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Often, brides book a venue that comes with a venue coordinator. Many brides in this scenario believe that they have no need for their own coordinator or planner, although I strongly advocate that they do so. Jessica Mattly of Bluestocking Events has been kind enough to explain the wedding coordinator vs venue coordinator situation and why brides need to hire both!
Choosing wedding vendors is one of the greatest and most challenging tasks you will face as you plan for the big day. Given all of the small details that go into the planning and execution of a wedding, it is important to invest in having an assigned coordinator manage all of the pieces that come together on (and lead up to) the wedding date.
This leads to a question that I am often asked by couples that are deciding who is going to help run their event: If my venue already has a coordinator, do I really need a wedding coordinator? It’s a great question!
By the sound of the title, you would assume that a venue coordinator is the same thing as a wedding coordinator, right? You may be surprised to learn that in fact they play two very different (yet essential) roles. To help explain these differences, let’s start with a few definitions.
Venue Coordinator
Representative of the venue where the wedding will take place; liaison between you and the venue staff. Employed by the venue to ensure that the terms of your contract are fulfilled (layout is correct, accurate number of inventory is provided, food is served on time, venue is set up/broken down by the agreed time, etc.).
Venue coordinators also have the important task of protecting their company’s assets and making sure that the couple and vendors are aware of major rules and policies.
Wedding Coordinator
Representative of the Bride and Groom; liaison between couple and wedding vendors/venue. Employed by the couple to ensure that all of the details of the wedding are clearly planned and laid out for the vendors and to also set up wedding décor (escort/seating cards, guest book, gift table, etc.).
The wedding coordinator also manages the rehearsal along with the wedding day by developing and following a timeline. Their main role at the wedding is to ensure the details are being managed so the couple and their loved ones can relax and enjoy their celebration.
The major difference here is that a venue coordinator can often have several events to manage throughout the day of the wedding, whereas your hired wedding coordinator only focuses on your event. As an employee of the establishment, the venue coordinator may have additional job duties that will often pull them away from the wedding party as they attend to other areas or clients.
The wedding coordinator on the other hand has been hired to complete tasks for your specific event and is present to ensure they are performed.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that one is more important than the other. The venue coordinator and wedding coordinator both play essential roles. They work as partners and their collaboration ensures a smooth and successful wedding day.
However, couples often mistake a venue coordinator as their wedding coordinator which can lead to some gaps in your wedding day execution. Hopefully this has help you better understand how vital, yet different, these two roles are!
Thank you Jessica for the wonderful educational post! If you’d like to learn more about her, visit her website or Instagram!
