Day-Of Wedding Coordinator – RVA DJ Sandman LLC

What is a Wedding Coordinator?

The role of a day of wedding coordinator is to make sure the wedding day that has been planned for months goes to plan on the day of the wedding. They take over the management of the wedding day timeline, coordinate the wedding vendors and guest list on the big day, and problem-solve any issues that arrive. It’s a role that allows wedding couples to hand over the delivery of their own wedding day plan so that they can just focus on enjoying the special day without the stress. Typically, a day of wedding coordinator will start working with you 1-2 months before the wedding date. They help finalize the day-of wedding checklist and start making phone calls with your wedding vendors to make sure everything is on track.

Wedding planner vs Coordinator?

It is important to know the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator.

Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is part of the entire wedding planning process. They help with researching and booking wedding vendors as well as planning all the details that each vendor will provide.

A wedding planner’s responsibilities also include managing the wedding budget and making sure everything is ready before the wedding day. A wedding planner is either the first wedding vendor that is booked or is a role typically performed by the bride, groom, or both.

Wedding Coordinator

A professional wedding coordinator is not involved in the decision-making process of the wedding plans and is instead there to deliver those plans to fruition on the big day.

Most professional wedding planners also provide the wedding coordinator role as part of their services. However, if you are not using a wedding planner that provides that service, then you will need someone to manage that day-of wedding coordinator role.

It is really a subset of a wedding planner role with a focus just on the big day as a type of event planner. They are usually a cheaper option to hire than a wedding planner if you are doing the wedding planning
yourself.

Sometimes, couples may also ask a family member or a close friend to be the wedding coordinator. Another alternative is a wedding coach who may also offer wedding coordination services.

It is important to note that the day of coordination is hard work, and they take on a lot of the stress on the day of the event.

Duties Before The Wedding Day

This set of duties is performed by the wedding coordinator before the wedding day. The primary focus of these duties is to make sure there are no gaps in the plans and to get them up to speed with the wedding day schedule.

Review the vendor contracts to pick up on all the little details.
Review the floor plan, seating chart, and rain plan.
Review the day of your wedding’s detailed timeline and identify any potential issues or missing elements in the event planning details.
Confirm details of the wedding vendors before the wedding day. Such as vendor arrival times and making sure there are no last-minute surprises.
Attend and potentially run the wedding rehearsal.

Duties On The Wedding

This next set of duties is done on the wedding day by the wedding coordinator. While not all of these may need to be performed by them, this comprehensive list of duties should help when reviewed alongside the wedding day timeline to see if there is anything missing.

The primary focus of these duties is to make sure there are no gaps in the plans and to get them up to speed with the wedding day schedule.

Make sure all rentals have been delivered and are set up in a timely manner.
Make sure vendors arrive with enough time for setup and delivery.
Make sure wedding seating and the wedding arch is set up correctly at the ceremony venue before wedding guests arrive.
Make sure table settings and escort cards are set up correctly at the reception venue before guests arrive.
Initiate backup plans, such as for wet weather or if a specific vendor is sick.
Problem solves issues on the fly.
Make sure each vendor is following the wedding timeline, such as the wedding photographer and wedding DJ or band.
Make sure the wedding party is scheduled to arrive at the right time.
They may potentially take responsibility for the marriage license if the officiant is not.
Make sure the wedding ushers know where to seat guests for the wedding ceremony.
Make sure that the wedding place cards, and wedding guest book are set up for the reception.
Make sure all the wedding party members are in their positions for the wedding processional.
Make sure that the wedding emcee sticks to the timeline during the wedding reception.
Make sure the tear-down and clean-up of the venue is completed by all the vendors.
Help with moving the wedding gifts to a safe place at the end of the night or in a car.
Potentially help the florist with delivering bouquets and buttonholes to the bridal party and groomsmen.
Help guide the members of the wedding party to the wedding ceremony and wedding reception venue.
Work with the wedding venue coordinator for things such as adjusting lighting and sound levels.
Cueing the wedding celebrant, MC, speeches, musicians, and caterers to keep the wedding day flowing.
Make sure that the happy couple gets to their wedding night accommodation at the end of the night with their overnight bags.
Make sure that all the guests travel home safely.
Any additional wedding details about how the day will unfold that have specifically been asked for in the day-of wedding timeline.

Summary

Many wedding couples hire a day-of wedding coordinator if they have been planning the wedding themselves and need someone to deliver their work on the big day.

A great wedding coordinator will be able to problem solve on the fly and make sure that the bride and groom are a priority. They are the point person on the day and should be able to handle any issues to make sure everything runs smoothly.

The list of duties should outline what a wedding coordinator’s main responsibilities are before and on the actual wedding day. It is an important role that provides the execution of the event vision and allows the wedding couple to enjoy all the special moments without stress.