Wedding coordination and planning is a frequent topic we are asked about by our brides. It can be overwhelming to both plan out your entire day, along with picking vendors, in addition to the actual set up when the big day comes. Partnering with my sweet friend Katy from Coastal Coordinating for this month’s Bridal Tips, we are going to dive into the difference between wedding coordination and planning, along with frequently asked questions!
Based out of Florida, Katy and her team at Coastal Coordinating travel throughout the sunny state of Florida and into Georgia to provide coordination and wedding planning. Truly a ‘coast to coast’ wedding planning company, I love being able to recommend Coastal Coordinating to all of my brides no matter the location. With a team of 8 and growing, along with 15+ years of experience, Coastal Coordinating has the know-how and background to ensure a smooth flow to your big day!
To find out more about wedding coordination and planning services from Coastal Coordinating, email events@coastalcoordinating.com!
Wedding Planning & Coordination FAQs
So let’s dive into some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about wedding planning and coordination….
1. Are a wedding coordinator and wedding planner the same thing? One of the biggest misconceptions that many do not realize is that a wedding coordinator and planner are two totally different roles that also differ in responsibilities. As Katy explains, “wedding planning is where we help in planning, the majority of the time from start to finish. It’s putting all the best vendors in place during the planning process that fall within budget to keep everyone on track. Wedding coordination is where we step in closer to the date of the wedding to help coordinate between vendors and our couple, along with day of duties. Both play a very beneficial role in your big day!”
2. Why is it so important to at least have a wedding coordinator for your big day? Starting off with stress – one of the top three reasons many of our brides hire a wedding coordinator is to reduce the amount of unnecessary stress on their big day by having someone coordinate and set up all of their design and decor.
Organization would have to be the second top reason – from managing all of your vendors texts, calls, and emails about timelines, locations, etc. it is so helpful to be able to hand this off to a wedding coordinator, so that you can focus on more important moments, like spending time with your family and friends at your rehearsal dinner.
The third top reason would be for those around you to also enjoy your wedding day too! While we love how much mom and your bridal party are willing to jump in and help, we really want them to feel part of the moment verses being the set up crew. Capturing the excitement and interaction within the room leading up to the ceremony is such a beautiful time!
3. What are some of the responsibilities a wedding coordinator would handle on the day of? Truly there are so many ‘little details’ that go into bringing the vision you created with your wedding planner to life. As Katy puts it, “the responsibilities are endless,” but here are a few key items:
- Timeline creation weeks before the wedding to ensure a smooth day that is also realistic so all moments can be accomplished, i.e. enough time to line up for the ceremony, enough time for getting ready, etc.
- Vendor check in and scheduling leading up to, the morning of, and throughout your big day. Including but not limited to all vendor communication, such as arrival, placement of details, communicating room numbers, etc.
- Setting up everything! From the ceremony arch to the candy buffet, ensuring a clean and complete set up is crucial that no detail will go unnoticed.
- Taking down everything! From the reception table linens to candle votives that need to be returned to your vendors, to ensuring your gifts and cards are packed safely away.
4. Chatting more on wedding planning, I asked Katy about how a wedding planner would handle last minute changes. While we all love the sunshine of outdoor ceremonies, a backup plan may need to be implemented from time to time due to the weather. Photography wise, our team loves the opportunity and has the experience in using lighting for indoor ceremonies and receptions, which is key for a last minute change. Katy also explained on her end how being flexible and taking charge is crucial in managing a potentially bad outcome. For example, in the past 15 years, Coastal Coordinating has successfully rescheduled over 25 weddings due to hurricanes, but more often than not the emergency situation tends to be needing to pull in a last minute vendor to cover a vendor who unfortunately does not show up. All handled on their end, their couples do not have to worry about the stress this could cause as it is taken care of!
Katy also had some really great advice when it comes to picking a wedding coordinator and planner for your big day, which is to interview them! That’s right – ask key questions such as how long they have been in the wedding industry, their past experience in planning and coordinating, their current experience with wedding trends and news, and of course their partnerships with other vendors. Having a well rounded and experienced team is so crucially important!