If I had a penny for every time I heard that sentence...It's not that I have any doubt that your aunt/sister/mom/cousin, etc could do your planning & coordinating duties for you, but let's be honest: does that designated person (or people) REALLY want to spend your ENTIRE wedding day running around, answering questions, and solving any issues that may come up?Typically, the wedding planner or coordinator (see my previous post for details on the differences between the two) is one of the first vendors to get cut from a couple's budget, especially while the economy is on the fritz (and with Pinterest around, it's become so much easier to assume you can do everything "DIY"-style! Don't get me wrong, I think Pinterest is fantastic for many reasons, but I don't think there's any category on that lovely website that trains your loved ones how to take on a coordinator's job without sacrificing way too much at the same time ;) ) Even though wedding planners are increasingly sought after by the couples who simply do not have the time or knowledge to plan and coordinate an entire wedding on their own, hiring a planner is often still thought of as a luxury and an extra cost.Pricing for day-of coordination (and all other packages offered) is generally based on how many hours the planner estimates they will have to spend preparing for your big day. Let's break down day-of coordination hours & pricing. We'll say that one planner's day-of (which really should be called MONTH-of because it usually starts 4-6 weeks before your wedding) package costs $1,000 and includes very typical aspects: an initial consultation (1-2 hours), two more consultations to discuss wedding details and/or do a venue walk-thru (2-4 hours), a final details meeting (1-2 hours), 2-4 additional hours spent coordinating with your other vendors/tying up loose ends, attending the rehearsal (1-2 hours) and 8-12 hours on the day of the wedding (depending on how many hours the planner has been contracted to be there). So "day-of" coordination can range from approximately 15 - 26 hours (usually the latter) spent by the coordinator (a range of $38.50 - $67 per hour in this scenario - depending on all of the variations). Really not that bad when you break it down, huh? And that doesn't even factor in the checklists & emergency kit that your coordinator will provide + the priceless fact that your Aunt or cousin or best friend or mom will be able to sit down, relax and have the peace of mind that everything is being taken care of by a professional who has spent countless hours learning how to make your wedding day go smoothly behind the scenes.Now, you may say that I am biased because I AM a wedding planner, however if you ask any of your other wedding vendors, they will almost always encourage you to hire (at least) a day-of coordinator. Vendors appreciate having that one designated professional who they know they can go to with any questions or concerns instead of bothering you (the bridal couple) or a designated family member. In fact, many times when there isn't a coordinator present, the day-of duties fall to one of the other wedding professionals, which is not part of their job description and may interfere with what they were actually hired to do.I also want to clarify that I am not saying that you need to spend tons of money on a full-service planner, especially if that is not within your budget***. If you and your close friends/family members feel comfortable doing the majority of the pre-wedding planning, that is a great money saver! However, it is important that the general public realize that "day-of" coordination exists and use it to their advantage. This component of a wedding planner's services is tailor-made specifically to allow you to have someone manage your wedding, without requiring you to spend money on all of the preemptive planning.The bottom line is this: you and your loved ones deserve to have a completely stress-free day. Hiring (at least) a day-of coordinator will provide you with a relaxed environment AND Aunt Sally won't be frantically running around for 10-12 hours, making sure that nothing goes wrong. That's where me and my fellow planners excel! Let one of us take care of it for you so that all you need to do is focus on your celebration of love. After all, that's the way it should be.
***NOTE: by all means, please do NOT go into debt due to your wedding!! This goes for any vendor you are hiring - going into debt is not a good way to start off your journey with your other half. Let your vendors know that you are working within a budget and generally they will do everything they can to help you stay within that price range.
