Do You Need a Day-Of Wedding Coordinator? Here's What to Consider

Whether you opted to plan your own nuptials or hire a professional, the odds are you're going to be overwhelmed when the day arrives. How can you be expected to get married and manage the logistics of your event? Enter: the day-of wedding coordinator. She oversees your vendors, manages the timeline, and deals with any last-minute challenges that arise during your festivities. These talented pros can take away stress and even hide problems that pop up so that you can focus on enjoying your wedding guests—and taking in every moment of your special day.

"A day-of coordinator manages the day so that the couple can relax and enjoy the wedding they have worked so hard to plan," says Emily DeRitter, the owner of The Best Day Details, a Michigan-based team of wedding coordinators. In addition to staying on top of your schedule and vendors, your coordinator may help set up your décor and personal items, as well as run errands for you, DeRitter adds. This person can also (very importantly!) help break down your reception once you and your guests depart for the evening—or migrate to the after-party. And unlike your wedding planner, who envisions, curates, and books your big day, this type of professional ensures everything is pulled off seamlessly in real time.

Read on to find out what a day-of wedding coordinator does, how much they cost, and whether you need to hire one for your wedding.

Day-of Wedding Coordinator Cost

Costs vary depending on the day-of coordinator’s responsibilities. Someone hired to just oversee a wedding day will cost less than someone who helps the couple plan last-minute details in the weeks leading up to the big event. “The cost ranges based on the number of locations, the number of hours, and the expected guest count,” says Oshikanlu, who charges anywhere from $800 to $3,000 for the weddings she coordinates.

Day-of Wedding Coordinator vs. Wedding Planner

A wedding planner is a person who works with you to plan your wedding months or years in advance. This person books the caterers and the band, sketches out the vision with florists and the venue, and makes sure invitations are sent out on time. Rather than do any original planning, a day-of wedding coordinator is responsible for making sure the vision and scheme are executed properly. For example, she may not be in charge of the seating plan, but she ensures place cards are numbered correctly and placed in the proper spot.

While the day-of wedding coordinator works less closely with the couple than the wedding planner, she should still be brought in early to help anticipate and smooth over any problems that might occur. “I recommend hiring one at least six months before the wedding day because it gives the wedding coordinator enough time to identify flaws in the planning and/or design and have it corrected before the wedding day,” Oshikanlu says. DeRitter agrees, recommending you hire this crucial vendor well in advance of your nuptials. "Lots of couples wait until a month out to book their coordinator, but they can be very helpful to book earlier on in the process," she says. "I would recommend nine to 12 months." Plus, a coordinator can also be utilized for pre- and post-wedding festivities, such as a rehearsal dinner or a post-wedding brunch.

Day-of Wedding Coordinator Responsibilities

Curious about the responsibilities of this vendor? Here, the experts break down what you need to know about her role on your big day.

Handling Logistics

The day-of wedding coordinator’s primary job is making sure all the logistics of the wedding are handled. For example, if you have 200 guests, this person ensures there are 200 chairs at the ceremony and reception.

Creating and Sticking to Your Timeline

One of the day-of wedding coordinator's most important jobs is creating a detailed timeline for the day and making sure everyone—from your family to your vendors—sticks to it. For example, if hair or makeup is taking longer than expected, this person will step in to try and speed up the process. She helps guests get seated on time for the ceremony and ensures photos are taken in a timely manner so that you have the opportunity to hit the dance floor.

Communicating With Vendors

On the day of your nuptials, your coordinator is the primary point of contact for all wedding vendors. This person is the "manager on duty," overseeing vendors' work and making sure they do their jobs according to what was contracted. All questions your vendors have can be fielded to your coordinator—so that you can just focus on enjoying your guests and celebrating your big day, instead of responding to inquiries.

Solving Problems

One of the most challenging—but important—jobs of the day-of wedding coordinator is putting out fires and troubleshooting problems on the day of or right before your wedding. Whether it's the bar running out of tequila, someone forgetting the rings, or even a power outage at your venue, this person figures out what to do.

When You Need a Day-of Wedding Coordinator

While day-of wedding coordinators can be incredibly helpful, not everyone will need one. Here's what to consider when thinking about whether this vendor may be necessary for you.

DIY Weddings

Many couples hire day-of wedding coordinators if they're planning their wedding themselves and simply need someone to oversee their work on the big day. This professional can make sure all of your hard work comes to life while you enjoy your wedding day. The day-of wedding coordinator can also ensure there aren’t any missing pieces at your wedding, particularly small things non-professionals might overlook. “Sometimes, couples have a lot of missing details, and I end up having to basically plan the wedding for them in a short period of time,” Oshikanlu says.

Nontraditional Venues

While staff at traditional wedding venues typically know how to seamlessly pull off weddings, you may be getting married in a venue that has never had a wedding ceremony or reception before, such as someone's home—or even a national park. If you're tying the knot at such a place, hiring a day-of wedding coordinator can help ensure the venue is properly prepared for your festivities.

What Wedding Coordinators Don't Cover

A day-of wedding coordinator isn't a planner. As a result, she typically won't handle anything that could be classified as "pre-wedding planning," such as managing your budget, overseeing the design of your venue, or booking your vendors, DeRitter says. "A coordinator takes the wedding that the couple planned, and executes all logistics," she adds. Yet even though this vendor isn't part of the planning process, it doesn't mean they aren't involved in preparations for your big day. "A coordinator will typically have one to three meetings with the couple to transfer over all wedding information, build a timeline, and make sure there is nothing missing," DeRitter says.

What to Consider When Booking a Day-Of Wedding Coordinator

When hiring this key vendor, DeRitter suggests considering her experience, as well as the number of hours she's willing to offer you on your big day. "A more experienced coordinator would be able to spot more problems before they even arise," she adds. Additionally, how many hours they're willing to lend to your big day is a crucial detail. Some day-of coordinators will step in just for the formal events of the day, totaling around six to eight hours, DeRitter says. However, if you want to hand off all of the details of your nuptials, she suggests booking someone for the entire day to get the "luxury experience."