You may be wondering what your day of coordinator should do, and why it’s crucial you have one at your wedding. This post is going to explain all of that for you.
A day of coordinator is someone who makes sure that your wedding goes to plan. Just with all things wedding related, this is a person who may or may not be a professional. If you’re asking a friend to be your day of coordinator, the things they do may differ from a professional. So, this post may or may not apply to your wedding situation. While it’s great if your friend can do everything on the list, the truth is that they are helping you out of the goodness of their heart and are probably doing the best they can.
Now, if you are hiring a professional day of coordinator, it’s another story. A professional should have certain things that they are able to do for you. Luckily for you, and for me, I was able to consult with a professional day of coordinator for this post. Shelby Coppin, or Fairy God Coordinator, out of Northern California, was kind enough to provide me details on what an ideal day of coordinator provides. Thank you, Shelby!
12 Things Your Day Of Coordinator Should Do
Before we get into it, please meet Shelby, aka Fairy God Coordinator.
Shelby started her day of coordination business in 2021, after getting married to the love of her life in 2020. Shelby’s focus is on stress-free wedding planning. She has lots of experience planning weddings, and even had to plan her own multiple times during the pandemic.
Shelby offers different levels of service, from basic wedding timeline planning all the way up to taking care of the minor and major details on your wedding day. Big thanks to Shelby for helping with this post!
If you want to learn more about how Shelby can help you, you can find her on Instagram @fairygodcoordinator or visit her website here.
Now, let’s get into what your day of coordinator should do!
1. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD CHECK IN WITH YOU PERIODICALLY BEFORE THE WEDDING
The thing about day of coordinators is that they don’t just show up for you on your wedding day. They should be meeting with you and checking in before your wedding day.
The number of times that you meet and the method of the meetings may vary. For example, some day of coordinators may have a package that includes two phone calls before the wedding, and other packages that have unlimited calls or video chats. Either way, the day of coordinator should be reaching out to you to see how things are going. They should be proactively getting ahead of what you’ll need to do, think about, and plan for, so there are no surprises on your wedding day.
2. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD PROVIDE SOME SORT OF CHECKLIST FOR YOUR WEDDING
I don’t know about you, but I’m a huge fan of check and tasks lists. I know that this isn’t true for everyone, but for most of us, they are helpful.
In preparation for this post, Shelby shared with me the checklists that she prepares for her clients. They range from emergency kit items, to items to take care of each month before the wedding. The lists are not complicated, but they are detailed. And, they provide a simple guideline that can be followed to feel more in control and like you’re not “missing anything”.
If you are working with a day of coordinator, and they haven’t sent you any tools that you can use, ask them about it. Chances are they have something handy, or will develop something that will be useful for you.
3.YOUR DOC SHOULD HELP YOU CREATE A WEDDING TIMELINE
Ah, the wedding day timeline. This is a wedding planning detail that can take a lot of thought but can pay off big time on your wedding day.
Because a day of coordinator is in charge of keeping to a wedding schedule, the creation of a timeline is huge. Not only do you want the day to flow correctly, and have enough time to get everything done, but you need the day of coordinator to ensure it does smoothly. If you are working with a professional who does not put a lot of emphasis on your wedding day timeline, that person is a huge red flag. They should be asking questions about vendor arrivals, deliveries, and your wedding goals.
As Shelby shared with me, at a minimum there should be two conversations with your day of coordinator about your timeline. There should also be some sort of plan to share the timeline with your wedding party and vendors.
4. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD REVIEW THE DETAILS WITH YOU AHEAD OF THE WEDDING
The devil is in the details, right?
Have you ever heard of three-way communication? It’s where you say one thing, another person tells you what they heard you say, and then you confirm that they heard you correctly. Three-way communication is what your day of coordinator should do with you, when you review the details with them. It’s not enough to just look at a list and *think* you have it right.
It’s actually about discussing what the plan is, what your vision is, and then making sure everyone truly understands it so your wedding day can be executed the way you want it to.
5. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR REHEARSAL
Now, this is a service that your day of coordinator may or may not have in their packaged agreement with you. But hear me out.
I’m not saying that the day of coordinator needs to be at your rehearsal. However, they should be available for calls, or texts, if you need them. Questions or changes of plan may come up, and they will need to know as soon as possible what those are. When you map out your day of coordinator’s services with them, make sure that you can reach them on the day of your rehearsal. If they aren’t available, it’s a sign that they may not be properly prepared on your wedding day.
6. YOUR DOC SHOULD ASK FOR A LIST OF VENDORS, SERVICES, & ARRIVAL TIMES
A good day of coordinator should do their homework ahead of your wedding. And, that homework includes knowing who they will be working with, what their purpose at your wedding is, and when they will arrive.
This is why it’s essential that your day of coordinator ask who your vendors will be. A big part of their job is meeting and directing them. Without knowing who to expect, how would a day of coordinator know someone isn’t there? Or there’s an issue? Quick answer – they wouldn’t.
Asking who your vendors are, and all the details, should be a major item a day of coordinator captures ahead of your wedding. And, depending on the level of service, your day of coordinator may reach out to vendors ahead of the wedding just to make sure everyone knows the plan.
7. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD ADVISE ON WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR WEDDING
Look, a day of coordinator isn’t just hired because they can “help out” on your wedding day. They are also there to be your wedding planning guide.
