Today I’m going to be talking about hiring a wedding planner vs on site coordinator. I want to chat about this, because I think we are unique in what we offer here at Drumore Estate. We offer on site coordination, with a lot of extras. However, we don’t offer full wedding planning. Let’s talk about the differences.

On Site Wedding Coordinator

First, let me start by saying we call our coordinator our ‘day-of facilitator’. For the purposes of this post, and the fact that you are reading up on this topic, we’ll use these terms interchangeably. Below is a list of everything we help you with in your wedding planning. We work as a team, but on your wedding day your ‘day-of facilitator’ will attend to you throughout the day. The rest of the team will be making sure everything you do and do not see, runs smoothly 🙂 We will:

Help you choose the best date for your wedding
Share our preferred vendors list when you book your date (you are not limited to this list, but we share our favorites – the ones we know will take care of you)
Have a wedding planning meeting with you
Help you choose the best linens (included in the cost of your catering, if you are using our in house catering)
Help you create your wedding day timeline
Plan out your set up, including how many tables, chairs and other essentials you will need
Access to your personalized All Seated layout for your reception event space/spaces
Give you tips on how to make your indoor/outdoor wedding a success – including weather backup plans, how to keep your guests comfortable, and things to avoid
Have our ‘day-of facilitator’ attend to you and your wedding party from the time you arrive, until the day is done
Keep your gifts, decorations, extra alcohol etc. safe and locked up until the agreed upon pick up time
Respond to any questions you have related to your wedding planning, and how to make it exactly what you want
Coordinating your wedding rehearsal
Manage the wedding day details, including staff, set up, delivery, handling emergencies and backup plans

Wedding Planner vs On Site Coordinator - who should I choose?

Photo by Svetlana Photography

Hiring a Wedding Planner

There are many reasons to hire a wedding planner. For this conversation I’m going to limit my list, to the reasons you would want to hire a wedding planner in conjunction with our wedding planning services. Please note that every wedding planner is different, so what they offer may or may not include:

Wedding venue search and tours
Meeting with vendors, looking at contracts, handling deposits etc.
Arranging guest accommodation and transportation
Come up with a planning checklist and schedule
Work on your budget with you
Wedding design – colors, theme etc.
Invitations and RSVPs – sending, tracking and collecting
Reminders – what you should be doing and when
Vendor confirmations – making sure everyone will be there on your wedding day
Help you plan & book your honeymoon
Organizing and coordinating pre wedding events – engagement parties, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners

Wedding Planner vs On Site Coordinator

In your decision to hiring a wedding planner vs on site coordinator, my advice is to research what each will actually do for you. At Drumore Estate, we cover a lot of your wedding planning. But if you are looking for someone to take care of everything from start to finish, you may want to consider a wedding planner. I want to also mention that if you are not getting married at Drumore, you will want to look closely at what your on site coordinator actually covers. It’s always better to know what you’re actually signing up for, don’t you think?

Cheers to Love,

Nat