Just as people seek professional expertise to help them through other big days: an accountant for tax day; a real estate agent for home buying; an Ob/Gyn and a labor doula to help prepare for that due date; a couple’s wedding day is a momentous occasion, a major investment, and an event that most approach as novices.

A wedding planner can provide fiancé(e)s with information on how to organize their ideas, what logistics to consider, how much money to spend,  what questions to ask wedding professionals they may hire, and how to get the best value within their budget. The wedding planner is a resource when it comes to etiquette, ritual, tradition and creativity, and a person whose experience, calm and professionalism can lovingly guide marrying couples through some of the most intense months of their lives.

Sticker shock, overwhelm, indecision, family pressure, logistical road blocks and time constraints are common stressors that couples face after the initial joy and excitement of getting engaged. How to navigate multiple locations and ceremony, cocktail, dinner and dancing music? Where to acknowledge a lost loved one? When to have the first dance? How to word the invitations? Transportation? Hotel blocks? Getting married is not complicated: a decision between two people in love made into law; but having a wedding is about much more than that. A wedding is a gift, a celebration, an event, a custom, a rite, and it is a huge, glorious ordeal:  there are so many details, big and small, to negotiate. Planning a wedding takes hundreds of hours.

Of course, there is some flexibility around what a wedding planner/coordinator can offer. Here’s a key to the lingo:

Wedding Management- Sometimes referred to as “Day-of” or “Month-of” coordination, includes services like:

• Finalized contract review and development of a detailed itinerary for the wedding day

• Wedding rehearsal management

• Day-of coordination of wedding professionals, venue(s), guests, bridal party, marrying couple

• Ceremony assistance: set up, program distribution, cues and timing

• Reception set-up: seating arrangement/name cards, guest sign-in, favors, etc.

• Reception direction: cuing speeches, dances, cake cutting, etc.

• Collaboration with other professionals, to ensure that the marrying couple’s needs are met

• Securing of important items in an apt location prior to the end of the event

• Delivery of final payment and gratuities on the wedding day

• “Vendor” management and confirmation of finalized vendor contracts

Wedding Planning &/or  Coordination Services- May include some combination of the following, in addition to wedding management services,  per flat rate package:

A La Carte- A la carte services are any that are added on top of an existing flat rate package and charged at an hourly rate. A couple might hire their planner, additionally, to deliver hotel welcome baskets, assemble favors or write up an itinerary of no-host activities available over the wedding weekend, for example.

“On-Site Coordinator” Provided by a Venue- Often the primary contact at a wedding venue, after the couple has made their initial deposit through a sales representative, is referred to by the venue as their “on site coordinator”, though this person’s role in working with or even communicating with the marrying couple can vary dramatically. The “on-site coordinator” is different than an independent wedding planner in that:

a)       An “on-site coordinator” is often regarded as interchangeable. At most venues the client risks hearing, the day before the wedding, that so-and-so will actually be acting as the on-site contact for the day of, instead of the person who has served as their main contact in the months leading up to their wedding.

b)      An “on-site coordinator” is usually in charge of multiple weddings at their venue per weekend, which can lead to less individualized care and attention, distraction, and presumptions of the “but we always put the gift table here” variety.

c)        Perhaps most importantly, an “on-site coordinator” is responsible to their venue, first: this is a fact of their employment by the venue. Therefore, it is not in their direct interest to save the client money; to think outside the box on their behalf; or even to spend time on the client. It can be quite the opposite: encourage the couple to spend more at the venue; slip them into the “wedding mill”; and invest as little time as possible.

A good “on-site coordinator” at the venue definitely has their place in the overall production of the wedding, and they are often a pleasure for the coordinator to collaborate with, but it's important for the client to understand what they’re getting. So, on the wedding day, here’s how the roles work in tandem:

A venue's on-site coordinator/ or wedding manager:

• will provide a personalized tour of the venue
• may provide a preferred list of special event professionals to provide wedding coordination, music, flowers, photography, officiating, and other wedding services (unfortunately, these may be paid advertisements, or the client may be restricted to this list).
• may act as a menu consultant for food and beverage selections (if this service is provided by the venue)
• will outline all of the event action items and ensure that these are communicated to the operational team
• will create an “estimate of charges” outlining the clients financial commitments to the venue
• may create a floor plan of the function space in order for the client to provide seating arrangements
• may oversee the ceremony and reception set-up
• will oversee venue operations
• will be the on-site liaison between your wedding coordinator and the venue staff
• will review your numbers and details prior to completion of the final venue bill

An independent professional wedding planner/coordinator will:

• assist with etiquette and protocol: family dynamics, ceremony and reception details
• create a detailed timeline and contact list for the wedding day, including getting ready, transportation, photographs, ceremony, reception and events surrounding
• work with the couple to organize and coordinate the wedding rehearsal,  and remind the bridal party of all pertinent times and “don’t forgets” for the day of the wedding
• confirm timing and details with all wedding professionals associated with the wedding several days prior to the wedding
• act as the liaison between the family, bridal party, band/DJ, florist, photographer and other wedding professionals to create a seamless overall operation
• assist the couple personally on their wedding day and help with any additional needs of the bridal party
• assist the bridal party with their personal flowers and other accessories
• set up programs, place cards, favors, guest book, champagne flutes and personal items or other wedding details
• line up and cue the bridal party and musicians for the ceremony
• collect any personal items for the couple at the conclusion of the reception
• assist the client with anything from straight forward “wedding management” to full-service coordination: engagement to honeymoon 

A skilled wedding planner’s knowledge, credentials and involvement in the world of weddings is part of their investment in preparing to act as a partner with their clients, helping them put on a fantastic, beautiful, distinctive event of which they can be truly proud.

This is a partnership where the couple calls the shots, while the planner consults and assists, leading them to straight forward decision making, saving them time and adding value to their wedding investment. The wedding planner acts as a trusted advocate and ally for the marrying couples and is sometimes a counselor to apprehensive family members or riled up friends.

The chemistry and trust between a wedding planner and the hiring couple is very important. Couples should seek out a planner they feel comfortable with and then evaluate that planner based on experience, enthusiasm, ethics, professionalism and credentials.

Wondering about fees?

Flat rate packages range from approximately $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the planners depth of experience and level of involvement. Most modern wedding planners have a flat rate fee structure.

Some planners charge a fee that is a percentage of the overall wedding budget; however, this poses a conflict of interest when it comes to saving the client money.

If a planner is offering cut rate or “free” coordination services, it means that they are taking fees from other wedding professionals who are willing to pay the planner like an agent or broker. This also creates a conflict of interest since wedding professionals who are willing to pay these fees are not being recommended based on their own merits, or with the client’s desires, personality or the best value for their money, in mind.

A wedding budget should allow for at least 5% and up to 20% overall to be allocated to wedding planning services.