Nobody wants to be left short-staffed on their wedding day. Even if you're a hands-on bride or groom, you don't need to be setting tables and hanging bunting when you're supposed to be getting your hair done or drinking bubbly! But whose job is it to make that stuff happen? Do you know what your venue coordinator will be doing on the day of your wedding? Do you assume you don't need a wedding planner? Have you even heard of a wedding stylist and if so, do you know what their job entails? Welcome to our handy guide to the differences between a wedding planner, a wedding stylist and a venue coordinator, and how to figure out which one you actually need!
Planners, venue coordinators and stylists; these three roles certainly have a lot of overlap but they are also very distinct from each other. And while few couples need all three on their wedding day, you might need one or two, or none, depending on your plans. But regardless of what kind of wedding you're having, it really is important to know what exactly is, and more importantly isn't, included in the services of the professionals working on your day. So while you may think this feature isn't for you, we promise by the end of it, knowing the difference between a wedding venue coordinator, a wedding planner, and a wedding stylist, will come in helpful! Even if you end up wanting to do the whole lot yourself.
What Does a Venue Coordinator Do?
Your venue coordinator can often become your most emailed contact during your wedding planning. Their job is to be your venue liaison, and ensure the smooth running of your day - but only for things that fall under the remit of the venue. While most venue coordinators are incredible at their jobs, and will go above and beyond, it's important to remember that they work for the venue, not for you. Your wedding is their priority on the day of course, but they may be working on anywhere from 10 to 200+ weddings a year depending on the scale and exclusivity of the venue, and so they have something of a generic formula for how they make it all work.
If your venue does the catering, they'll work with you on your menu, if your venue supplies the furniture, they'll talk to you about your table lay-out. They will not however, make sure the cellist is in place for the ceremony, they're not necessarily in charge of putting the floral urns in exactly the right place, and it's not up to them to let you know that you were supposed to start the speeches half an hour ago.
Some venue coordinators will work with a local stylist or rental company on custom choices like centrepieces or chair coverings, but in many venues, those things are up to you to arrange. And while they may do things like turn around the room between the ceremony and the reception, light the candles, place the centrepieces and fit the chair covers - it likely won't have the same bespoke feel as it might with a professional planner or stylist.
When it comes to the wedding set up itself, a venue will set the tables, but they may not place the name cards, they'll provide the stage for the band, but they may not run the sound check, they'll let you know if you're allowed to hang pom poms in the barn, but they may not be the ones doing it for you. You get the gist! This is not the same for every venue of course, but it is a general rule of thumb. So, if you want someone who'll run the whole show from 10am to 10pm (and all the months before), make sure everything is in place and happens bang on time, then what you need is a... wedding planner!
What Does A Wedding Planner Do?
Wedding planners offer different kind of services depending on what you need. A full-service wedding planner will help you find the right venue, source suppliers, realise your vision and stay in budget and that's all before the big day. On the day itself, they and their team will set the venue up for you, they'll keep tabs on all the suppliers, they'll make sure the flower girl's dress is fixed right before she walks up the aisle, and they'll ensure you never hear about any last minute near-disasters. The idea behind hiring a full-service planner is that you can be as involved as much or as little as you like in the planning, but on the day, you don't have to worry about a thing.
Some planners will offer three-month, one month and week-of packages, where you will have planned what you want and booked the suppliers, but essentially hand over your wedding for all the last-minute logistics and confirmations so you can relax on the day.
A day-of planner is becoming a really popular option - and makes a great choice for anyone doing a DIY wedding, dry hire wedding or a marquee wedding at home. You'll meet to brief the planner, potentially do a venue walk-through, give them your timeline, and pictures of how you want everything to look, and you'll hand it over for them to run on the day.
