Wedding Planner vs. Wedding Coordinator | What is the difference and why do I need one?
Congratulations on your engagement! Research varies, but most couples can spend between 200-500 hours planning their wedding. Can you believe that?! So unless you plan to add a part-time job to your already busy schedule, you’re going to want to hire someone to help you!
This blog points out the differences between a wedding planner versus a wedding coordinator while giving you feedback from real Emerson Fields Wedding Venue brides on why they chose to hire these wedding professionals for their big day.
I imagine, like most of our clients, this is your first time planning a wedding. You have an idea of what you’d like for your big day but you haven’t a clue where to begin. You may be thinking that you can juggle wedding planning, work, life changes, and your normal social life, but did you know that a wedding takes upwards of 528 hours to plan? It is a big commitment to plan every detail, source vendors, and be the bride or groom all at the same time. So think of a professional wedding planner or wedding coordinator like an insurance policy protecting your special wedding day.
These pros protect and manage your:
Investment || Sanity || Timeline || Vendors
We have staff members from Emerson Fields present at your ceremony and intermittently at your reception. Regardless of our venue staff, you will need someone to manage all of the wedding logistics, details, and timeline of your wedding day. Our staff will work in conjunction with that professional to make your day amazing! Keep reading and take notes on what type of expert guidance you’ll want for your wedding day.
Below we cover the problem-solving skills of a WEDDING PLANNER, a WEDDING MANAGER, and a WEDDING COORDINATOR from the point of view of real Emerson Fields clients.
Do I need a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator?
Glad you asked! The simple answer is YES. But there is a difference between hiring a full-service wedding planner who walks with you throughout the entire wedding process and a wedding coordinator for the month of the wedding. Either way, you will want someone coordinating the day of the wedding to make sure you are able to relax and enjoy your wedding. Deciding which professional to hire is entirely up to you and your unique needs, budget, timeline, and personal bandwidth. Take it from some of our past brides who hired help with wedding planning, coordinating, and managing the wedding day. Then you can decide which professional you need for your big day!
Professional Full Wedding Planner - Callie Coorts, an EF Bride from Columbia, MO hired Terra from Plan It Terra
"We knew that we wanted a wedding planner for sure. Jack and I both worked very demanding jobs, but still wanted the wedding of our dreams. We just didn’t have time to plan it ourselves! Terra [Plan It Terra] was recommended to us by Amelia at Emerson Fields and from the first consultation I knew our wedding was safe in her hands. If anything, she made us more sure that we wanted a planner in general, but more specifically we wanted to work with her team! She was so detail oriented and put a lot of effort in getting to know us both, our likes and dislikes, and overall vision for our wedding day. Another reason we wanted a planner was because we knew it would alleviate a lot of stress from not only Jack and I, but our families also.
We chose a full design and planning package. This meant that Terra put together design options with various vendors and gathered pricing and information, then brought those options to us. It simplified the process tremendously on our end and she delivered quotes and designs that we could have never come up with on our own. For planning, she knew every detail down to the specific size of the cocktail table linens. The weekend of our wedding her team did all the set up, tear down, and coordination for our rehearsal dinner, wedding service, and reception. Everything went absolutely according to plan and we stayed on schedule throughout the weekend.”
We asked our previous bride, Callie… Why did you opt for a full wedding planner over a day-of coordinator or manager?
“We knew that we needed the extra help! Jack and I both had a very clear vision of what we dreamed for our wedding day--light, elegant, classic, romantic, and meaningful with an abundance of florals. We knew it would take a lot of research and vendor management that we just did not have time for due to our work schedules. It was important that whoever we were working with on our wedding day knew the full background of everything that was supposed to be completed. It would have been very difficult for someone to come in so late in the game and still keep all the moving parts together if they weren't involved in the planning from the beginning. Also, there were so many details Jack and I would not have thought of, without Terra's guidance.”
Pros of a Full-Service Wedding Planner
Advice for the whole planning process and in-depth knowledge of the wedding industry
Designer’s eye
Able to work with blending cultures, religions, families, and styles
Connections with great vendors
Takes on all research and gets quotes from vendors
Vendor management
Manages your budget and sticks to it
Creates a design plan and sources décor
Manages RSVPs
Set up and tear down the wedding day
Rehearsal and day-of management from beginning to end
Great for those who desire many moving parts to their celebration
A necessity for people with full-time, demanding jobs and less time for planning
Alleviates stress from the couple
Brings your dreams to life!
“The entire Plan It Terra team is top-notch, professional and so pleasant to work with. As venue owners, we see a lot of people who call themselves “wedding planners”, but Terra and her team are the real deal. They plan it all, execute every design detail and take care of any issues with ease.”
