Venue Coordinators vs. Wedding Coordinators… what’s the difference?
When I’m talking with couples, I hear all too often that they won’t be needing “coordination” services the day of their wedding because their “venue provides one”, also called a venue coordinator. Well, before I go any further, it is never my intention to bash anyone or anyone’s job. I’m simply telling the facts as I’ve seen and heard it. In fact, a large portion of what I’ve heard has come from my fellow vendors who know this industry better than anyone.
When you are choosing a venue, you might pick it because of the way it looks, the way the food tastes, the options it provides, or just because you like the person who’s in charge. Some venues may also provide you with an “event coordinator” that will be there on the day of your wedding making sure that all things are running smoothly. As someone who is relatively new to the wedding world, it’s easy to get sucked in to this amazing thought that someone will be there waving a magic wand around ensuring everything is just perfect.
So what does a venue coordinator do?
Well, again I’ll say that all venues are different, but from my experience, they mainly help coordinate the kitchen and venue details. They say when the salad goes out, entrees, etc. They are helping to facilitate parking and making sure their staff is doing their jobs. Often they are dealing with more than one wedding at once and most definitely more than one in a weekend. Their attention is divided between their staff, you, and the other weddings. Don’t get me wrong, they work very hard and are a great asset and help. But there are many, many things that they don’t do that fall under the role of “coordinator”…
A wedding coordinator (or wedding manager, day-of coordinator, etc.) – well, this wedding coordinator, anyway – starts with months of preparation and organizing before your wedding day.
At your rehearsal, they’ll guide through all of the details. Think about it: you’ve been to several weddings in your life as a guest. It can’t be too hard, right? Well, who walks first? When does the next person start? What side do the men stand on? Do the groomsmen usher the bridesmaids too? When does the flower girl go? How do I know when the music changes for the bride? It’s not hard, but when you’ve got your whole wedding party spitting out their own opinions, it helps to have someone with the answers.
The next day, at the wedding, the wedding coordinator arrives about hours before the ceremony begins and makes sure things are being setup as planned. They are there when the wedding party arrives, they make sure the couple doesn’t see each other (if requested). They are assisting the photographer, videographer and florist. They also make sure your guests are being welcomed, your ushers are seating everyone properly, and everyone is lined-up and ready on time.
From there, they usually head over to the reception site to get things decorated (if they haven’t been already) and ready for the arrival of the first guests for cocktails. They make sure the DJ or band is set-up and ready to go and all other aspects are on-schedule.
Phew – are you still with me?
Once the reception kicks off, the bridal party is lined up by the coordinator according to the DJ or band’s list for introductions, individuals giving toasts know where they are going and if there is a blessing, the person giving it is prompted. The coordinator then gives the heads up to the “venue coordinator” to start the dinner process. As all of this is going on, the coordinator is making sure the cake is ready to be cut and the rest of your planned events are prepared. They can make sure your gifts and cards are secure and really anything else you can think of. Meanwhile, when your bustle breaks or your photographer gets lost in traffic, they are taking care of it all without ever having to bug you.
Throughout the entire day, they are at your beck-and-call for anything you need. You and your wedding are their only priority.
Again, I have to say, an venue coordinator is a HUGE help and I’m grateful every time I get to work with one. But there is so much a wedding coordinator does that an event coordinator can’t. Hopefully I’ve made it clearer. Or I’ve just been rambling. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