A day-of coordinator will look after both the set-up of the space and ensure everything goes smoothly, while keeping problems away from you. While this is often a more-affordable option, do remember that if you choose a day-of planner on the cheaper end of the scale, they won't invest as much time in getting familiar with you, your venue and your suppliers, so if anything has been missed in the handover, it can be too last minute to rectify. If you reckon you'll have your venue coordinator briefed, your suppliers locked in, your bridesmaids on standby and your wedding day timeline air-tight, but you'll simply need help setting up your venue or making your wedding Pinterest board come to life, then what you need is a... wedding stylist.
What Does A Wedding Stylist Do?
A wedding stylist will design and decorate your wedding for you. A wedding stylist's role can be as in-depth as a creative director, and involve coming up with a colour palette and concept for your wedding. At other weddings, their role is as simple as executing the set-up on the day, and making sure everything is place. While a venue coordinator is more practical, and a planner looks after the logistics, a stylist's role is all about the aesthetics - getting creative and making your day look and feel exactly how you want it to.
Hiring a stylist is a great idea if you have a blank canvas-style wedding venue or if you can only get access to your venue on the morning of your wedding. They can also be helpful if you have a picture of how you want your day to look, but you're not sure how to make it all come together, or likewise, if you want your wedding to look amazing, but don't have a picture in your head of what that is.
A stylist will also often have an arsenal of great props, crockery and cutlery, whether you're looking for a vintage tea party look, a modern geometric style, cool boho festival vibe or something glam and luxurious. Stylists will often work with, or double up as, florists to make sure the decorative aspects of your day come together, while some florists themselves offer styling and set-up services. A stylist may also look after your stationery, and create custom items like signage, table decor, favours and aisle backdrops.
Some wedding planners are skilled stylists themselves, though others bring in a stylist as part of their team to look after the more creative elements. Get our list of recommended wedding planners and stylists here.
How Much Do Wedding Planners & Wedding Stylists Cost?
A venue coordinator is complimentary with the venue, though it is nice to leave a gratuity or give them a gift, or a thank-you card, if you're happy with their service.
The cost of wedding planner can differ wildly depending on their experience, what they offer, and the kind of wedding you're having. Some will charge an hourly rate anywhere from €50 to €200, others will offer a package that includes a certain number of calls, in-person meetings as well as their day-of service, and others will charge a rate depending on your overall budget, usually 10-15%.
Day-of coordination tends to be upwards of €400 and month-of packages can start from €1000 up to over €3000 for a more hands-on service with unlimited contactability - these are just a ballpark figures, as they really can vary.
It's worth saying though, that like hiring an accountant to do your taxes, a full-service wedding planner can sometimes save you money in the long run, as they have contacts within the industry with whom they can negotiate rates. While you're likely planning a wedding for the first time, they've done it all before, so they know what things should cost, and where to go for the best value.
As for the cost of a wedding stylist, it's harder to give a general price on their services. Much like a wedding florist, you will tell a wedding stylist your budget and what you have in mind, and they'll come up with an itemised list, or build you a package to suit your needs. This means a wedding stylist could set you back €500 for a simple set-up or €4000+ for full florals and creative direction. Do remember to factor in the cost of prop or furniture rentals too if they're not included.
Get our list of recommended wedding planners and stylists here!
Who Else Can You Hire to Help You on Your Wedding Day?
While this is more popular in the UK or US than in Ireland, you can hire toastmasters, professional bridesmaids or wedding butlers to also assist you in your day. A toastmaster will act more like a host for the day, ensuring it runs smoothly, that everyone has what they need, as well as adding a bit of pomp and ceremony to the proceedings.
While a wedding butler or professional bridesmaid is a lot more low-key, and acts more like a personal assistant - they'll run to the bar for you, go find safety pins if your bustle comes undone, or hold your bouquet while you're getting your photos done. Both of these are good options if you're having a large formal wedding, or if you've opted not to have a bridal party.
So now you know what to expect, and not expect from your venue coordinator, you can decide if you need to recruit any other wedding-day helpers, or indeed a full service planner, a florist with styling skills, or a creative director who will style the lot to perfection! Our Wedding Book directory might be your next port of call!
More handy wedding-planning reads:
