planning

This is hands-down the most important part of wedding day coordination. You should expect your coordinator to meet with you at least one month before your wedding. Remember: whether you have been planning your wedding for three months or for three years, there will be elements that your coordinator will need to pick up in a much shorter time. This lead- in period of logistical planning is crucial for them to be able to pull together all the pieces of your carefully-planned day.

They will be reviewing your contracts and agreements to understand everything that you have been promised by your suppliers. Armed with this knowledge, they will ensure that all those services are delivered. You could picture your wedding day coordinator taking all the pieces of the jigsaw and fitting them precisely together for your perfect wedding day.

Timeline Review

Your wedding timeline is essential to the success of your day. If you have already put together a timeline – and we strongly suggest that you do** – you should expect your coordinator to review, amend and generally tweak it. A big part of their role is to make sure that your timings are realistic, cohesive and in-line with your supplier agreements.

Knowing you will have professional eyes on your timeline allows you the freedom to draft an outline without having to stress over all the details. You can rest assured that, that will be done for you. We love timelines so much that we create one for each supplier! This way we are sure that they are clear on their arrival, delivery and set-up expectations – nothing can get lost in translation.

**Have a look here for more info and tips on timelines.

Floor Plan Coordination

Expect your wedding day coordinator to ask for floor plans either from you or your venue, even if they have previously worked with the venue. Up-to-date floor plans give an immediate view of the layout of the venue, thereby aiding accurate communication with the staff when discussing details. Floor plans are also crucial in being able to provide suppliers with absolutely clear and detailed instructions on where they are to go and precisely how each room or space is to be laid out.

Supplier Coordination

Building supplier relationships prior to your wedding is one of the greatest skills your wedding coordinators should possess. If you find yourself with a wedding day coordinator who doesn’t immediately initiate this supplier contact, then you should be concerned. If they suggest having no contact with your suppliers until the day itself, you can prepare for chaos! You may well be left with an extremely stressed out and sweaty supplier team and wedding party; this will not help you to remain calm and relaxed.

To be able to coordinate your wedding with seamless efficiency, your coordinator should be introducing themselves to your suppliers at least a month before your wedding. This lead-in allows them to establish a working relationship with each supplier, talk through contracts, and make sure that everyone knows what to expect from each other. This is a great way to spot any potential gaps or overlaps in responsibility, and get any hiccups straightened out. Your wedding day coordinators can then work with your suppliers, managing them smoothly together as a team. A good coordinator will have a clear overview, knowing that each supplier can focus on their part of the day, whilst being in-step with what everyone else is doing.

Site visit

It is quite likely that your wedding coordinator will have worked previously with your chosen venue and already has an established working relationship. Whether or not this is the case, you should expect them to do a site visit with your wedding in mind. When we do this, we walk through the venue, focusing on your unique perspective, and how you will use the space for your wedding. This is a useful opportunity to see whether anything or anyone has changed since the last visit. It’s also a great opportunity to meet your wedding day coordinator face-to-face if you haven’t already done so. At the visit, it is essential that a coordinator comes equipped with their trusty tape measure, to make absolutely sure that any hired items you might be considering can fit into the space.

A Professional Contract

You have spent months planning your wedding; you have invested substantial amounts of money and energy to ensure that your wedding day will be exactly as you want it. At this point, hiring a wedding day coordinator with a vague or woolly contract puts your emotional and financial investment at risk.

Before we create our contracts, we work with  our couples to create a wedding summary which  ensures that we have understood , and correctly identified any additional support they may want or need.

A coordinator should come equipped with a clear contract which includes a detailed service breakdown, and outlines the tasks for which they are to be responsible. It should also include those tasks which they would not usually expect to carry out, in order to guarantee absolute clarity. Of course this contract should be tailor-made for you and your specific requirements.

To summarise…

If your wedding day coordinator offers you all of these things, you will be able to relax fully, knowing that your wedding day will unfold effortlessly. You can be absolutely confident that your wedding day coordinator will manage any unforeseen occurrences discreetly, and respond to any mishaps efficiently, making sure that there is no domino effect on the rest of your day.

There is an art to wedding day coordination, and it comes with confidence and experience. When you are planning your wedding and thinking about potential suppliers, you should consider a wedding day coordinator as a sound investment. They will bring you exceptional peace-of-mind as they smoothly take up the reins of organisation and management.

When should you book?

So when should you book your wedding day coordinator? Honestly, they should be one of the first suppliers you book if you are looking for effortless wedding planning.

By engaging with them early, you can be sure that they will be on the end of the phone if you need them. Whatever stage you are at in your planning  when you bring a coordinator on board, from that moment they should make sure that you are equipped with everything you need to continue planning your wedding efficiently. Contracting a coordinator early will help to eliminate any uncertainty about what to do next; they support you with that sense of overwhelm that most couples experience in the later stages of wedding planning.

At The Wedding Coordinators, we offer all of our couples a ‘first aid’ planning support service that means we are on hand to answer any questions or point you in the right direction.