Have you ever received something that you weren’t expecting or something that you didn’t even know you needed until after you received it? Well, a Month or Day of Coordinator (DoC) is the essential wedding professional you never knew you needed!
“Why do I need a Day of Coordinator
for my wedding?”
This is a common question for brides and engaged couples. When you hire a DoC, you hire a wedding professional who will help to manage the events leading up to your wedding as well as on the actual wedding day. Think of your DoC as the conductor of a symphony coordinating all the individual efforts to create harmony.
Side note: The DoC has many responsibilities, and much of the work occurs prior to the actual wedding day. With that in mind, many wedding professionals are moving away from the term DoC and using Wedding Manager (WM) to more accurately reflect the role.
Regardless of the name, the experience and expertise of a Day of Coordinator/Wedding Manager is invaluable in the planning process and absolutely necessary on the day of the wedding.
Planners, Coordinators & Managers,
Oh My!
Let’s define each role to provide the clarity you need to determine which wedding professional(s) best fits your needs.
As you have been planning your wedding, you’ve probably come across the terms wedding planner, wedding coordinator, event manager, venue coordinator, wedding manager, and probably several others. Although there are some similarities and overlap in responsibilities, there are distinct differences.
- Full-service Wedding Planner. A full-service wedding planner basically handles everything for the couple, from start to finish. Once the planner has an idea of your vision, they are more of the decision makers for your wedding. A wedding planner’s tasks could include determining the overall design and décor of the wedding, helping the couple create and stay within a budget, contract negotiations, hiring vendors, and executing the event on the actual wedding day.
- Partial Planner. A partial planner is exactly what the name implies. They help the couple after some or most of the leg work has already been completed by the couple. Typically, the partial planner will manage the wedding day event as well.
- Venue Coordinator. The venue coordinator is hired by and works for the venue itself. They manage all of the events hosted in the venue space. They handle everything regarding the venue, including food, setup, bathrooms, security, getting people in and out in a timely manner, and ensuring that guests behave responsibly within the venue. A venue coordinator is looking out for the venue’s best interests to ensure that your wedding/reception goes smoothly for the venue, not specifically for you and your guests.
- Month/Day of Coordinator/Wedding Manager. A wedding coordinator is looking out for YOUR best interests. This person will deal with aspects of the venue that pertain to you, such as setup, and will make sure everything is to your specifications. They usually begin helping you prepare several months before the wedding and function as the point person on the wedding day.
What to Expect
from a Day of Coordinator
Now that we’ve sorted through the different titles of wedding planning professionals, let’s focus on the Day of Coordinator/Wedding Manager (DoC/WM). This person is critical to making your wedding day flow effortlessly and just the way you want it.
A DoC/WM is ideal for couples who are planning the wedding themselves and/or do not have the budget for a full-service wedding planner. Your DoC/WM usually starts to engage with you 30 or even 90 days before your wedding — and sometimes even earlier than that. By engaging with you at that time, they can identify any gaps in the planning and advise you of any details that you may have missed. So, while you are doing the majority of the planning, the DoC/WM ensures that everything you have planned and envisioned is executed to perfection — with every “i” dotted and every “t” crossed.
Most importantly, having a DoC/WM allows you to show up at your wedding feeling relaxed, refreshed, and confident — not stressed, exhausted, and anxious. It allows you, your loved ones, and your friends to truly enjoy your wedding and be in the moment knowing that all the details are being addressed.
As mentioned, the primary role of the DoC/WM is to ensure that every detail of the wedding day is managed from beginning to end. Some of the things that your DoC/WM will do:
- Manage your wedding vendors so that you can relax and enjoy the day knowing that all the details are being handled
- Assist the Officiant with/or coordinate the wedding rehearsal.
- Onsite management of the wedding day from start to finish
- Prepare and provide timelines for your vendors
- Prepare a Wedding Day timeline so every minute is accounted for, and you know exactly how the day will flow.
- Work with the photographer to ensure pictures run seamlessly and on time
- Assist in directing and lining up your bridal party for the ceremony and introductions at the reception.
- Coordinate the transition between the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception.
- Oversee the activities at your reception to ensure that it is executed as planned
- Assist guests with seating.
- Assist with setting up of décor, table setup of decorations, favors, etc.
- Deliver gratuities to contracted wedding professionals.
- Make sure that gifts/cards, wedding materials, and decorations are given back to you or whomever you designate.
- Provide support to you as a couple, your bridal party, and your families on the most momentous occasion of your life!
You may be thinking that anybody can do this, but while it may seem simple, this isn’t something that you want to leave to someone who does not have experience managing events. Also, because your DoC/WM has been working with you for the past 6-12 weeks, they know you, the expectations that you have for your wedding, and the nuances that make your wedding unique and uniquely you. Someone just showing up on the day of the wedding will typically not be as effective as someone who has been working with you for some time. When you think of what you have invested in your wedding financially and the time to plan, you want to be sure that your plans are executed flawlessly.
How Much Does a
Day of Coordinator Cost?
It all depends. While that may not have been the answer that you were looking for, the cost of a DoC/WM depends on several factors, including time contracted to work with the couple, experience of the DoC/WM, geographic location, and services provided. Other factors may include the wedding’s time, the number of guests, and the location of the wedding itself. Another key factor in the cost is the type of wedding planner/wedding coordinator that you hire. Most DoC/WMs usually charge a flat fee taking into consideration the factors listed above and others may charge a percentage of the wedding budget. The fee for a DoC/WM can range between $1,500 and $8,000. If they are charging based on the wedding budget, you can expect to see a range between 5% and 10%.
Yes, You Really Do Need a Day of Coordinator/Wedding Manager!
I hope that you can see that having a DoC/WM managing the details of your wedding day can be a real lifesaver. It has been often said that “the devil is in the details”. This cannot be truer than for a wedding. There are so many moving parts leading up to the day of the wedding. Your DoC/WM will be logistically focused and available to you so that everything is organized as you lead up to your wedding day. On your actual wedding day, your DoC/WM is there to take over and make sure that all of the details and your vision come to life without a hitch and everything is executed to perfection as well as managing the unexpected.
So there you have it, a day-of coordinator is essential for any couple who wants to do most of the planning themselves, but when their wedding day arrives, they need a professional to execute all of their hard work and planning so that they are able to enjoy themselves at their wedding and not worry about anything! Think of your DoC/WM as your security blanket! And who doesn’t like a comforting blanket?
