Day-of-coordinator asked if i needed her to stay until the end of the reception . . .

The only reason I would see her staying until the end would be if she was contracted to clean up/break down at the end of the night, otherwise why would you need her there?

Woah...that would not be acceptable to me! My coordinator is part of the venue and she stays, but they should be there in my opinion!

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We discussed her helping to bring the gifts back to the hotel, if we get any physical gifts at all.

My DOC is staying through cleanup - an hour after everything ends. She is directing cleanup to ensure we get our deposit back. She’s also helping make sure all the decor items we are providing are packed away and ready for my fam to take home at the end of the night. She’s in charge of the tips too for any vendors we are tipping - so that requires her to stay until the end as well. To me there’s a lot still going on post cake cutting - it may be the boring stuff, but it’s necessary. Honestly, that question would worry me about her professionalism and experience as a DOC.

I would review your contract with her. Mine discussed cleaning up after the wedding, so if she told me she would leave early I would be a bit confused!

Kind of depends what you're paying her to do. She pretty much does nothing after dinner/dances/toasts unless you're having her clean up the decor at the end of the night. Especially if you're having a small wedding. She can take gifts back for you early if there are any.

Personally, I wouldn't make her stay because there's no point and she's going to be tired. If it was in the contract that she would stay the entire event then technically you paid for it, but I would let her leave. In the future she should charge clients extra to stay the whole night, but it's not your fault that she didn't. I think most do stay the full event though.

That's weird. Ours stayed because ours made sure all of our personal belongings/decor/gifts got loaded up. Who is going to do this for you at the end of the night? Isn't that her job? Also, our DOC made sure the venue was left in good shape so we got our security deposit back.

Our DOC is included in our venue package and will be there until the end. I can't imagine her leaving early.

Yeah, that is strange. The DJ handled a lot after dinner but our DOC checked in with us, made sure we had cocktails/water/were comfy at all times (totally going above and beyond) made sure all of our personal belongings were packed up at the end of the night, helped make sure things we cleaned up as the night went on, and there were even a few times when I texted her with little stuff. She helped SO much from start to finish. Plus if you are paying for the full day I'd expect the full day.

I would expect her to stay. The DOC is partially there in case of emergency. And something can still go wrong after the cake cutting. Someone could still throw up on your dance floor, or fall downstairs and break a leg. It’s her job to know where the mop is, and to call 911.

Not to to mention all the things others have mentioned. There is plenty to coordinate after cake cutting. I agree with PP that question would make me question her professionalism and experience.

Thanks for all the insight. My initial response to her was that we'd play it by ear. I haven't been entirely impressed with her services thus far. I guess we'll just have to see.

Besides cleanup, one of the things our DOC is supposed to do is handle any issues that may arise, (someone wants the temperature adjusted, someone lost the valet ticket, someone dropped an earring and needs help finding it, etc). There is no way to guarantee there will be no issues after cake cutting. I would be pretty put off by my DOC asking to leave early. She is there to coordinate my entire day, not just part of it.

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This! "Day of coordinator" to me means for the day, the whole day!

If not there would be such things as "partial day coordinators"

It's not "leaving early", it's actually standard for a DOC to leave after cake cutting, because at that point, the formalities are done, and it's just drinking and dancing. There's nothing she needs to coordinate after that point. Our planner left after cake cutting. I'm a singer in a wedding band, and we always run the show after the cake has been cut, because that's when the planner/DOC leaves. It's not her "doing less of her job and still getting paid the same". Her job is already done at that point.

You're completely looking at this the wrong way.

I would too be annoyed. Even if technically there is nothing for her to do, if you are paying her to be there the whole time she should stay, also you never know when a hiccup can happen, or you will need a hand with something. Read the contract and if she is hired for 4 hours, ask her to please stay the 4 hours, tell her you would be more comfortable with that. - and I am sorry about what other PP said, but if she is going to be tired to finish the night, she then should make her work schedule and respectively the contract reflecting less hours. I come to work sleep deprived and my boss doesn't send me home for naps and pays me equally just because well...I am tired. It's a job not a favor.

How strange...my coordinator is responsible for break down and clean up after the reception and for putting everything in my parents car.

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Makes sense. I see your point.

We have her contracted until midnight. Our reception ends at 10:00 pm. I'm just trying to figure out what the "norm" is.

Hi! I'm a DOC; if its in your contract she absolutely should. Did you decide on a time? In my contract I sign for a time, I clean up at that time even if they decide to extend the reception; at that point people are drinking and dancing they don't care about candles. And I leave after the clean up

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I've never heard of a planner leaving after cake cutting. If shes a DOC that's when her job begins. She is in charge of the timeline and making sure everything runs smoothly; that's why you hire a DOC