To me, the most worrying trend in modern wedding planning is the confusion “day of coordination” services.

Day of services have become quite popular, and at first glance it is easy to see why. What couple wouldn’t love a pro’s help for a significant discount? I love to save a buck as much as the next person, so I understand why “day of” services have become so widespread.

Due to its increased popularity, I am often approached by newly engaged couples asking if I provide day of coordination services.

The answer is no, I don’t offer day of coordination. And other wedding professionals shouldn’t either.

Why? The answer is simple: weddings require so much work and planning beforehand that I am convinced true day of coordination does not exist.

 

You might be saying “what do you mean it doesn’t exist? Of course it does, there are a ton of people out there offering these services!”  Well the reality is that it is impossible to provide the care and attention needed for a successful wedding without a significant amount of time and work beforehand. Anyone who tells you otherwise is setting you up for disappointment, and at the very least a stressful and hectic wedding day.

I would say 90% of a memorable wedding is sweating the details and putting in the work before the wedding day. Therefore, on average, couples spend a year planning and preparing for their wedding. That means countless decisions have been made, finely tuned plans have been created, and tons of details have been ironed out. That is a ton of information!  It would be impossible for even the world’s most talented day of coordinator to show up and understand it all.

 

No matter how you look at it, a wedding is a huge investment of time and money.  Once you factor in the emotional investment couples put into their wedding, we are talking about one of the biggest events and days of their lives. So why not make sure you protect that investment and get the most enjoyment possible out of your wedding day.

 

So what’s a bride to do?!?

Now that we have established that day of coordination isn’t a realistic option, you are probably asking: “What are my options then? I’m not sure I can afford a full wedding planner, or I feel I don’t need full planning for my wedding. How can I get the most out of my investment?”

 

Luckily, couples have the option of what we in the wedding industry call wedding management (sometimes called event management).  Wedding management falls in between full planning and day of coordination, offering couples a lot of the benefits of working with a wedding professional.

 

What wedding management offers and how it sets you up for a successful, memorable wedding.

1. Wedding management offers couples unlimited access to an experienced, seasoned wedding/event planner to act as your trusted advisor throughout the process. Most important, here is what you can expect:

 

First, from the very first start, you will have the ability to be in contact for all your questions big and small. To give you an example, I am available to my wedding management clients whenever they need me through email. That means that no matter the issue, big or small, my clients can ask for my advice whenever they need it.

 

Second, a professional wedding manager will be there to make sure consider every possible detail. This is so important it can’t be stressed enough. It’s incredibly difficult for couples, especially busy professional couples, to think of every little detail before their wedding. A seasoned wedding pro will have your back to make sure all of your bases are covered before the wedding day arrives through a series of detailed meetings and tried and true procedures!

 

2. A professional wedding manager will offer access to the best and most trusted venues and vendors available.

 

The modern wedding industry is saturated with businesses and people offering their services. Having all of these choices can make separating the good from the bad extremely difficult. How can you know for sure the caterer or florist you choose will show up and deliver like they promise?

A seasoned wedding manager will offer you unbiased, honest assessments of each vendor. They are able to offer this advice because they have been in the game long enough and have worked with every vendor.

 

3. A wedding manager will help you create a professional timeline and communicate it to all vendors. Allowing you, your wedding party, and guests to focus on what is important: enjoying your wedding.

 

Like most things in life, successful, stress-free weddings depend on showing up on time and being prepared. A wedding manager will have your back, making sure everyone is prepared, on time and ready to go on your big day. How does a wedding manager work this magic?

A timeline is essentially a detailed plan that is easy to understand and tells everyone involved with your wedding what to expect and where they need to be. Everyone in your wedding party will be able to look at their timeline and understand what is going on. Furthermore, your wedding manager will be there on your wedding day to make sure the timeline works smoothly. And when something does not go according to plan, your wedding manager will handle it so you don’t have to. Having this detailed plan in place provides clarity, which in turn allows you and your guests to enjoy your moment.