Even before the start of your wedding planning, chances are you’ve heard the terms “wedding coordinator” or “wedding planner”. Many people use the words interchangeably and think they perform the same tasks, but it helps to learn the differences between the two. A full-service wedding planner will take the role of coordination on the day-of, but a coordinator is also a separate individual assisting couples who take the planning on themselves. Here are a few insights on wedding coordinator vs planner responsibilities. 

Wedding Coordinator vs Planner

Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator is a vendor working behind the scenes to ensure all aspects of your wedding is running smoothly so you can enjoy the day. They are there to answer questions throughout your planning journey. Six weeks from the wedding, a coordinator will officially begin fulfilling their responsibilities by reaching out to each vendor the couple have contracted and introduce themselves. Soon after the day-of coordinator will meet with the couple for a venue walk through to see the space and get a feel for the layout and logistics. In addition, they’ll have a planning meeting to learn all that the couple have arranged to happen that day. This entails everything from when the bride goes into hair and make-up in the morning until last dance of the evening. This planning meeting is to educate the coordinator in all what needs to be done from what the couple have planned. An experienced coordinator has a list of questions to ask the couple to ensure no T is left uncrossed. After this meeting the coordinator will then devise their “to-do” list, so they have it as a checklist on the day-of. This is the checks and balances to make sure all plans are executed to the couples wishes. Lastly, the coordinator is present on wedding day. They’re usually the first vendor to arrive and the last vendor to leave. A day-of (or sometimes referred to as month-of) coordinator fee will range from $1,000-$1,500. The rate span varies based on if you need assistance in coordination of the rehearsal, timeline creation, region of the wedding and years of experience of the coordinator. 

Wedding coordinators offer different services to ensure your dream wedding. 

Wedding Planner

Your wedding planner also ensures the success of your wedding and is with you throughout the process. There are two types of planner assistance; full-service and partial planning. Full-service planning is for those couples who need help from A-Z. Everything from vendor selections to hotel block procurement—all aspects of the process are taken care of by the planner. They’ll take on the tasks of securing bids and narrowing down selections for the couple to choose from as well as set-up all meetings with vendors (i.e. cake tasting, DJ consultation, floral design, etc.). This is the ideal service for those couples who just don’t have time to plan and have a larger budget to cover the planner’s fees. The national average of full-service planners starts in the $5,000 range. But this rate will vary by the market of the wedding location, guest count and how many vendors need to be secured and managed. 

Partial planning services fall somewhere in between full-service planning and coordination. The planner will only be partially involved in making the arrangements. Maybe you just need help with managing your RSVPs or need design ideas for your reception décor. Partial planning offers a la carte services where the couple can pick and choose what they need help with. Just like full planning and coordination, partial planning also includes executing the elements on day-of. This service best fits the couple who want to have some involvement in the planning but not all of it.  The fees for partial planning fall in between the rates of full-service and coordination only. 

Bottom Line

When comparing a wedding coordinator vs planner, it’s important to bear in mind exactly what you need. If you enjoy the planning process and your budget doesn’t allow for a planner, then a coordinator is the best option for you. This allows you to be involved with all the details leading up to the wedding but not have to handle the logistics on the day-of so you can enjoy it to the fullest. If you are still curious about the differences between a wedding coordinator and planner, Hitch Without A Glitch would be happy to provide more information.

Happy Planning! Janet