Why You Need to Include a Day-of Coordinator in Your Wedding Budget

Although I’m a little hesitant to post a money-related topic with everything going on, I feel like this topic is more important than ever. I actually started writing this blog post before the pandemic, and now I can’t stress enough the importance of a wedding coordinator. Dealing with last minute changes and conversations as a result of this pandemic is not something couples should have to do alone. Wedding coordinators are trained to handle these details while remaining calm and focused. In fact, being a calming presence and cultivating a stress-free wedding day are some of the things most often noted in my client reviews. I’m here to provide reassurance and resources as we work through this uncertainty together.

Pandemic aside - I want to talk about a few things I’ve noticed over the last year in business. In my experience, a day-of coordinator is sometimes one of the last vendors that couples book. I think there are a few reasons for this. On one hand, couples may not realize they need a coordinator until the reality of wedding day logistics starts sinking in. (And then trust me, even my self-proclaimed Type A, super organized, and detail-oriented brides don’t want to deal with that stress on their wedding day.) On the other hand, couples may not feel they have the budget for a coordinator until they have everything else paid for. I’m in a brides group on Facebook, and this is one of the most common questions I see:

“Is a day-of coordinator worth the money?”

These questions and the rationale are totally valid, and I definitely understand when clients simply cannot afford to include a day-of coordinator in their wedding budget. However, I think there are so many reasons why a day-of coordinator is just like any other vendor who is crucial to making your wedding day a success. And I’m not just saying that because I am one (okay maybe that’s part of it, but I just want to be best friends and work together!). I cannot stress enough that a day-of coordinator is not just an extra vendor with an extra price tag.

There are several key reasons why you need to include a day-of coordinator in your budget from the beginning:

A day-of coordinator is more like your monthly wedding planning BFF.
I think there’s a misconception about day-of coordinators, which is why the cost often comes into question. People tend to wonder “why does it cost so much just for one day?” The truth is, we simply could not do our jobs if it was just one day. I can't just appear on the day of your wedding and magically run the show, you know? (My sparkly superpowers only go so far.) I refer to my day-of coordination service as “month-of coordination,” because I start working closely with my couples about 2-3 months before their wedding. However, from the moment a couple books with me, whether it’s 2 months or 12 months before the wedding, they receive regular check-in emails from me and know they can reach out to me with questions at any time. If you tell me you’re not sure how to set up the silverware for your buffet, I’ll send you like 10 pictures of crafty ideas to share with your mom. If you’re unsure how to format your wedding ceremony, I’ll do the research and put together a guide that includes some of my favorite readings and personal suggestions.
Personally, I love getting to know my couples far beyond the surface level of wedding day details. Building relationships and forming friendships with couples is a privilege and one of the best parts of this job. Like if you casually mention to me that you are a Schitt’s Creek fan, I may just binge watch the entire series and start tagging you in my favorite memes. But seriously, I strive to get to know my couples on a personal level and form a friendship that goes beyond the sparkler send-off.
A day-of coordinator is like insurance for the huge investment you have made.
Let’s look at it this way - take photographers for instance. Most people would agree that hiring a high-quality wedding photographer is a worthwhile investment to capture all the moments you spent money on. I mean really, you are going to invest time and money in throwing the best dang party with all your favorite people, and you want someone there who can capture all the big and little moments beautifully.
Similarly, you spend all this time planning your wedding and coordinating all the people, places, and things. It is a huge investment of your time, money, resources, and mental energy. But what about when the big day comes? Don’t you want someone there who can make sure it all happens flawlessly? Of course you could take on certain tasks and delegate others, but that’s the beauty of a day-of coordinator. You can hand over your wedding binder, give all your vendors my cell phone number, and rest easy knowing that everything will be taken care of while you sip mimosas in your bridal suite. Now doesn’t that sounds nice? A day-of coordinator is truly like insurance for the huge investment you’ve made, someone who has your back the entire day.
Venues and vendors appreciate a day-of coordinator as much as you will.
I had a recent bride tell me that she had multiple vendors come up to her and thank her for hiring me - they said everything was easier on their end because she had a day-of coordinator. Vendors, especially photographers and DJs, are constantly impressed with my timeline coordination and communication. I’m not saying all this to pump my own tires or anything. My point is, when you have a vendor team that works well together (and someone who can keep everyone in check, ahem me), it makes all the difference in the flow and success of your wedding day. In fact, one of the venues I work with said weddings with day-of coordinators versus those without are like night and day, and this is coming from an amazing venue with a great team of staff who has worked numerous weddings and events. I work hard to create good working relationships with my couples’ vendors, and communicate all details and timeline expectations with them to ensure the wedding day flows seamlessly.

Still have questions about what it means to hire a day-of coordinator? Feel free to contact me, no strings attached!

xx,
Sara