Wedding Planner in Cornwall: What is the difference between Wedding Planners and Wedding Coordinators?

What do they do and how do you know which one to go for?

Even before you got engaged and started the wedding planning process, you might have heard the term “wedding planner” or “wedding coordinator” and thought they were pretty much the same person. While a full-service wedding planner in Cornwall who is with you throughout the majority of your wedding planning process, will take on the role of a wedding coordinator on the day of your wedding, a wedding coordinator is generally considered a separate person for those brides doing the majority of planning themselves.

Sound confusing?
One of the main reasons couples hire a wedding planner in Cornwall is for peace of mind. You will be able to relax and enjoy your big day knowing that your wedding planner in Cornwall, who has been working alongside you every step of the way for the last 18 months, is there to manage things and make sure all of the vendors are working together to create an incredible wedding celebration just for you!

Depending on where you are in the planning stage—and probably depending also on how many people you want to invite—you may have considered some type of wedding planning help but what is the difference between Wedding Planners and Wedding Coordinators? Some couples who don’t know the difference end up hiring either one or the other without thinking it through and are then often disappointed on some level. So to help you to make the best decision, let’s talk about the specific differences between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator and how each one can—and can not—help you with your wedding.

So, what is the difference? The terms planner and coordinator are often used interchangeably, but in regards to what a couple should expect in terms of services, there is a very BIG difference.

Many hotels have a Wedding Coordinator on staff. (This position is also referred to as a Wedding Manager or Venue Manager.) This person is often associated with the venue’s sales and catering team. Their primary responsibility is to be your main point of contact with the venue. They facilitate and oversee all of the details pertaining to your wedding in regards to all information the venue requires. This person is involved, usually from when you first view the venue, right up to and including the day itself. They are familiar with room locations, layouts, and venue occupancy numbers.  Along with the culinary team, they plan, organise and develop the food and beverage services at your venue. They also respond to the many emails and phone calls from prospective couples looking to get married at the venue. Venue wedding coordinators work very hard and do their absolute best to ensure that their clients have a great experience at the venue, but remember that they work for their venue. Their primary responsibility is to manage the details that the venue needs. They may offer some advice along the way, but they are not your wedding planner. To expect them to take on the same responsibilities is unrealistic and unwise.

A venue coordinator will not attend a bridal gown appointment with you nor will they provide you with opinions on how long hair and make-up services should take in the morning for your bridal party of ten women. They typically aren’t taking phone calls with clients to handle sticky etiquette dilemmas like invitation ‘plus ones’ or trying to help you decide who should cover the rehearsal dinner bill. If there’s something that doesn’t pertain to the venue specifically, it’s happening outside of the venue, or if it’s very personal in nature, it’s typically not a venue coordinator’s responsibility.

Photography with Grace

A wedding planner is highly experienced and involved with the overall organisation from the very beginning, from the style of the invitations to the ceremony and reception, and works as an advocate for the couple from start to finish. It is the wedding planner’s responsibility to ensure that the theme and colour palette of the wedding is reflected throughout the celebrations, the place settings at each table, the music, the food, and the wedding dress. Most planners can suggest ideas to customize your wedding and make it uniquely your own, as well as share their expertise on wedding etiquette and advice as needed. They look at the overall logistics, acting as a liaison between you and the venue, sorting out the details, and helping put together a realistic itinerary for the entire day. Most importantly, your wedding planner’s first responsibility is to the two of you. We are onsite on your wedding day, acting on your behalf to look after everything from start to finish. The role of a wedding planner is time-consuming, detailed and not for someone without previous experience. To coordinate several suppliers as well as managing budgets and logistics is a year-long worth of work which is why the investment is far higher.

I hope this helps! In conclusion, both wedding planners and coordinators all work very hard to deliver the best of weddings in Cornwall. Choosing which one suits you as a couple really comes down to how complex you think your wedding will be and how much you want to invest.

For more advice and information head over and read the How to Decide Between Full-Service and Partial Wedding Planning