This topic has been discussed a lot and it is still very popular.
So what is the main difference between the two?
First of all I would like to mention that it is a partnership between us, and it is a true bonus to the couples to have two planners working on their wedding day.
So let’s review what responsibilities each of the coordinator has:
– Venue coordinator represents venue’s interest, while a Month of Coordinator represents couple’s interests
– Venue coordinator won’t connect and follow up with couple’s vendors, this is just not in their scope of work
– Itinerary that they will create will start from the moment the couple arrives at the venue and will be not very detailed, it will be mainly about what concerns the venue (food schedule, ceremony time, if it is on site only, cocktail hour timing), while a Month of Coordinator’s itinerary will start from the bride’s hair and make-up early in the morning, will include all the little details, addresses, songs, speeches, order of the processional at the ceremony and order of the grand entrance at the reception and much much more. It will be a master itinerary for all vendors, including the venue, that everyone will follow in order to be on the same page.
– Venue coordinator don’t manage your rehearsal, while your day of coordinator will be there and will be able to manage rehearsals without an officiant sometimes, as long as it is not a church ceremony.
– At some venues, venue coordinators oversee more than just one wedding on the same night, which also becomes overwhelming for them. Your Month of Coordinator is always concentrated on YOUR wedding only!
– Most venues wouldn’t set-up your own decor items, only a few venues are ok with that. While your Month of Coordinator is willing to set-up anything needed for their couple.
– Most venue coordinators leave as soon as the main course is served and the couple is left in the hands of the banquet manager, whose job is to coordinate his kitchen staff and who is not involved in all details of the wedding flow.
– Venue coordinators don’t oversee photo session on the day of and don’t make sure that every picture you have on the list is covered by the photographer, while we do it as a part of our package.
The list goes on and on!
In most of the cases the person who does the sales at the venue won’t be your venue coordinator on the day of. The coordinators are usually assigned a month prior to a wedding or around that time.
You wouldn’t believe how many of those calls we are getting and unfortunately we are not able to take anyone on in less than 5-6 weeks prior to their big day, as we always like to allow ourselves enough time to get familiar with all little details and vendors contracts, connect with vendors, create an itinerary, attend the final venue meeting with the couple and prepare for the day of.
Nevertheless, we work closely with the venue coordinators in order to ensure the seamless flow of the day, as it is a perfect partnership of two coordinators, one representing the couple and another representing the venue!
Designed Dream is an award-winning wedding planner in Toronto, proud in being in the event industry for over 10 years, and has successfully planned and coordinated over 300 weddings and events! Quality is always more important than quantity, and for that very reason, they never overbook and always ensure that all their clients get the personal touch and attention they deserve. The Designed Dream’s talented team also speaks several languages including Mandarin, Cantonese, Hebrew, Russian Spanish, and German.
