Should You Hire a Wedding Coordinator/Planner?

You’re putting your budget together, you’re trying to decide what is important, what you can do without. And you’re probably wondering, should I hire a wedding coordinator/planner?

Well…. Maybe.

There are a lot of things that need to be done the day of your ceremony and A LOT of decisions. Plus things that need to be done in the days, weeks, and months leading up to your ceremony.  We’ve worked with couples that have them, and we’ve worked with couples that don’t.  AND we’ve worked with different coordinators with different levels of involvement over the past few years. 

Here’s Our Take on When to Hire a Wedding Coordinator

DO Hire a wedding coordinator if you’re not detail oriented, or have someone in your party/family that is.  When we say details we mean – have you thought about:

• How you’re getting to the venue and what to do with your car if you’re leaving by another vehicle
• Read and review contracts and stay on top of payment plans for all the different vendors
• Deadline oriented so that you can select your cake, food, schedule photos, floor plan etc.
• Can you remember all the payments, tips & needs on the event day and have them delegated in time so you can enjoy the show? (In addition to the payments needed ahead of time)
• Do you know how the venue is going to be decorated while you’re getting ready (who is doing this, do they know what the vision is like?)
• The list goes on….

Do NOT hire a wedding coordinator if:

• Your venue handles this
• You’re confident that a family member/friend can carry the responsibilities

There are many types of wedding coordinator/planners.  You’ll need to consider if you need a full-service planner that helps you from date of hire through the conclusion of your reception or if you just need “Day-Of” coordination help with the details on event day.  We’ll have more on how to select a coordinator in another post.

Fun Fact:

Cotton Gin 116 has an online planning tool provided to all couples when they book.  This is meant to assist when a Coordinator isn’t in the budget by providing our staff with details to help, including behind the scenes coordination with vendors and other details leading up to, and on, your special day. 

We’re not saying don’t hire a coordinator, we definitely think there is value there, but consider if the venue that you’re booking with has staff on site that might overlap with these responsibilities allowing you to save a little bit in your budget for other things.  (Hint: maybe just a day of coordinator is best)

You can download our wedding venue checklist to easily keep track of the offerings at various venues you tour.

Pro tip: Be sure to consult with your venue prior to booking your coordinator.  As venue operators, they have certainly worked with many coordinators and all aren’t made alike.  We’ve been in situations where coordinators didn’t show up or communicate with couples in the days leading up to their ceremony.  No one want unnecessary last-minute stress around their big day, and venues can point you in the direction of coordinators and planners who are RELIABLE – because at the end of the day if you’ve put all your eggs in their basket, they MUST show up!