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Without a doubt, wedding planning is fun and exciting! It's often an opportunity to spend lots of extra time talking with parents / in-laws / best friends / siblings about the big day. It's a time to spend time brainstorming and calling shots with your fiancé. And what could be better than a beautiful celebration (that's all about YOU!) as the culmination of your hard work?!
It always seems, though, that the further into planning couples get... the more they despise the planning. Folks get tired of thinking about when a cake should arrive, figuring out who is bringing Uncle Steve an extra copy of the poem, and how the centerpieces are supposed to be on tables at the same time Mom gets her hair done. And when that "ugh I don't want to keep working on this" mindset creeps in? That is the time to hire a coordinator. In addition to the prep work leading up to the wedding (timelines, communication with vendors, detail checks, etc.), a coordinator is running around on wedding-day to make sure everything goes smoothly.
And what does a coordinator actually do on wedding day??
Concisely, coordinators take worry (and work) away from others. Coordinators allow you and your family and your friends to enjoy the day, without a worry about whether the cupcake signs all made it to the dessert table. Coordinators allow for your vendors to do their hired job, without a worry about when or where they should be for a big moment. But if you want to get into the nitty gritty, coordinators do...
A lot! Capturing everything that happens on a wedding day is challenging. The items listed below (definitely not comprehensive and definitely not in chronological order) are some of the little things I consider to be some of my day-of responsibilities:
Unpack decoration, supplies, etc. and make sure it all ends up in the right place
Greet vendors, help them unload & setup
Pick up breakfast / lunch for wedding party
Direct guests to the right spaces
Keep wedding party and family on schedule
Send people down the aisle!
Move gifts / cards to safe spot during reception
Distribute tips to vendors
Work with vendors to make sure they have everything they need
Talk through details, music, and timing with the DJ
Double check venue setup and the number of chairs / settings at each table
Alert venue of any wedding crashers
Ensure the venue is left / cleaned the way it needs to be
Flip spaces, move chairs, move tables, move flowers, etc. for receptions
Check in with couple throughout wedding to make sure they have everything they need / want
Hold onto the marriage license and make sure it gets signed
Alphabetize place cards
Get drinks for the head table
Run out to buy forgotten items (lighters, cake cutter, etc.)
Light candles in reception space
Pin boutonnieres
Pick up / drop off the couple's dog for photos
Hand out sparklers for (safe) magnificent exits
Get important bags into the getaway car
...
You get it! There are a lot of tiny tasks that occur throughout a wedding day (and they are often the tasks that get overlooked). Hiring a coordinator takes away the stress of the details and enables you, your family, your vendors, and all your guests to simply enjoy the day!