Professional Wedding Management - Morgan Spencer, an EF Bride from St. Louis, MO hired Tyena from D-Zines Weddings
“In the midst of wedding planning, we kind of went back & forth about if we should hire a coordinator or not. We weren’t completely convinced yet that we “needed” a coordinator or manager. We thought maybe we would just use a family friend.
It took many conversations debating & wondering what to do. I then asked for advice from Amelia [Emerson Fields] and she told me, “Having a coordinator is like insurance on your wedding.“ We finally decided to hire Tyena from D-Zines Weddings as our coordinator for the special day! We had already spent so much money up to this point and knowing that it would ensure that every penny spent was worth our investment by things running smoothly helped me feel so much peace. That literally is what made me change my mind! I am so thankful that we ended up choosing D-Zines because we literally couldn’t have done it without her. She already knew the ropes, had loads of experience, and made everything run perfectly. Having D-Zines was well worth the investment!
Pros of a Wedding Month-Of Manager
You’ve already planned the wedding but you need someone to help you tie it all together
Takes care of last-minute details like RSVP management or payments
Helps take the stress off the couple leading up to the wedding day
Helps tie up loose ends with vendors
Pre-wedding communication and management
Rehearsal management
Manages the wedding day timeline
Connects with vendors during the wedding and answers their questions
Leads the day to make it flow well and stay on track
Saves you money by not letting the money you have already spent go to waste
“We knew we needed someone to take lead at the reception and day of the wedding. Without a leader, it would’ve been chaos. I didn’t want my parents or in-laws to have to worry about anything like that because our day was special for them too. I wanted them to be able to relax and enjoy it! It was well worth it. There will simply just be things you are not going to remember on your wedding day and you need someone else to be able to help with those things. ”
Professional Wedding Coordinator - Rachel Creason, an EF Bride from Brookfield, MO hired Madyson from Wright Pro Weddings
“My wedding day would not have been the same without Madyson!!!!! Her attention to detail is AMAZING! Her hard work and thoughtfulness enhanced my wedding and experience as a bride tremendously. I highly recommend Madyson to all future brides! We just adore her!”
Rachel’s friend Karmen helped connect Rachel with Wright Pro Weddings. Here’s what Karmen, a bridesmaid, had to say about her experience with Madyson.
“Madyson is the BEST to work with! She was always cheerful, accommodating to our requests, thorough and attentive to details, quick to respond to any questions, and professional in every way! Highly recommend!”
Pros of a Wedding Day-Of Coordinator
A more economical choice that comes into help around 30-60 days out from the wedding once all vendors have been hired
Helps to tie up any loose ends right before the big day
Rehearsal assistance
Keeps the day running smoothly and on schedule according to your timeline
Able to work in a high-stress environment and remain calm
Manages vendors on the day of the wedding
Takes on questions and requests throughout the day (instead of you!)
Helps to bring the vision to life on the day of the wedding
Alleviates stress for the couple and family throughout the day
“On the wedding day, I am there as the couple’s primary wing woman. That means, fielding all the questions so they don’t have to, greeting vendors, overseeing ceremony flow (aka get everyone down the aisle in an organized fashion), and pretty much anything else you can imagine behind the scenes making sure the day runs smoothly. My primary goal on the day of the wedding is to keep the bride and groom focused on the most important thing which is - enjoying and embracing every moment of their wedding day! ”
Do I need a wedding coordinator? Can’t I ask a friend?
In our experience, asking a friend to help isn’t the best option for you to enjoy your wedding day. You wanted a day to celebrate WITH your family and friends and you can’t do that by putting them to work. Your wedding coordinator cannot be you, your mother, your future mother-in-law, a best friend, anyone in your bridal party, or anyone who wants to participate as a guest at the wedding.
All of these people will be very busy celebrating WITH you on your wedding day. You don’t want them to feel like this is their job and you don’t want them to miss out on some very sweet moments.
Who’s going to run back to the dressing room for your veil when you realize it’s not on your head and you’re about to walk down the aisle? [happens more often than you’d think]
Who's going to tell your flower girl when it's time to walk down the aisle and help her pick up the rose petals that she’ll likely spill right before her big entrance? [typically there are tears involved]
Who's going to notify the caterer that dinner needs to be served 30 minutes early because pictures didn't take as long as planned? [a pretty regular occurrence]
Who's lighting all the candles before the dinner hour begins? [never fails, no one knows where a lighter is]
Who's going to track down the officiant and witnesses to get their signatures on the marriage license and make sure it's in a secure location so this is all legal? [it’s been forgotten a time or two]
“Most brides I talk to think their mom or maid of honor can coordinate the day, but don’t you want them to enjoy the day too? Adding on the stress of coordinating your day to a family member really robs them of the opportunity to enjoy the day with you. As a professional wedding coordinator, a huge priority of mine is that everyone who attends the wedding has a stress-free experience. ”
“Wright Pro Weddings focuses on unique design, exceptional guest experience, and professionalism in all areas. Open and clear communication is the hallmark of the Wright Pro Wedding experience. WPW offers services from wedding coordination to full service planning.
