Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Wedding Coordinators: The Differences

I recently had a discussion with my husband {of all people!} regarding the differences between wedding coordinators and thought it was an interesting dialogue to share! We mainly discussed the differences between hiring your own wedding coordinator / planner and working with the in-house coordinator that is so oft provided by a venue.

Firstly, a small disclaimer: Obviously, I am an independent wedding planner BUT I fully support a client's choice to use an in-house planner versus an independent. Its the clients preference and needs that should dictate this decision, above and beyond any additional costs that would be incurred.

So, what are the differences in terms of 'work'? An in-house wedding coordinator will provide all the logistics related to the venue, if the venue has a preferred vendor list, they can help you navigate that list to choose the correct vendor for your needs. They will help guide you through the menu process and let you know how set up and break down must occur. They should liaise with your vendors in regards to logistics and on the day of, be there to provide on-site management. An independent wedding coordinator will research and suggest vendors and venues appropriate for your needs and budget, they will help you navigate all related logistics: creating a timeline, finalizing details with vendors, providing tidbits & advice {i.e. etiquette} when needed, and on the day of, managing your vendors and venue as well as ensuring that you arrive on time, you are relaxed and you have everything you need. {this is a very abbreviated list of what either wedding coordinator can/will provide}

The differences really come down to this: your independent wedding coordinator is YOURS. They were hired by you, for you and they are your advocate / team player. The in-house wedding coordinator has the venue's best interest first, your's second. While they know the in's and out's of your venue, they probably haven't spent as much time with you to know your in's and out's.

Choosing which option is ultimately your decision, as only you know what works best for you. Do you want to trust your day to the venue's pick for a wedding coordinator, or do you want to pick?

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