Shelby let me know that as a day of coordinator, she not only makes sure everything is cared for on her client’s wedding day, but she advices them on what to bring to their wedding. Now, this can range from an emergency kit, to wedding-related paperwork, to rings and other accessories. What’s important here is that your day of coordinator helps you decide what’s important or essential to your wedding, and what can be left at home.
8. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD BE PROFESSIONAL, RESPONSIVE, COURTEOUS
This isn’t just true for day of coordinators, but all vendors. They should be professional, responsive, and courteous.
I truly believe that you should put your most professional self forward during first impressions. After a relationship is formed, it may be a bit more understandable for vendors to relax a bit with the formalities. However, first impressions are meaningful and will give you insight as to the person you’ll be working with down the road. When you first reach out to professional day of coordinators, pay attention to how long it takes them to respond. Watch for tone in their emails, or on the phone. See if you get a good “vibe” from them.
Once you hire a day of coordinator, you should expect them to be there for you and your wedding planning needs, within reason and within your agreement with them.
9. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD KNOW WHO IS IN THE WEDDING, AND WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED
The key word in the name “day of coordinator” is the word “coordinator”. These professionals need to coordinate with a lot of people on wedding days! And, they need to know who they are.
While it wouldn’t be realistic for your day of coordinator to learn everyone’s name and background, they should have an idea of each person’s role at your wedding. For example, they should know who your parents are, your wedding party, your officiant, or anyone who will be a part of your ceremony or speak during your reception. Knowing who these people are will make sure that the right person is cued at the right time for their part.
10. YOUR DOC SHOULD THINK ON THEIR FEET AND BE NIMBLE IF THINGS DON’T GO TO PLAN
Now, thinking on one’s feet is a skill and not always something that be proven ahead of time. However, there are ways to tell if your day of coordinator can take care of issues, and pivot if needed.
When you interview potential day of coordinators, ask them about times where the plan had to shift. Find out some of the major wedding day risks and issues they have dealt with. Listen to their answers when they tell you how they prevent these things from happening at your wedding. Pay close attention when they tell you what they have dealt with and how they helped “save the day”. Look for answers that show they can remain calm, resourceful, and creative in order to help a wedding stay to plan.
If your potential day of coordinator has never dealt with an issue, well, you should run. Issues come up at every single wedding. They can happen before, or during the wedding. Not having an issue, ever, is an issue, because it shows that this person hasn’t learned from the past, or they are very, very inexperienced.
11. YOUR DAY OF COORDINATOR SHOULD PICK UP WHERE THE VENUE COORDINATOR LEAVES OFF
Some people think they don’t need a day of coordinator because their venue comes with one. And, for some weddings, this works. However, it all depends on what you’d like to have done at your wedding.
As explained to me by Shelby, a lot of venues come with venue coordinators. These people are concerned about the staff and vendors coming through their venue. They usually do not focus on family photos, helping you get ready, detail shots, personal items, or taking care of your experience as the person getting married.
Though venue coordinators can be excellent addition to your wedding day, they provide a different service than day of coordinators, who likely know your favorite color, preferred drink, personal style, and mom’s first name by the time your wedding day rolls around.
12. YOUR DOC SHOULD BE A STRESS RELIEVER DURING THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS
The whole reason you’re hiring a day of coordinator for your wedding is to help alleviate some of the stress placed on you. This person is there to help, not add, to what you need to take care of.
Shelby made it very clear to me that a good day of coordinator should be a stress reliever during the wedding planning process. They should be available to answer questions and discuss any problems. Ideally, they will have solutions to those problems or be able to walk you through various options. Now, the level that they help with this varies among day of coordinators, but in general, they should be a source of comfort for your wedding.
COMMON SERVICES AMONG DAY OF COORDINATORS
As mentioned before, services among day of coordinators vary. It all depends on the person and the agreement.
However, here are some common services that you may want to look for in a day of coordinator. Keep in mind that the more costly the day of coordinator’s package is, the more likely they will be able to provide more for your wedding:
- Walk though the venue with you to help plan and review details of the wedding day
- Review all your vendor contracts to understand exactly what will be arriving day of
- Help with rehearsal coordination
- Set up décor or last minute details
- Distribute bouquets and corsages to bridal party, attendants & family members
- Cue wedding speeches and toasts
- Cue DJ for any special songs or dances
- Organize props and chairs for games or garter toss
- Collect gifts and personal items and place in designated space
- Distribute final payments and gratuities to vendors, as needed
CLOSING THOUGHTS
The moral of the story, friends, is that a day of coordinator can help make your wedding day perfect. A good day of coordinator should be there for you, every step of the way. They should communicate clearly, pay attention to details, and be able to think on their toes. Thank you again to Shelby from Fairy God Coordinator for her help with this post! Happy wedding planning, everyone!
More From Hummingbird Wedding Advice
8 Budget Friendly Wedding Venue Ideas
What You Should Know About RSVP Etiquette
What’s A Wedding Welcome Party?
Did you find this post helpful, inspiring? PIN it to your Wedding Planning Board on Pinterest!
Adorable Wedding Photo Frames
Personalized Wedding Photo Frame
[…] written about day of coordinators before, and I believe that they are a crucial part of any wedding. No, you don’t have to spend a ton of […]