Why a Wedding Coordinator? (June, 2003)

Planning a successful party takes careful preparation and attention to detail every stop of the way. It also requires hard work and a reliable network of resources. Hiring a professional wedding coordinator to help with the planning process saves you valuable time and can actually save you money in the long run.

Whether you’re hosting a wedding for 1000 guests or for 50, the best way to ensure its success is to hire a wedding coordinator. Professional event planners have the experience and resources to help your preparations go smoothly – allowing you to relax and enjoy your party as much as your guests.

Before making any plans, it’s important to know how much you want to spend. A wedding coordinator can help you set up a realistic budget and stick to it. The good ones have knowledge of the marketplace and strong negotiating skills that can keep costs down and assure that you get the most for your money.

The sooner you decide on a date, the more likely you are to get your first choice of locations, caterers, and other suppliers – so be sure to plan as far ahead as possible. For the best suppliers and best prices, you should allow 6-12 months of lead-time. And remember, the time of year you choose for your event can affect not only availability, but cost as well.

It’s important to secure a location far in advance because the good ones get booked fast. The professional coordinator saves you time by doing all the legwork. They should listen to your needs to determine how the space will be used (i.e. dancing, food served, etc.), and then do a location search providing you with a select list to choose from.

Whether you want your wedding to be simple and elegant, wild and splashy, or something in-between, a wedding coordinator can recommend and help you develop a creative and unique theme that will make your event a memorable one. Once you’ve decided on a theme, the next step is to execute that theme through the food, decorations, special props, party favors, flowers, centerpieces, and customized cakes.

Choosing the entertainment can be the most difficult decision of all. A professional event planner should have numerous entertainment contacts that provide many different options to choose from so you can find the talent that’s right for you. Ditto in hiring a photographer or videographer. There’s nothing more enjoyable than looking back on a successful wedding through beautiful pictures and videos. And there’s nothing more frustrating than pictures or videos that don’t capture the joy of the occasion. Your coordinator should provide a professional photographer or videographer that you can count on.

The invitation sets the stage for your wedding and gives your guests the first glimpse of what they can look forward to, so it’s important to choose your invitation with care. There are a wide variety of invitations to fit your theme and your budget. Your coordinator will ensure that you order the correct number of invitations and envelopes and that they are printed on time. They can also secure a calligrapher to address the envelopes for you. Invitations should be sent out 6-8 weeks prior to your wedding. That way your guests are less likely to have made other plans, and they can respond in time for you to plan for the proper number of attendees.

The true professional wedding coordinator will confirm all arrangements in writing and reconfirm just before the event – so you can be sure that there won’t be any surprises. They believe that their job isn’t over until after the party’s over, supervising your wedding from beginning to end, to make it a wonderful, enjoyable occasion that you and your guests will remember for years to come. And isn’t that was having a successful wedding is all about?