5 Reasons Why I Wish I’d Hired a Day-of Coordinator
This may seem surprising coming from a wedding planner, but my one regret about planning my own wedding was that I didn’t hire a day-of coordinator. To be honest, prior to getting married, I really didn’t know what a day-of coordinator did or why they are so valuable. Today I am here to save you from my mistake and explain why coordinators are essential for your special day.
No matter how organized or prepared you are, there will always be unexpected problems that come up on the day of your wedding. I truly believed that this wouldn’t be the case for me because I was beyond prepared and had great vendors and amazing people helping me set up.
Our wedding was the best day of my life, and really went off without many issues at all, but there were still moments where I found myself wishing I had hired some extra help. Especially since we got married on San Juan Island which is a semi-destination wedding.
Keep reading for five reasons to hire a day-of coordinator:
1.You don’t need to enlist your friends and family to help set up and tear down your wedding! Hire a coordinator for that.
One of the main reasons many couples hire a day-of coordinator is so they can set up your wedding ceremony and reception for you. At the start of planning a wedding, it might seem like you won’t need too much personal decor. But between signage, stationery, cake knives, favors and more - most couples end up acquiring a good amount of personal decor that needs to be set up and then removed from the venue after the reception.
While it might be tempting to ask a good friend or a few family members to do this for you, it takes time away from them experiencing the day with you and fully enjoying your celebration. For our wedding, my dad and good friend set up the reception decor. They didn’t have to set up flatware, flowers or lights but arranging table numbers, place cards, favors and signs was still a lot of work for them! This tip is especially key if you are thinking of doing your own florals or bringing in a lot of rentals.
Personal decor for our wedding. I was surprised the succulents all made it!
2. Coordinators handle all communication with vendors and arrange all the logistics so you don’t have to worry about it.
This is a big one because the last thing you are going to want to worry about on your wedding day is your phone ringing off the hook. I always encourage people to be as present as possible on their wedding day and having someone there to field calls and take care of your vendors is so important.
A few days before our wedding, my husband broke his phone beyond repair and we had to share a phone all weekend and on our honeymoon. I knew this would be chaotic since we had so many guests coming from out of town, and everyone was taking the ferry to San Juan Island adding an extra layer of travel plans.
This meant not only was I getting calls and texts from our guests traveling to the island, I was also receiving messages about wedding-day logistics. Having a coordinator would have meant less phone calls and more time for me to soak up the day.
3. Last minute problems are in the hands of your coordinator and not your concern.
Another small problem we had was with our cake. I still laugh about this story. My dad and husband were tasked with picking up our wedding cake the morning we left for the island. It was made at an all gluten free bakery since I have celiac disease. I had shown both of them pictures but really the only thing to remember was that it was a simple, white cake.
When they came home with a bright yellow one, instant stress! We didn’t have time to pick up a new cake and ended up using a bakery on the island to scrape off the yellow frosting and replace it with white. This was a moment where I wish I had a coordinator to call and ask for help and advice, or to have them handle it altogether.
Our little wedding cake.
4. Transportation and small details can be completely overwhelming without the help of a professional.
If you are having your ceremony and reception at different locations, this point is for you! Even if your locations are only 10-15 minutes away, having a point person to guide your wedding party and family members is so important. The last thing you’re going to want to think about right after getting married is how your guests are going to get to the reception. Chances are, a few people are going to have questions and need help. Leave this stress to your coordinator and enjoy your day.
We were lucky to get married at a resort where our ceremony and reception locations were a few steps away from each other. However, we still had wedding party and family members staying at different locations within the very large resort who needed help finding their way around.
Our venue arranged rides for the wedding parties and I sent out schedules to all of the bridesmaids and groomsmen, but once I left for my first look there was still confusion about where to go. This is why I always include an optional schedule for bridal parties and family members in my day-of coordination services and why I am happy to give my phone number to any of your guests that need it, so they can call me when they don’t know where to go and not you!
Always helps to have a cute ring-bearer to carry your train around all day
5. Last but not least, a coordinator will create your wedding day timeline and help you follow it.
There's really not much explaining behind this one but having a professional create a wedding day timeline with you is so much easier than creating one yourself. It is so easy to underestimate how much time things like hair and makeup, first looks and family photos can take. Not to mention arranging when your vendors should arrive to set up, eat their own meals, and receive their final payments.
Being able to relax on your wedding day and not having to worry about what time you’re supposed to cut your cake or start your first dance, is so important.
These examples are some of the many reasons why hiring Woven Weddings as your day-of coordination will make your wedding as seamless and relaxing as possible. We will go above and beyond to ensure that your day is as perfect as can be and do our absolute best to serve you. If you are interested in reading more about our day-of coordination services, click the button below.