Having worked in the wedding industry for more than 25 years, I have seen many weddings that have hired wedding planners and coordinators or relied on venue coordinators. Many weddings did not have any wedding planners. As well, for many others, the wedding couple used their friends and family to assist with the planning process.

Your wedding day plan is likely the best one for you. However, making an informed decision about how you want to manage the planning process is crucial. In this blog post, I want to share my feedback from the perspective of photographers with my future wedding couples. I will detail my experience regarding the benefits, advantages, and necessities of having a wedding planner to assist you. They can help you and your family enjoy a smooth celebration and a well-organized day with many moving parts. By understanding the different roles and responsibilities, you can make a decision that aligns with your vision and budget.

Why you should have hired help for your wedding

As a photographer for many years, I have often been in a position to assist, guide, and step up to help my couples when needed. This is especially true if my couple doesn’t have a wedding planner or coordinator for the day of the wedding.

Many brides think that their maid of honour (MOH) will be able to go above and beyond to fix every single detail that they have planned. While it is true that a MOH may provide a lot of help, it is essential to remember that this is not their profession. As such, the role can be incredibly stressful and exhausting. In fact, it is not uncommon see MOHs so consumed with their role responsibilities. Ultimately, there duties do not allow them to enjoy the wedding day of their best friend fully. It is important to keep this in mind and do not expect too much from your MOH. Relying solely on friends and family for wedding planning can also put a strain on your relationship with them. They may feel overwhelmed or not up to the task.

Managing a wedding with less than 50 people is quite straightforward. In this case, I only recommend hiring a wedding planner if there are several moving parts or multiple locations involved on the wedding day.
However, for weddings with more than 50 guests, I think having a wedding planner who can help make the day more enjoyable. They can ensure that everything goes according to the wedding couple’s plans is essential.

What is the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator?

Before I started working with wedding planners and coordinators, I thought that their names or jobs were more or less the same. However, I was mistaken. Although these job titles appear similar, there is a significant difference in the responsibilities that each of them carries out before and during the wedding day.

A wedding planner is responsible for making more decisions. They help you plan the entire wedding, and are there for you every step of the way. They can assist in selecting vendors, such as photographers, caterers, and florists, and deciding on a theme that reflects your personality. Additionally, they offer support leading up to and during the wedding day. This includes the rehearsal dinner, where they can ensure that all the details are in place and everyone knows their roles.

Conversely, a wedding coordinator can act as the wedding planner, but this is a more reactive role than a proactive one. They will carry out the plan and ensure everything goes according to plan.

The cost of hiring a wedding planner versus a coordinator can vary. Still, ultimately, it depends on your specific needs and what will result in the least amount of stress for you and your partner during the planning process. It’s up to you to decide which option will be the most beneficial for your wedding planning.

Full-Service Wedding Planner

I have had the privilege of working with wedding planners hired by the couple before any other arrangements were made. In my view, these planners are the most valuable, even though they may be more expensive. Their expertise is invaluable, and their contribution to the wedding planning process is immeasurable.

They can plan your entire wedding according to your preferences while staying within your budget. Wedding planners have access to the best vendors and can provide ideas, resources, and knowledge to ensure everything is perfect for your special day. They are experienced in working with blended cultures, families, and styles. They can help you save money by leveraging their connections with other vendors in the industry with whom they have worked previously. The value of their expertise and the peace of mind they can provide are often worth the additional cost.

Wedding planners can alleviate the stress of planning your dream wedding. They’ll collaborate with you and your family to ensure everything runs smoothly on the day. They’ll also bring assistants to help with tasks, such as decorating different locations and coordinating events. Once the wedding is over, they’ll handle all the clean-up, allowing you to unwind and enjoy the rest of your night.

Having peace of mind and assurance on your wedding day is truly wonderful. However, it does come at a cost that you will find reasonable once you start planning your wedding. Many couples who have planned a wedding for over 100 guests without a wedding planner have expressed that they would definitely hire one if they could do it all over again.

The month of planning wedding planner

A full-service wedding planner is there to assist the couple from the beginning stages of the planning process until the end. On the other hand, a month-of wedding planner is there to offer support toward the end of the planning process. They join the couple one month prior to the wedding day when everything has already been arranged. Their role is to ensure that everything is aligned, prioritized, and scheduled for a seamless and perfect wedding day. They can also help with any last-minute details or changes that need to be made.

Wedding planners hired for just a month still assist in planning the wedding, but their help and support on the wedding day itself are pretty limited. As you have already planned your wedding, they are expected to work with your plans. While they are proactive and offer suggestions beneficial to the wedding couple, making significant changes at short notice may be challenging.

The wedding day-of coordinator

The wedding day coordinator is an individual who assists the couple in ensuring that all plans are executed flawlessly and everything goes smoothly on their big day. This position is compensated on a per-day basis. In my opinion, they are the ones that take on the most significant stress on the wedding day. This is not to say that they work the most among all planners. However, their role is more reactive. They are there to address any issues that arise and ensure that everything is perfect. They are responsible for overseeing the setup of the ceremony and reception venues, coordinating with vendors, and managing the day’s timeline.

Usually, a wedding planner follows a timeline. They are responsible for communicating with vendors and addressing any queries related to the planning of the event. This is extremely helpful in reducing stress for the couple and their families on the wedding day. Most importantly, the planner is equipped to handle any unforeseen challenges that may arise.

A Venue Coordinator

A venue coordinator is an individual assigned by the wedding venue. Their role is to assist in bringing together all the different elements that the couple has already arranged. They help create and implement a schedule for the ceremony, cocktail hour, photo session, and dinner reception. They communicate with the vendors on-site and work to solve any issues that may arise during the day.

At Pearle Hospitality-managed locations, the venue coordinators serve as a perfect example of how wedding venues should be managed.
I have been working at each of their wedding venues. Pearle ensures that there is an assigned wedding coordinator for each wedding couple (if there is more than one wedding on site). They help the wedding couple, the vendors, and their guests and communicate the venue rules and regulations.

How do you know which wedding planner to book?

As a photographer, I believe hiring a wedding planner is one of the hardest choices a wedding couple has to make after selecting the venue location and photographer. Hiring the right wedding planner can make the planning process stress-free. In my experience, wedding planners who are patient, empathetic, and eager to help are the best fit for couples.

I have had the pleasure of working with several wedding planners over the years, and I must say, I do have my favourites. These planners have worked with many wedding couples with extensive needs and requests. As a result, they have a wealth of experience and are very hardworking. I have personally witnessed wedding planners arrive early at the venue and leave late just to ensure everything runs smoothly.

When it comes to booking a wedding planner, establishing a connection with the planner is crucial. It’s important to express your desired plans and ideas, as well as ask the planner for suggestions. This way, the planner can better understand your vision and work towards bringing it to life. Ask the wedding planner to connect you with past wedding couples. Hearing the experience from the firsthand service is one of the most important reviews you can get for the wedding planner you are considering hiring.

Connect with me to get some in person recommendations for your wedding day

If you have read this article to this point, I am sure that you are interested in hiring your own wedding planner. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I will be more than happy to recommend a wedding planner with whom I have worked before. Below, you will find a list of wedding planners who have worked with me on the creation of the photos featured in this blog. I wish you a stress-free planning experience and good luck in finishing your perfect wedding plan.

Wedding planners, locations and weddings featured: