You’re engaged and now leaping wedding planning, but whoa! You weren’t prepared for all the different vocabulary when searching for the correct type of vendors you need for your wedding management. You’ve never heard of some of these words, and their difference in their duties can seem unclear to you. You find yourself wondering what role do these professionals play in your wedding? Meanwhile, it’s one of the biggest distinctions that a bride needs to figure out before contracting these services. Who better to ask than the professionals themselves? Well, wonder no more! We’re here to explain these similar-sounding roles such as wedding planner, wedding designer and wedding coordinator, to help you decide which one would be a good fit for your wedding planning journey.

Wedding Planner

Wedding planners are focused on logistics. Likewise, think of a wedding planner like a project manager and your wedding as the project. Not only do they refer you to vendors (and often secure you discounts in the process), but they also negotiate vendor contracts, keep everything organized, and manage the details of your wedding day to make sure things go smoothly.

A wedding planner also:

• Helps determine and manage your budget 
• Recommend vendors for you to interview, schedules interviews and attends meetings 
• Builds detailed timelines for planning and for the wedding day itself
• Develops floor plans
• Details all logistic details pertaining to wedding day 
• Helps create style and design ideas
• Manages the ceremony rehearsal
• Manages all vendor communications 
• Coordinates all aspects of the wedding ceremony and reception

A planner is a perfect fit for you if you don’t have the time to do all the planning your wedding requires or if you feel overwhelmed by the sheer length of your to-do list. They can also be a good fit if organizing isn’t your strong suit or if you have a short timeline in which to plan. The most common is that wedding planning is simply just unknown territory, and you are seeking a professional to help guide you through the planning process.

Wedding Designer

A Wedding designer’s role is solely about the aesthetic of your wedding. They work alongside your planner, but their position is to establish and create your vision of your wedding. A wedding designer’s focus is similar to that of an interior designer. They intend to transform a space using their artistic abilities. From tablescapes, lighting, attire, florals, they manage all things pretty. Designers are all about the details, details, details! As planners, we love to collaborate with local wedding designers. Are you looking for a designer? Just ask! We have a few to recommend that we love to work alongside.

A wedding designer also:

• Develops a design concept for your wedding
• Helps you choose a color palette 
• Monitors and manages related parts of the budget (décor, florist, lighting, rentals, etc.)
• Sources special props and equipment rental 
• Visits venue with you to help visualize your designs and address any potential issues
• Designs floor plans
• Makes sure all décor is in place and on time on the day-of 
• You may want to consider a wedding designer if the attention to small details is incredibly important to you, but you don’t have the creative skills to pull off your vision.  Speak to your planner, many times planners (like ourselves) will add a designer of your choice, to our planning team. 

Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator is similar to a planner but works on a shorter timeline rather than the entire planning process. A coordinator is very logistically focused and typically starts working with you about 30 days before your wedding day. When considering a coordinator, keep in mind that you will need to do a lot of the planning yourself. This means that when your coordinator steps in, the preliminary timeline is expected to be already complete. Similarly, your coordinator will work with you to get clear guidance on the expectations of your wedding day. Their main role is to act as the point of contact for the family on the day of. A coordinator will double-check all of your planning and help resolve any last-minute problems in the weeks leading up to your wedding.

A wedding coordinator also:

• Meets with you to discuss details and expectations of wedding day 
• Contacts all vendors prior to your wedding and confirm all details 
• Work with you to finalize your wedding day timeline 
• Does a final walk-through of the venue(s)
• Deals with any details you may have overlooked
• Coordinates the ceremony rehearsal
• Orchestrates every detail on the day of your wedding

A wedding coordinator is a good fit for you if you feel confident in playing an active role in planning your wedding but would like someone to step in at the last minute and take over fine-tuning the details and making sure that you haven’t missed anything. A wedding planner isn’t always in the budget, and that’s okay. Hiring a professional coordinator will give you the peace of mind that all of your planning efforts are executed seamlessly, and you will get to sit back and enjoy the labor of your planning.

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose a planner, designer, coordinator, or any combination of the three, be sure to book well in advance. Having a wedding professional on retainer early on will mean more help that they can offer you and less chance for stress along the way. Wedding planning should always be a memorable and enjoyable experience. Wedding professionals are nearby to ensure that you have just that. You deserve the wedding of your dreams. Hiring a team of wedding professionals will ensure that your wedding vision is brought to life!