Is A Wedding Coordinator Worth It? [Do You Really Need One?]

When it comes to planning your wedding, you will be faced with a number of important decisions. To make the process easier and less stressful, many people decide to hire the services of a wedding coordinator. But are they generally worth it? Having been quoted a few high figures and knowing how expensive they typically are, I decided to spend some time researching whether or not you really need somebody in this role for your special day.

So, is a wedding coordinator worth it? Whether or not a wedding coordinator is worth it will vary from couple to couple and depend on many different factors. Firstly, you need to consider your budget and how much you can realistically afford. Secondly, you will need to consider how much you want to be involved or a part of the planning and execution of the day. Lastly, it will depend on the quoted price and what you get included from your potential service provider.

Having a wedding coordinator is definitely a luxury – its certainly not a mandatory thing you must or defiantly need to have.

That being said this service is widely available for a reason; and many couples decide to hire them on their special day to ensure it as best as it can possibly be.

Of course, different wedding coordinators will differ in quality, expertise, knowledge and their level of connections within the industry; so due diligence and a decent amount of research is advised before you invest in somebody who will play a large role in the day.

Let us now take a closer look at the responsibilities of a wedding coordinator. We will also be looking at those commonly asked questions, such as do you absolutely need one, how much they cost and the potential benefits they can bring.

This way, you’ll know exactly whether they are worth your investment, and it might help to explain their costs and give you some insight into what to expect if you do decide to proceed.

What Does A Wedding Coordinator Do?

As their name suggests, a wedding coordinator bring the various elements required for a successful wedding together. They ultimately ensure that the day runs to plan, on schedule and that the day’s events unfold as intended.

The main reason why many couples hire a wedding coordinator is to reduce and help to minimize a lot of the stress that comes with the organization of their wedding.

One common thing that people confuse is the different between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator; they are not the same!

Wedding planners are hired to take care of the entire process; from start to end.

Whereas wedding coordinators enter the process a couple of weeks before the wedding day. They usually are there to offers services to those who decided to plan the wedding themselves, without a wedding planner at all!

Wedding coordinators essentially handle the wedding day activities and logistics; putting into place the plans that have been previously drawn together.

Here is a brief overview of the service offering provided:

• Provide vendor recommendations and become the point of contact to negotiate and discuss the logistics with them.
• Give advice and guidance on the planning of the wedding day itself,
• Provide wedding day management; including the guest list, floor plan and seating arrangements
• Define and ensure a timeline is followed for the day,
• Ensure all wedding details, such as flowers, are in place.
• Help to organize the bridal party and families for the ceremony.

As you can see, there are some general responsibilities of a wedding coordinator and which most of the different services should provide, as standard.

There is of course the opportunity to have a more bespoke arrangement and service; but this is something you will need to discuss and make agreements upon.

Do You Really Need A Wedding Coordinator?

Not all couples feel the need to hire a wedding coordinator and it is by no means mandatory that you hire one.

That being said, it is generally recommended that you at least consider getting them onboard and most people report that it is one of the better decisions that they make in regards to their wedding.

The truth is, if a wedding coordinator is not undertaking these kind of duties and responsibilities; then somebody else will need to.

Whether this is you as the bride and groom, a friend (or group of friends) or a family member.

It does depend on your preferences and if you have anyone willing and able to step in and undertake these kinds of responsibilities.

Consider what this will mean for your and their day; it will not be the same for somebody to be in many ways ‘working’, worried or trying to juggle different logistical aspects, on your special day.

How Much Does A Wedding Coordinator Cost?

The average cost of a wedding coordinator is between 10-15% of the total wedding budget. However, it can be more or less and depends ultimately on the following factors:

• Level of service,
• Reputation of the wedding coordinator,
• Time of the year,
• Availability,
• The type of wedding you have and what is required.

Most wedding coordinators will provide different packages and plans; all of which relating to a different level of service.

Some will offer set packages (a defined rate), whereas others will provide bespoke pricing that will be offered after consultation and negotiation.

Either way, wedding coordinators are typically not cheap and you will need to consider your finances before you hire one.

One other thing to consider is that some wedding coordinators even work on commission; financially benefiting if they use certain vendors or services. This could be the flowers, cake or choice of musicians/DJ.

As with any big decision you make on your wedding day, be sure to consult and discuss pricing with many different wedding coordinators. Find out exactly what they offer and be wary of any hidden fees or areas that their service does not provide.

Some venues will recommend a trusted wedding coordinator, whereas others may even provide you with one as part of the venue hire.

In this instance you may even have a wedding coordinator, irregardless of you felt the need. This is something to therefore also consider when looking at venues.

Nevertheless, you should always be able to see a breakdown of the fees and what it will all cost you.

Benefits Of A Wedding Coordinator

With their prices in mind and now knowing roughly what they do, you may still be unsure as to whether you would still want one and if they are worth their prices.

Below, I will walk you through some of the main benefits that I found and personally think make them a worthwhile investment:

• Know the venue: For the most part, wedding coordinators will have knowledge of your wedding venue, and know-how best to decorate it. They will have wither worked there before or will make arrangements to visit and get to know it. Having this understanding ensures that the day can run to plan; and there is no confusion about directing caterers, flowers etc.
• Contacts and Relationships: Wedding coordinators spend the majority of their time talking with, negotiating and hiring a range of wedding services. It naturally follows that they build networks and relationships with these businesses and people.  By going through a wedding coordinator, you can ensure that you are only working with the best and trusted suppliers, whom have delivered an exceptional service for other weddings before. They have in many ways been vetted.
• Better Pricing and or Deals: Following on from the above, wedding coordinators can use their network to negotiate better prices and deals. You will likely benefit from discounted rates which can help you save some extra cash. In some situations, it can really offset the cost of the wedding coordinator, and they can either repay for themselves or make themselves more affordable.
• Experience: It is a wedding coordinators profession to ensure weddings go to plan. Unless they are new to the role, they will have likely managed dozens if not hundreds of weddings before. They know what to expect, when, how and what ultimately works.
• Take stress away: Weddings are stressful at the best of times, let alone when you need to be managing all the other finer aspects. As a bride or groom, you want to truly enjoy the day for all that it is worth. Besides you will likely only have one wedding day and you’ll be spending quite a bit on it. Equally, family members want to enjoy the special day without being flustered and having to do things that somebody more experienced could easily handle.
• Ensure all is covered: Wedding coordinators are more likely to identify or ensure all bases are covered and that nothing is missed. There’s a lot to plan for a wedding, and without one you could easily overlook an important aspect or part of the day!
• Crises management: We all want our weddings days to run smoothly, to plan and for everyone to have the best day possible. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Things happen and sometimes it needs more attention and management. A wedding coordinator can fulfil this role and ensure that any issues are quickly resolved before it has a long-lasting impact on your day and your memories.

Finally

Only you will be able to know whether a wedding coordinator will be worth it. They do cost a lot, and do seem to be just another hefty expense that you need to cover.

That being said, most couples do hire a wedding coordinator and for good reason. There are many benefits of doing so. Generally, the larger or more complex the wedding, the greater amount of benefit you will derive from them.

Before making your decision – be sure to get a thorough understanding of all the costs involved, what is included, along with getting a feel for different wedding coordinators you could potentially hire. Do your research and your due diligence and do not be pressured into the decision by either the coordinator themselves or a family member.

Consider what you want your day to be like, how much you want to get involved with it all, and how challenging the day would be to run without them.