When I started the business, I knew it was vital to give clients lots of options. Somewhere between basic Day of Coordination and full-blown Event Planning is Consultation.
Day of Coordinators take the final decisions by the bride and groom – vendors, layout, food, etc. – and tie together all the logistics. Do the florist and cake baker have to work together on the cake decor? The DOC makes sure they load in at approximately the same times. When does Grandma walk down the aisle in the ceremony processional? The coordinator will give you the answer and line everyone up at just the right time.
This wedding at the Hotel Korakia in Palm Springs was elegantly planned by the couple, with budget oversight and general support from us. Picture by Red Lantern Photography.
A wedding planner does everything – soup to nuts – from finding the venue, advising on design and budget, and implementing the logistics – while this does cost more, often they save clients nearly as much as their fee in vendor negotiations and hours and hours of time saved.
There is a comfortable middle ground between these two services, and couples should consider consultation, which is a more customized set of services borrowing elements from both coordination and full planning. We have the “You’ll Never Walk Alone” package, which includes multiple meetings, general budget oversight, event design consultation (with many digital inspiration boards flying between client and consultant) and overall guidance. While we don’t attend vendor interviews or meetings with the client, we give them our 2c on recommendations and strategies for keeping the planning process nice and smooth.
No Worries consulted on all aspects of this backyard wedding, gorgeously designed by the bride. Photo by Blue Window Creative.
It’s important for couples, then, to think outside the box and realize they can have some of the services of a full planner without the cost. When the client is traveling a lot, having a destination wedding, or working with a complicated venue (private estate, film studio, etc), having a great consultant will protect their investment and keep them sane.
Want to learn all about our various service packages? Check them out here , and feel free to give us a call or email anytime with questions. Happy planning!