There are many overlapping career titles within the wedding industry, including wedding planners, bridal consultants, wedding designers, and wedding events coordinators. When you begin planning your wedding, you may find that there are wedding professionals you’ve never even heard of and whose jobs may be unclear to you. The whole wedding vocabulary can be confusing many times. We’re here to explain these similar-sounding roles and help you decide which one would be a good fit for your wedding planning journey.
Wedding Planner
Picture Courtesy: @gideonhermosa
Think of them as your best friend from the moment you start your wedding planning until the end of your wedding celebrations. They are the one who is responsible for making sure your wedding goes as planned. From setting the theme to choosing the venue, they are there to ensure your vision is met. A wedding planner is responsible for your wedding logistics. They take on vendor referrals, negotiate contracts, and see that your wedding vision is close to becoming a reality every day. The planner helps with a seamless planning process. The unique skill that makes wedding planners stand out is their ability to work with a given budget.
Additional responsibilities of a wedding planner include:
- Helping set a budget for the event
- Planning menus and selecting caterers
- Responsible for vendor selection/ management
- Selecting venues for ceremony and reception
- Choosing colors or themes and coordinating decorations, flowers, and attire
- Setting an event schedule
- Sending invitations and keeping track of responses
- Helping to keep the bridge, groom, and bridal party members relaxed
Wedding Designer
Designer: @lemariage
If a wedding planner is about ‘what,’ then a wedding designer is all about ‘how.’ If you have ever wondered how the miraculous designs and architecture of the decor come to life, it’s the work of your wedding designer. A wedding designer is responsible for the overall visual aesthetic of the wedding. They are the creative forces behind the theme that you have idealized. Often they will work in conjunction with florists, lighting technicians, and photographers to create the look and feel of the event.
Additional responsibilities of a wedding planner include:
- Design the conceptual theme.
- Coordinate with other vendors for the wedding aesthetics – the floor plans, lights, furniture, flowers, linens, attire, etc
- Provides color palette guidance
- Creates detailed floor planes with the venue space
Wedding Coordinator
Picture Courtesy: @stevegerrard
The wedding coordinator is pretty much a gift from the gods on your wedding day. They are the woman or man behind the curtain, making sure that your wedding day goes as smoothly as possible so you. A wedding coordinator generally offers more of a supporting role on the day of your wedding. They differ from a full-service wedding planner in that their sole responsibility is to manage and oversee the running of your wedding day itself. Unlike wedding planners, they aren’t involved in any of the pre-wedding preparation like booking vendors or managing contracts. Instead, a wedding coordinator will step in around one month before the day and work with you in the final lead-up.
Additional responsibilities of a wedding planner include:
- Supporting the event based on the planner’s instructions.
- Preparing and distributing your wedding day timeline
- Overseeing set-up and coordination on the day itself (including managing suppliers and guests, setting up furniture and decor, moving items between locations, and handling last-minute emergencies)
- Does a final walk-through of the venue(s)
- Checks in with vendors and reviews contracts
- Coordinates the rehearsal
Finding Your Best Fit
Planning: @sacks_productions / Photography: @elizabethmessina / Design & Rentals: @rrivre_works / Floral Design: @marksgarden
In order to find the right supplier for your needs, take some time to think about the elements of your wedding you feel confident with and the areas where you’d like some extra help! A great place to start is simply by heading to www.dwpinsider.com. Just put the specific keyword and location, and voila, you’re all set to have your dream wedding come true. Follow your heart and happy planning!
Feature Image Credit: @gregfinck / Planning @lakecomoweddings / Floral Design @tulipinadesign / Venue @villa_balbiano
