“I don’t need a wedding planner, my venue has one.” Well, not quite! This is a common misconception but it’s easy to see why. In the simplest of terms, a wedding co-ordinator works for your venue and their priority is managing the venue. A wedding planner works for you and their priority is every aspect of your wedding, not just the venue.
Image: Nikki Kirk Photography
So, what’s the difference?
A coordinator, as I’ve mentioned, works for the venue. They are there to manage the venue and get couples to book the venue for their wedding day. They may give you a recommended supplier list and guidance on a timeline for the day but these will be based on their requirements as a venue. You are left to plan the day by yourself. They are likely to have many couples whereas many planners only take on a handful of couples per year. Please don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of fabulous wedding co-ordinators out there who will go the extra mile. The reality is though, as much as they’d love to help with other aspects of your wedding, they simply don’t have the time.
A wedding planner on the other hand, is there specifically to help you with every aspect of your wedding. Your wedding planner is with you from the start of your planning journey, finding your venue or location, designing your day, managing your RSVPs, wedding budget, sourcing suppliers based on your vision, all with the aim to alleviate the stress and time needed to plan the wedding day of your dreams. You’ll spend so much time with your wedding planner during this process that it’s essential you get on! They’ll also wear many hats throughout the planning process, such as friend, confidante, mediator, as well as offering support and guidance along the way to name but a few. They plan the day you want and are also there on the day of your wedding ensuring every aspect goes just as you planned.
Image: Leanne Elizabeth Photography
Do I need a wedding planner too then?
Enlisting the help of a wedding planner isn’t for everyone. However, if you are short on time or feel overwhelmed at the thought of planning your wedding, it can be useful to hire a professional wedding planner. If full planning is out of your budget, or you’d simply prefer to do some aspects yourself, most planners often offer a range of services to suit your needs. At Eucalyptus Events, we offer full planning, wedding day management or planning power hours – please get in touch if you’d like to find out more and how these options may suit you.
Happy planning!
Gem x