The Difference Between a Wedding Planner & On-The-Day Coordinator

By Simon and Kiana Photography

As we head into 2025 wedding season, has the debate between a wedding planner or an on-the-day coordinator been crossing your mind lately? Offering both full-planning and on-the-day coordination, our team at West Country Wedding Planner are here to answer your questions and share with you the distinct differences between these two services so you can choose what is best for you.

Both options offer valuable support for couples, but understanding the key differences between these two services is crucial so you can decide which service would be more beneficial to you.  

Roles of a Wedding Planner

Think of a wedding planner as your expert guide; there to support you every step of the way right from the initial brainstorming sessions to the final day preparations. Your wedding planner becomes your trusted confidante (and friend!). They possess a wealth of knowledge and experience and ensure no detail gets overlooked throughout your whole wedding planning process. As your dedicated wedding planning team, we’ll help you with a variety of planning tasks ranging from:

·       Helping to keep you within your budget.

·       Connecting you with trusted and reliable wedding suppliers that will bring your vision to life.

·       Handle the admin and email correspondence with your wedding suppliers and venue.

·       Offer suggestions and advice when finding and choosing your wedding venue.

·       Help you create and design your overall wedding aesthetic.

·       Keep you on a realistic wedding planning timeline so everything is ready for your big day.  

What is an On-The-Day Coordinator?

A wedding day manager or on-the-day wedding coordinator is more like your wedding day superhero whose job it is to perfectly choreograph your big day. They will join your wedding planning efforts typically a few weeks or months beforehand and become the point of contact for your wedding suppliers and venue.

Your on-the-day wedding coordinator will ensure your day runs smoothly, oversee the logistics and troubleshoot any last-minute hiccups. As your wedding coordinator, we handle tasks such as:

·       Creating your detailed wedding day timeline to send out to all suppliers.

·       Coordinate set up times and break down times.

·       Problem solving any issues that arise.

·       Look after your guests and ensure they are in the right place at the right time.

·       Help coordinate group photos.

·       Keep your wedding day running on time and to plan, ensuring the seemless smooth running of the day so you and your guests can relax.

So, which one is right for you? If you're looking for comprehensive guidance and support from the experts throughout your entire wedding planning process, then a wedding planner is the ideal choice for you. However, if you've already planned most of your wedding and simply need someone there on the day to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience – then we would recommend working with an on-the-day coordinator.

Every couple is unique and needs different levels of wedding planning support which is why we offer both full and partial wedding planning packages as well as on-the-day coordination services. So, if you have your wedding planned in the beautiful West Country and want to have a professional and experienced wedding planner by your side to ensure you have a flawless wedding, get in touch with our team today.

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Paul Santos

Yeti Vince Photography