Is Having a Day-of-Coordinator Really Worth the Investment?
So you just got engaged and you are thrilled to be marrying the love of your life, but I am guessing that you didn’t think you’d be quite this overwhelmed. Maybe you thought you could captain this ship on your own and it’s turning out to be a job that requires an entire crew.
It is rare that you meet a young lady who has not been loosely, or not-so, planning her dream wedding since she was old enough to understand the phrase “Happily-ever-after”. As you get older though, you begin to realize all that goes into wedding planning and preparing and organizing and designing and contracting and purch… you get the point. During your stint as a bride-to-be, you begin to realize that wedding planning is a really big job. In fact, sometimes you feel like you are taking on the equivalent of three or four jobs and drowning because the world doesn’t stop for you- the newly engaged.
I always tell my clients that when you start a new job, it is estimated that it will take you 16 -18 months before you feel truly comfortable in your new role. It will take 16 - 18 months before you stop feeling as though you have to ask questions or second guess yourself. It will take you 16-18 months to find confidence in how you like to do things. And planning a wedding, as we have already established, is a new job! And most often, you have less than 16 - 18 months to plan arguably the biggest day of your life. Oh, and not to mention, wedding planning for the bride is not a paid gig- it’s actually one where you use your own money to take on all the projects- both large and small!
I get it, I’ve been there, and it’s scary and overwhelming!
When my husband and I decided to move forward with the venture of opening a wedding venue, I spent a lot of time thinking about the process of planning a wedding and how I could make it easier for our couples.
How can I not only help reduce their stress level but actually make the planning process fun? Couples are celebrating coming together as one and spend months getting ready for this celebration- it shouldn't be overwhelming and stressful. After spending many years in the wedding industry I saw the difference in the final product (or the day-of) between couples trying to navigate the process on their own and those with professional help. I immediately knew I had to include a Day-of-Coordinator as part of our base package. I wanted to give our couples a guiding hand. Someone who could answer the questions they didn’t even know to ask. Someone to make things as carefree as possible. We never want our couples to feel like they are drowning and everything is out of control. Because odds are, they aren’t. You’ve just never had to take control of the wedding wheel up until this point.
Keep in mind, though, that Wedding Day is not just about the bride and groom. While I truly want my couples to have the absolute best day ever, I also want their family and friends to consider yours, the wedding of the year! If you do not have an event coordinator running your ceremony and reception, someone you love is getting saddled with the job (which we have just acknowledged is incredibly detailed, heavy, and often overwhelming work for one person) and that is a very big ask! Your mom, your sister, your best friend, Great Aunt Suzie, Godmother Lola… Whoever it is, will be working on the day of your wedding and not actually celebrating with you.
So while it may be hard for you to let go and/or delegate, investing in a day-of coordinator will make for smooth sailing on the open ocean that is wedding planning. Whether you choose a venue that offers a professional, or you opt to hire someone yourself, having someone to help you navigate these uncharted waters is something you can’t put a price tag on!
