What's the difference between wedding venue coordinator and a wedding planner?

Hello. I'm wondering, what's the difference between what a wedding venue coordinator does and a wedding planner? And does the venue coordinator do styling or is that separate?

Katrina

Question Asked: 22/07/2022

Wedding Date: 19/08/2023

Most Helpful Response

The Trust

(3) · Melbourne

Posted: 10/10/2022

There is a big difference between a venue coordinator and a wedding planner! 

A venue coordinator will be responsible for handling venue-related things on your wedding day, including heating and cooling, keeping the bathrooms fully stocked, and overall ensuring the venue is kept in good condition throughout the event. They won’t be responsible for your event running on time or working with any supplier questions or issues that may come up.

A wedding planner, however, is there to run your wedding from start to finish! They will take your run sheet and follow it as gospel to ensure your day runs smoothly and no aspect is missed, including looking after you two lovers, your VIP guests, and dealing with all suppliers. A wedding planner eliminates any and all stress from your wedding day and in the lead up to it.

Answered by: 6 Experts

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Ding Dang Doo Ranch

(16) · Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains

Posted: 17/08/2022

Hi,

Thank you for your question.

Our Events Property Coordinator makes sure everything runs smooth on the day from our venue point of views (helps catering and guests to allocated areas etc) . A wedding planner helps you picking flowers, holds your dress, organises styling, does your invites etc. 

Tiffany’s Maleny

(78) · Sunshine Coast

Posted: 27/07/2022

WEDDING COORDINATORS VS. WEDDING PLANNERS

There is a difference. A simple explanation is that a Wedding Planner is a dedicated person that will plan and organise every aspect of your wedding, from your engagement through until your wedding day. A Wedding Planner will also do all the “running around” for you, communicate with vendors on your behalf. Although you can engage them for various levels of service, you can expect to pay a Wedding Planner upwards of $3,000, or between 10-20% of the total cost of your wedding, for their expertise.

A Wedding Coordinator is someone who does not necessarily get overly involved with the external supplier planning of your day. However, they can offer wisdom based upon their wealth of experience, but generally they will leave the booking and liaising with vendors, contract signing and decisions to the couple. A Wedding Coordinator tends to become more involved approximately 6-8 weeks prior to your actual day. In doing this, they assist you with “ironing out” the final details in preparation for a smooth and hassle-free day.

They would also be present on the day of your wedding to ensure everything goes to plan.

 

TIFFANY’S WEDDING COORDINATORS

Here at Tiffany’s, we certainly fit more into the role of Wedding Coordinators, as opposed to Wedding Planners. The benefit to you, is that we include these services within your Collection pricing – without extra charge to you. We are also with you every step of the way through the planning process offering assistance whenever needed. We draw our expertise from coordinating over 150 weddings every year.

At Tiffany's we also provide our floral design team to help bring your vision to life, and this include a stylist to set your wedding on the day, just how you'd like it! We have our own in house items we include for our booked couples, and also have additional items available to hire.

West Lakes Golf Club

(9) · South Australia

Posted: 25/07/2022

Greetings

Planning your wedding ceremony & celebration can be a challenging experience.

I would suggest a wedding journal for notes and contact details ready to create a plan for the day.

At West Lakes Golf Club we have a wedding day co-ordinator that will manage the day from start to finish.

  • Floor plan set up for the ceremony and reception
  • Timeline created after liason with the wedding planner 
  • Co-ordinates staffing for the evening
  • Manages with our Chef all food service within the venue
  • Liaises with all external suppliers ensuring all suppliers are aware of the proceedings and timelines
  • They are the go to person and will liaise with everyone on the day 
  • Set up and pack down the entire wedding, storge of presents & hired equipment  

Our Client relationships Manager is our Wedding Planner.

You may employ your own personal Wedding Planner that person does all the equipment and decor requirements,
and would liaise with the inhouse planner with you and they would pull everything together on the day.

  • Advise on what set up will work best for the ceremony and reception
  • Help create a seamless timeline (event sheet) 
  • Liaises with all external suppliers ensuring all suppliers are aware of the evenings proceedings and timeline
  • Diarzing all selections and dietary requirements
  • All financial requirements are fulfilled prior to the day
  • Styling is normally done by extrenal suppliers Florists, Cake, Equipment, Cars , Celebrant

Providence Gully

(4) · Ballarat / Bendigo

Posted: 23/07/2022

It's all in the name - A Planner plans & Co ordinator co ordinates.

However they can be the one Planner/Co ordinator. Depending on your requirements and or your budget. For instance you might hire a company to facilitate all the planning & co ordination of your wedding, so allowing you a stress free day. Then again at the other end of the scale you might have a well organised family member/friend that's happy to take on these rolls for you. 
A venue co ordinator overseas the smooth running of the day from the venues perspective. Generally they don't do styling of your day unless this arrangement is discussed beforehand. Hope this is helpful ??

Beach Road Wines

(15) · South Australia

Posted: 23/07/2022

Hello!

Congratulations on your engagement and welcome to the world of planning your wedding!

In my experience, an in-house wedding coordinator does the following:

(Please note this is what my venue does, which does not speak for all venues)

  • Advises what set up will work best for the ceremony and reception
  • Helps create a seamless timeline (run sheet) 
  • Sets up and packs down the entire wedding
  • Coordinates all food service within the venue
  • Coordinates staffing for the evening
  • Liaises with all external suppliers ensuring all suppliers are aware of the evenings proceedings and timeline
  • They will be there for the entire wedding, ensuring the vision you and the coordinator have discussed is executed to perfection
  • If there are any issues which pop up, they will tend to immediately and discretely 

The points I believe an in-house wedding coordinator and a wedding planner may double up on, would be:

  • Advises what set up will work best for the ceremony and reception
  • Helps create a seamless timeline (run sheet) 
  • Sets up and packs down the entire wedding
  • Liaises with all external suppliers ensuring all suppliers are aware of the evenings proceedings and timeline
  • If there are any issues which pop up, they will tend to immediately and discretely

(However I cannot be 100% sure, as I have not worked with a wedding planner within my venue)

The only point I can think of which a in-house wedding coordinator does not do is the styling. Often wedding planners are also stylists, so they can help you create your vision from your inspiration board, whilst also sourcing the suppliers and planning it all out. 

This being said, most in-house wedding coordinators will assist you with your suppliers if you ask, however finding them and booking them is up to the client. 

I hope this has helped!

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