Wedding Planner Vs Wedding Designer & Venue Coordinator

Why Hire a Wedding Planner?

By Laurie Andrews Design

Chances are once you got engaged you quickly realized that there is an entire vocabulary or language of wedding terms. As any couple knows, planning a wedding can be a huge amount of work. There are countless decisions to make, and they're all the more daunting for brides and grooms who are inexperienced with putting together such a big event.

Wedding Planners are no longer just for couples with unlimited budgets; they have become indispensable and Couples find their services well worth the investment. I often hear couples confuse and interchange the terms wedding designer, planner and coordinator. Understandable.

A planner is almost always a coordinator, but a coordinator is not always a planner. A planner may be a designer as well, but a designer is not always a planner and a designer is not always a planner or a coordinator and some are all three.

Have I totally confused you? There is a legitimate place for all these categories and at the end of the day I encourage you to make this part of your budget so that you can sit back and really enjoy the process and journey that you are about to embark on. It will go by so fast so let the professionals do their job while you get spa treatments and enjoy luncheons with family and friends that have traveled to see you.

Ok, let’s break it down. Although most wedding professionals are a combination of the three, each have a specific duty when it comes to what a wedding service they provide. Here is the difference to look for when hiring for your event.

A Wedding Designer is responsible for the overall aesthetic of the wedding or event. A designer is responsible for the overall decor of the event and knows exactly what it will look like at the end of the event. As professionals we have years of experience with design and maintain great vendor relationship that source products unavailable to most consumers. We generate the wedding design and decor concept by threading each visual element. Our job is to create a cohesive look that tells your story. When hiring a Designer, check to see if they are really Designers or did they just like that word and add to their job description? Are the images they show on their websites belong to them?

Venue or On Site Event Coordinator. When you book your venue, chances are you will be working with an Event Coordinator or Event Manager that has been hired by the venue. The Event Coordinator or Event Manager is there to ensure your wedding follows the rules and regulations of the space. The Coordinator is a great resource for vendor relationships, helping guide you throw the ceremony process if on site as well as the reception. This person is on site to be with you the entire time you are that their venue and will be a very valuable resource.

There should be no mistaking that the Event Coordinator works for the venue not you outside of the venue. There main goal is ensure that the facility runs smoothly.

Day of Coordinator is exactly that. Day of. Day of Coordinator will work with you a month to three months out to time line your event and contact all your vendors and be there for your rehearsal and entire day for whatever you may need. I have personally never found that "Day of” is only a day. Depending on the logistics of an event it can take months to plan "Day of Weddings" For that reason, we now only offer Full Planning or Partial Planning. You should always check with your venue first to see what details they handle the day of.

Wedding Planner. A Planner is with you from the beginning of the process to the end. A Planner is responsible for planning the logistical elements that bring your wedding vision to life. Depending on the level of service they are commissioned for they will help you find your vendors, negotiate contracts or review them for you. Help you simplify the entire process by sharing contacts and preferred vendors. They will also create timelines, budget tracking, and track RSVPS and a design a floor plan. They can also be a trusted advisor on everything wedding related and more often than none, they are your therapist and best friend for a year.

Before you run out and hire a Wedding Coordinator, Event Designer or Wedding Planner, I suggest you do your homework. Every penny counts as well as time invested by you during this process. Make sure that you are a good fit, you will be spending a lot of time with these vendors and it should be a fun and enjoyable experience. I believe you get what you pay for and professionals are not inexpensive, it is in investment. An investment that could save you from making huge mistakes and design disasters. Check with the vendors and ask about the Planner you are going to hire. Most of us have been around for a long time and our reputations are the most important tool we have to offer. Be wary of the new inexpensive Coordinator that just got married and thought it would be a fun part time job. I have seen Couples spend thousands of extra dollars because of the mistakes the planners have made. So if your planner walks around with a clip board and hair and makeup is perfect and she does not know how to set a table, then she is not for you. Shop around. A good planner knows they are only as good as there last event!

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