Emerson Fields is our specialty, and is the only location that we offer full-planning services for at this time. You could say we’re Emerson Fields experts! Let us partner with you to create a show-stopping wedding experience that will leave your guests wowed and talking for years to come! ”
The person who’s managing the wedding day must be someone who is:
Highly organized
Controls the timeline
Knows the names of everyone in the wedding party
Knows all the vendor’s names and phone numbers in case of emergency
Understands your venue’s policies
Able to pin on boutonnières at the last minute
Understands how to cut the cake when you realize your cousin doesn't!
Your wedding planner or coordinator isn’t a participant, they’re your trusted planning professional. They don’t get to relax on the wedding day, that’s your job. They manage any curve balls thrown your way on the wedding day.
They need to know everything about your wedding and we at Emerson Fields require them to attend your Design Consultation with you before the wedding day. Having everyone on the same page before the wedding is the ultimate game-changer for a smooth day.
-Hire a Professional-
Hire a professional wedding planner or wedding coordinator like Plan It Terra, D-Zines Weddings, or Wright Pro Weddings. You will likely spend a year or more planning this event and several thousands of dollars. Do you want all of your months of heartfelt planning and investment to go down the tubes on your perfect day when you realize that you and your family members can't be in seventeen places at once?
You may not need a full wedding planner if you’ve got a lot of the vendors hired and a solid timeline started. There are partial wedding planners and coordinators/managers that can implement what you’ve already planned and help you make it happen! Most of these professionals have varying levels of service so you will want to reach out to a few to gather up quotes.
Consider that the event you are planning, your wedding day, takes a lot of time and energy. (Remember that 528 hours of planning number?) It is completely worth having a coordinator or manager help bring your vision to life so that you can relax and enjoy your wedding day and not be the problem solver for this one day.
It is a requirement at Emerson Fields to have at minimum a wedding coordinator because we know how helpful this professional is to keep your wedding day running the way you envisioned it and allow you and your family to be present and soak up the experience.
Read more from our past brides who’ve hired wedding professionals to help them:
Tessa from Fulton, MO says:
“When it came to planning our wedding, some of the best helpful planning information, tips, and vendor recommendations came from Amelia [Emerson Fields] herself! I had no idea where to start, but once she provided the vendor list and helpful tips my planning took off. The vendor list was great because it reduced the amount of time I had to spend researching. One on the list that we used, is a wedding coordinator [Tyena with D-Zines]. I am a planner myself and did not need a whole wedding planner, but a day-of-coordinator was the biggest lifesaver I did not know I needed!”
Cassie from Moberly, MO says:
"I did all the wedding planning, and had the gal that was my day-of-coordinator help me along the way, putting her contact information on all the vendor information forms. Since she was involved in the process from early on, she was able to know my vision for the day, understand my husband's expectations, know what was important to us, and help us make all that a reality the day of. The coordinator made sure the vendors were all paid (we had the funds ready for her in labeled envelopes ahead of time) and she helped me formulate a ‘playbook’ or script for the day that we all followed.”
Emily from Macon, MO says:
"I am happy that we hired a wedding coordinator for a number of reasons. I had my vision. She helped execute my vision better than if I would have tackled it with my fiancé and my wedding party/family. And, even though I had been in a number of weddings, she reminded me of the finite details but didn't let me get worked up about it either. My mom also stated many times how she wanted to enjoy the wedding and not be working."
Emerson Fields is designed for YOU, the couple getting married, to enjoy time with your family and friends. It's a gathering place. You have invested in our white barn wedding venue because you want to host a wedding that celebrates your love for one another in a relaxing and beautiful space. You are inviting your guests to a 5-6 hour-long celebration with the ceremony, reception, dinner, and dancing. That makes your wedding more of an “event “ than you sometimes realize and managing all of the inner workings of this day requires someone with experience, like a wedding planner or wedding coordinator. You are the guest of honor and we want you to be treated as such!
Not sure where to get started with wedding planning?
Download our free checklist with everything you need to do after getting the ring!
What is the difference between a venue manager and a wedding coordinator? You can get more in-depth on this question by reading this blog HERE.
Making your wedding day the absolute best day it can be is always our goal. We share a lot of insights in our Instagram stories so we’d love to have you follow those at @emersonfieldsvenue
Thank you to these amazing photographers capturing images of weddings at Emerson Fields!
3/23/2023 - Gabrielle Isom
