Day of Coordinator?

Coordinators do so much more than send you down the aisle at the right time. A lot of times they handle set up and break down of decor. They greet vendors and make sure they’re setting up in the right place, they keep your timeline on track, they address issues that arise so you don’t have to be bothered. A DOC is definitely a must have in my opinion.

You totally could just have a family member send everyone down the aisle, though benefits of a day of coordinator are that they are hired to work your wedding, and your family members would get to enjoy being a guest (instead of having to "work" your wedding). The day of coordinator also would do more than just sending people down the aisle: they can also help with setup/tear down, putting together a timeline, and coordinating with your other vendors to resolve any issues that come up (florist is late delivering the flowers, DJ has questions about where to setup, candles in the centerpieces went out, gathering family members needed for photos, etc).

I’ve been contemplating this as well. I think I am going to pull the trigger and get a DOC though. There are so many more moving parts than I had really thought about, that the DOC takes care of. They receive all your deliveries (flowers, wedding cake, linens, etc.), so you do not have to stop what you are doing to meet the delivery person to accept the delivery. They make sure your decor is set up properly, candles are lit, etc. They keep the wedding party, photographer and videographer on schedule to make sure your ceremony doesn’t start late. They ensure everyone is lined up properly for the ceremony and that they walk at the appropriate time (and can make sure the bride and groom do not see each other if you are not doing a first look). If you have events during your reception (Spotlight dances, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc.), they can make sure those stay on schedule as well. They can also be hired to handle breaking down and cleaning up the space after the wedding is over. On top of all that, they serve as a contact person in case anything goes wrong so that people are not coming to you with issues while you are trying to get your hair and make up done.

We're having a 40 person wedding and I hired a DOC to meet the rentals company while we're getting ready and doing our first look, and she'll also style my guest book table and work with my florist to get our arch installment put together. She will also make sure the restaurant reception is set up before we arrive for our reception, and one of her services includes picking up florals for us if we decide to skip the arch installment.

I paid $900 for our DOC and to me that $900 is peace of mind, and the ability to be a guest at my own wedding, while allowing my family members to also be true guests.

Get a DOC. I had 14 guests and I’m so happy I had one. I didn’t think about a single thing they just told me where to be when to eat, etc. highly recommend.

My husband's cousin was our designated day of coordinator and she did a GREAT job helping us a bunch. So, it all depends on what you want! But either day definitely have a day of coordinator whether you hire one or choose someone.

We just hired one about a week and a half ago and I already feel some of the stress melting away.
She is responsible for running the rehearsal, directing vendors, setting up linens and centerpieces, decor, setting and keeping to a time schedule, and breakdown. Otherwise this all would have been on our plate!

Best 1200.00 we have spent so far!

View Quoted Comment Agree with this. No guests who step in to work have the ability to recreate this: they don’t have the experience, they don’t know what your vision is nor do they have contact info for your vendors to smooth things over. Also, the size of the guest list is irrelevant. The same service is still needed regardless if you have 2 guests or 500.

I regret not having a DOC. I recommend researching & choosing a DOC that you believe will fit you/your wedding day the best.

I wish I had had a DoC for my 9 guest backyard wedding.

While a coordinator isn’t a necessity, and you can definitely do it all yourself, our coordinators were FANTASTIC on our wedding day and I cannot imagine doing it all without them. If you can make space in your budget, I would highly recommend one.

Having a day of coordinator is a must, in my opinion. They take care of so many things and it really takes the stress off of you and your family. Our DOC was a god send.

We are having a destination vow renewal and I tried to avoid hiring a DOC but in the end I needed it. They handle so many things especially behind the scenes to the point that you won’t even know something was wrong. I was going to have a family member do things but then they would be missing the enjoyment of being a guest. For me the DOC is not only necessary but genuinely makes sense. Plus the DOC I have has been so helpful with setting things up overseas especially since I’m probably not going to be able to visit before the big day. She has also made some great recommendations and suggestions.