Are day of wedding coordinators worth it?

Yes 100% worth their weight in gold.

They make your day easier, your family's, behind the scene things, set up, coordinate deliveries, the list goes on

Yes! I decided to get one a little later in my planning and it has been amazing! I feel like if I didn’t have one I’d be sooo stressed these next 2 weeks before my wedding with making timelines and making sure vendors know when to show up and setting everything up. I want to be able to relax on my day and not worry about whether my flowers showed up or if my tables numbers were put out correctly. I definitely was trying to cut costs whenever possible, but I’ve decided this was a mental health cost. Way worth it to not be stressing out.

To me it’s not about directing guests (other than bridal party) but about making sure everything runs smoothly so you can enjoy your party.

I am on a budget too and wedding isn't for 10 1/2 months but I hired a coordinator to help with decorations and day of. Ever since I have hired here, I feel like a big monkey has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel so much more relaxed. I think it's worth it. I will have a little less flowers and a less expensive dress to make up the cost.

My wedding is 4 months away and I have done everything myself. I didn’t think I needed a coordinator and honestly, everything has been great up to now. My wedding party, mom, & mother in law have been making sure that the planning is going well, by taking on some of that baggage for me. If you wanna spend the extra money, I don’t see the harm, but if you are on a tight budget like me: ask some of your close friends and family who you trust to help you out. Having my party help me has taken a ton of stress of my shoulders and saved me a ton of money

If nothing else I'd get one for set up/take down. FH's cousin just got married and FMIL and I were at the venue from 8-11 helping set up, went home to shower/change and then back to the venue at 3 for pictures (5pm ceremony). I really don't mind helping, and I knew what her "vision" was but it was a LONG day. I didn't help with take down so I have no idea how late people were there.

Absolutely! Our venue provided one and we would have been lost & late without one. Especially since you're having it at your dad's ranch where there is no staff).

Yes, for sure!

Every time I get stressed out about wedding planning, I remind myself that my wedding day will be completely stress-free because of our wedding coordinators, and that at 8:00 PM on our wedding day, FH and I get to leave without doing a thing, and so do my parents/family/wedding party. DOCs are not about directing the guests, but about making the wedding go off without a hitch!

Also, I know this is probably unsolicited advice, but unless you have less than 25 guests or so, please, please do table assignments. It's super stressful as a guest and guests don't know how to efficiently seat themselves at tables.

A good DOC is 100% worth every penny.

I believe not only are they worth it, they are necessary if you want your day to go as smoothly as possible

Absolutely worth it, and in my opinion, necessary.

I don't know if the full fledged coordinator is necessary, but some sort of point person for you/your guests is nice. My sister and a family friend helped with things like that (telling people where to put the decorations, getting food to the bridal suite, etc.) the day of, they had walkie talkies lol

I am not having a Coordinator myself. I am very much a control freak and besides that I am planning for my event to be more casual after the ceremony. Our DJ will make announcements and my bridal party will be helping with set-up/clean-up and making sure my vendors are settled. I don't need someone to tell me or my crew when to walk or anything so I figured to save the money!

They are rather new. I got married 14 years or so ago and did it all myself without a hitch. I wouldn't hire one now either, I didn't find anything stressful.

There was a bride who no longer posts here who said her biggest regret was NOT having a DOC. Things went horribly wrong that a DOC could have prevented. They are new to the wedding game, I got married in the early 90's the first time w/out one.

I would still get one, especially if you have a lot to orchestrate so there is someone to go to as a point person.

YES YES YES. It can be SO stressful to be bothered the day of, or not have someone to direct family, vendors, and wedding party. Especially at a ranch that isn't normally a wedding venue.

My one and only regret is that we didn't hire a DOC. our moms and WP members all helped out in major ways, and were happy to do so, since this is the norm among our friends and families, but in hindsight i wish we'd just hired someone. you'll be surprised how many little details people need to be clued into over the course of the day.

Honestly it depends IMO - because it's on your father's ranch, you may not have someone there to help guide the party. Mine and the 3 weddings I've helped plan haven't really needed a WP or DOC - but they've all been held at more traditional wedding venues. The owner of mine has a great staff, we're allowed to set up the day before, and they do a complete tear-down for you so we won't have much to do. My vendors also all have a timeline and are communicating with each other - I don't know how a DOC would do any more to "direct" them or the guests - for the ceremony our ushers, photographer and reverend will be moving things along and directing as needed, and at the reception the DJ will be making all of the necessary announcements. Unless something goes VERY wrong I don't see why we'd need a DOC. I've heard that they are helpful but honestly I've done enough planning that I don't see where they'd even fit in, and at mine and my aforementioned family members' weddings, we wouldn't have even wanted another person there in the way. The worst I expect is if there's a weather issue or a vendor or the limo gets held up, and if this happens we won't mind taking/making the calls ourselves and sending out a quick text to our wedding group; I honestly wouldn't want a stranger handling that anyway. However, as I said it depends on your situation. It sounds like you're already having a lot of DIY elements, so if any of that sounds like something that won't be covered, don't depend on your family to do the extra work if you can avoid it.

Side note - it seems you're already set on it, but if you want a coordinated, smooth reception, please consider doing a seating chart. I was at one wedding where it was seat yourself and it was the most miserable 3 hours of my life - I didn't know anyone and wandered around awkwardly for awhile before finding a spare seat, then got up to go to the bar and when I got back, someone had taken it. I ended up sitting with some random older relatives of the groom (I knew the bride), and I left early. I wasn't the only one who had trouble finding a seat, either, with a few groups having to be split up, and people being distracted all through the toasts trying to rearrange and switch seats. I felt like it was the first day of high school in the cafeteria! Not exactly a great wedding vibe.

We are having 30 guests and not having a DOC, on a tight budget. After a simple ceremony, we are doing the food ourselves. I have talked with my brothers/friends and everyone is willing to pitch-in. Since it's very informal, I am making lists to help and I have deligated timeline and reception set-up. The night before we are decorating rental house, so hopefully the focus will be on our big day....fingers -crossed.