What’s the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator?

It’s the same thing isn’t it? Not quite!

When planning your perfect wedding day, there are numerous decisions you must make, and often ask, should I hire a wedding planner or a wedding coordinator, and what is the difference? Many people use the terms interchangeably, assuming they are the same thing. However, their roles, responsibilities, and the scope of services they provide are quite distinct.

While a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator both help eliminate potential pitfalls and ensure much-needed peace of mind, their duties are oriented around different stages of the wedding process, warranting careful consideration of which professional, or perhaps both, should be a part of your wedding journey.

At Northside Farm, we have a dedicated team of wedding coordinators who, whilst assisting in the plans of your wedding, the focus and layout of your day is entirely your decision.

Our coordinators are a bit like a project managers, guiding couples through every decision-making process from start to finish. Essentially, they are responsible for bringing your wedding vision to life.

Whilst a wedding planner often helps negotiate contracts with vendors and is often present during vendor meetings to serve as an experienced voice of reason and doing everything for the couple directly, a wedding coordinator typically gets involved at the initial stage and then closer to the event date. At the initial meeting, our wedding coordinators will listen to the couples and what they envision for their big day, and come up with some creative ideas and potential concepts to create the ‘wow’ factor in line with the couples’ preferences. They then coordinate all of it to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day itself.

Unlike a wedding planner, wedding coordinators do not negotiate contracts or make budget decisions. Their central role begins a few weeks or months before the wedding, compiling vendor contracts and details planned by the couple, then pulling everything together, creating timelines, managing rehearsals, and overseeing everything on the wedding day.

Think of a wedding coordinator as a conductor, orchestrating various pieces – vendors, timeline, and bridal party – into a harmonious symphony on your wedding day. They ensure that photographers are in place, caterers serve food on time, and literally manage every single piece of the puzzle to ensure a flawless flow of events.

Deciding whether you need a wedding planner to work with your venue and its coordinators or if you would prefer to work directly with the wedding coordinator comes down to several factors. If planning every detail of your wedding seems overwhelming, hiring an independent wedding planner could be the right decision. They can take over all the aspects of planning your wedding, leaving you to simply make the final decisions.

On the other hand, if you relish the idea of planning your wedding but want someone to take over the execution on the actual day, a wedding coordinator would be a great fit. They will ensure your plans come together smoothly and trouble-free, allowing you to enjoy your big day without worrying about logistical challenges.

So while wedding planners and wedding coordinators both make your wedding day come alive, the scope of their work varies greatly. At Northside Farm, we believe in working directly with the couples to advise and coordinate everything for their big day, with the client having the ultimate say over suppliers and decor, to make it more personal and unique to them.