A Day-Of Wedding Coordinator Reveals Why You Need One At Your Wedding

If you've ever thought about planning a wedding, or if you're in the midst of planning your own wedding, then you probably have a lot of questions. You might wonder when the best time of year to get married is, whether you should wear a princess ballgown or a tight, mermaid style. There are a lot of questions regarding wedding planning, and it's easy to get overwhelmed. The thing is, there's a reason why you need a day-of wedding coordinator, and it's actually a lot more feasible than you might think. So, what is a day-of coordinator, and what do they do?

Well, according to Stephanie Irvin, the Event Manager at Llano Estacado Winery in Lubbock, Texas, a day-of wedding coordinator's main purpose is to take the stress off the bride and groom on the day of their wedding.

"Unlike a full-service wedding planner or coordinator, a 'day-of' coordinator is for brides and grooms who want to do most of the planning themselves, but when their wedding day arrives, they need a professional to help make sure the day runs smoothly and they can enjoy the day instead of worrying about the timeline and last minute details!" Irvin says. "A big misconception about a day-of coordinator is that they only step in for the day-of the wedding, but in reality, they've been working with you for about a month prior to the wedding."

A day-of coordinator is basically a one-day wedding planner. They help to make sure that you and your partner can just enjoy each other on your wedding day, as you should! "There are a lot of perks to having one, including the fact that you won't have to worry about when your vendors are getting there or where they are," Irvin explains. "You don't have to deal with last minute issues that may come up." More, Irvin says that "when you have someone else worrying about those small, last minute details, you can relax and enjoy your big day even more! Your coordinator will make sure that everyone and everything is where they need to be, when they need to be there."

Of course, wedding planners are expensive. According to WeddingWire, most couples spend between $950 and $2,500 on a wedding planner, which is pretty pricey. However, WeddingWire also reported that day-of wedding planners tend to cost closer to $800. So, there's definitely a cost difference, however, day-of coordinators don't take care of booking the vendors for you and all of those details. They simply take care of the vendors and timeline on the wedding day.

Finally, Irvin recommends that you shouldn't just ask your favorite aunt to coordinate the day of the wedding, because there are complications that come with that. "Make sure that whoever you choose as your day-of coordinator is someone that knows what you want and is okay with not necessarily enjoying your wedding as a guest," she says. "A lot of the time brides will rely on family members or close friends to carry out their plans on the day of their wedding day, but then they feel like they can't enjoy the wedding."

If you want to enjoy your own wedding day and not be stressed about your caterer not showing up or the cake falling to the ground, then a day-of coordinator might be for you. On the other hand, if you want to save money and trust your friends and family to get things done, then hey! You might not even need one! Either way, it's up to you and your partner. Just remember: Your wedding day is supposed to be special, not stressful! Let someone else take that weight off your shoulders.