What's a "Day-Of" Coordinator and Why Should I Hire One?

​While many brides would love to hire a full-service wedding planner, it’s not always in their budget, and having cashflow to spend on catering or flowers tops the list of priorities. There are also a lot of brides who enjoy the idea of planning all the details from A to Z on their own. However, one aspect that many brides overlook is the value of enlisting the help of a professional on their wedding day.

​Various planning companies, including myself, offer “Day Of” packages and services, in fact, over the past 8 years, this has been my number one service offered to brides in West Virginia! But the term “Day Of” can be very confusing and misleading, which can often deter brides from reaching out and securing a coordinator on their wedding day. So I want to put to rest some common misconceptions about Day Of Coordination and share my top reasons why you need to hire a professional coordinator for your wedding day. 

​It's more than just one day.

​Although it’s termed “Day Of” Coordination, the services begin one to two months before your big day. I like to call this package my Wedding Management Services. Eight weeks before the wedding day, the bride will begin to feel those jitters and the stress of the event coming to an end. This is the time when my clients need a confidant and a professional who knows how to handle all the logistics of making a wedding come together.  

Hiring a day of coordinator is budget friendly.

​Unlike a Full-Service package, “Day Of” packages are a fraction of the costs. Many couples look at the cost of a wedding planner and think that there’s no way they can afford their services. However, they do not take into consideration that while the cost of full planning package in Charleston can range between $1200 to $3000, wedding day coverage may only cost between $600 to $1000. Of course, you market and city plays a major role in the costs of wedding services, the bottom line is that hiring a day of coordinator instead of a full planner is a very affordable option. 

You can't be two places at one time.

​On the day of your wedding there is a lot that a bride and her bridal party must do to get dressed and ready to walk down the aisle. Unfortunately, unless you’ve found a way to clone yourself, it’s pretty hard to get your hair and makeup done and be onsite to make sure your décor and designs are being set up correctly. There are some venues here in West Virginia that will allow you to decorate the day before, but there may be an additional charge. Leaving the décor styling to your day of coordinator will allow you to spend time with your family on the day before the wedding, and to only focus on being a bride on your Big Day! 

Professional vendor coordination and wedding schedules.

Between the florist, catering staff, site staff, baker, videographer, and both photographers… there are a lot of vendors to manage on the wedding day. They’ll need set up and delivery times coordinated on the wedding day, as well as their details finalized. A day of coordinator will become their point of contact leading up to the wedding so that you can enjoy this time with family and friends. Your Day Of coordinator will handle those final phone calls to vendors, be on site when they arrive, be the point of contact throughout the wedding day. During the wedding, your coordinator will help keep the schedule on track and ensure that everyone knows where to be, and what’s next on the schedule. They will make sure the photographer is in place before you head down the aisle, or that the DJ has the right pronunciation to announce the wedding party. They will make sure the candles are lit before the doors open to the reception hall or give the ceremony musicians their cue to begin the bridal processional. 

Ensure the little details aren't forgotten.

The last two months leading up to your Big Day are jam packed with things to do and finalize. If you’ve never planned a wedding, it can be easy to overlook an important task. There are plenty of generalized checklist you can find online, however, a professional day of coordinator has created their own personal checklist based from personal experiences in the past which will help them to cover all the tasks that are expected and easily overlooked. 

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Peace of mind for you and your family.

There’s no question that weddings can be a bit stressful, and on your wedding day, there may be a few issues that arise. Having the peace of mind that there is a designated person to handle the day of details and to put out any fires that come up allows my clients to truly have a stress- free wedding day. Although some couples may choose to designate a family member to handle these issues, an individual who deals with weddings on a regular basis will be more equipped and knowledgeable in these situations. 

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An experienced Day Of Coordinator will be an asset to not only the bride and groom, but to the wedding party and their families. This is a joyous occasion that everyone should get the opportunity to experience without having to worry about all of the details that goes into the production of a wedding. We look at wedding day management as being no different than the production that goes into the Inauguration Ball, the opening ceremonies for the Olympics or even the Oscars. With so many details, and so many issues that could arise, it is better to hire a trusted professional with experience than leave it to chance or in the hands of a friends who really just wants to enjoy your wedding day with you. 

If you're planning a wedding in West Virginia, and you haven't ironed out the logistics for your wedding day, we'd love to help! Check out our wedding management services here and schedule a free initial consultation. 

Don't be ordinary, be merry! Cheers!

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Be Merry Events provides Affordable Wedding Planning and Event Design services. We are located in Charleston, West Virginia, and specialize in creating modern, stylish, design-led and affordable events, for clients who want a luxury feel to their wedding, without the added costs. Each event is personalized to you! Want to know more? Get in touch now for a complimentary consultation over here.

Planning a wedding can be a bit overwhelming with all of the little details? Get a FREE copy of my 10 Details Brides Forget to Plan and feel confident nothing was overlooked!

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