Wedding Tips | Different Types of Wedding Planners

In the world of weddings, there are many different types of planners that can be hired to assist with your special day! Not to mention many different types of planning packages. In order to better understand the world of planners, we decided to write a T I P S + T R I C K S article on the different types of options out there!

FULL SERVICE WEDDING PLANNING

A full service wedding planner usually coordinates and plans all aspects of the day, down to the tiniest details. Communication during the planning process can begin as soon as you get engaged and normally will include unlimited communication. A Full Service Wedding Planner will help create the wedding concept and offer overall design assistance. They will book and communicate with all vendors (venue, caterer, officiant, photographer, videographer, DJ, florist, beauty, desserts, transportation etc.) and they may even attend these vendor meetings and help keep track of when payments are due. They will also offer assistance in keeping on point with the budget. This type of planner may assist in ordering invitations and keeping track of your RSVP’s. They also usually perform all the tasks listed under the Day of Coordinator as well (see below). Of course, A L L companies will vary in the services/packages that they offer, but normally this is a “fully loaded” package, which includes everything you can think of.
Who should  hire a Full Service Wedding Planner: This might be a good option for someone who lives in a different state/location from where the wedding will be held. A Full Service Wedding Planner package could also be a good option for someone who wants a perfectly planned wedding, but doesn’t have the time, interest or know where to start with planning.
Cost Range: $5,000+

DAY OF COORDINATOR/PACKAGE

There is actually no such thing as just a “Day Of Coordinator”. Although many planners use the title “Day of Coordinator” when describing their services, they are really more like “month-of planners”. Communication with a Day of Coordinator, will usually begin about 30 days before the wedding date. Most of the details will be planned out already and the planners main focus is on executing the details you have set in place. They will help create a timeline of the days events, and execute this timeline to ensure everything runs as planned. They will lead the rehearsal and help make sure the ceremony runs F L A W L E S S L Y. They will act as the point of contact on the wedding day for vendors, guests and the wedding party. They can also help with any last minute problems that arise, setting up decor, pinning on boutonnières and corsages, handing out gratuities and final payments etc. A Day of Coordinator may also help with clean-up at the end of the night (although this may incur an additional cost). Their main focus is making sure the day runs smoothly so that you and your family can enjoy every M I N U T E.
Who should hire a Day Of Coordinator: To be C O M P L E T E L Y honest, we think everyone getting married should hire a Day Of Coordinator. There is S O much time and money is spent on the wedding day, and we believe that every couple + their family should be able to enjoy the day in low-stress. It is a huge help to have one contact person on site, who knows all the moving parts and can ensure everything goes according to the master plan. Most importantly, hiring a Day Of Coordinator lets the couple and family enjoy the entire wedding without getting bogged down with planning details and questions. Let the planner handle this so more time can be spent with guests.
Cost Range: $1,250-$2,500

DECORATORS + STYLISTS

Not to be confused with wedding planners, but usually are, decorators and stylists are there to help you envision the space on your special day. They can offer in depth help with choosing the style, color pallette, decorations, and overall feel of the wedding day. This type of planner can often come in and set up the morning of your wedding, but isn’t a logistical planner that will execute the wedding timeline and details. They are more focused on making things P R E T T Y.
Who should hire a Decorator or Stylist: Consider hiring a Decorator or Stylist if you are short on time, have no idea how to decorate your house let alone your entire wedding or if you would like to incorporate new, fresh and creative ideas into your day but are not sure how to do it. Also, you may want your wedding to look A M A Z I N G, but really have no interest in figuring out how to do this - these would be your people.
Cost Range: Price varies on how involved you would like them to be. They can charge per hour or by one lump sum. $350-$2,000

VENUE COORDINATORS

A venue coordinator is employed by the venue to assist in the big picture details of the ceremony/reception location. The Venue Coordinator will most likely be the main contact when booking the venue and will offer help with general questions about the layout, room flips, food and beverage menu, timing and decor restrictions, etc. Being the expert at this specific venue, most of their focus will be on venue related questions. They most likely do not help with decor ideas, set up, timeline, rehearsals, clean up etc. Venue Coordinators usually do not cost extra and for most “traditional” venues will be included in your price (we say “traditional venues”meaning hotels, golf course, country clubs etc. Most barn or rustic venues do not include a Venue Coordinator - even better reason to hire a Day of Coordinator).

As you can see, there are P L E N T Y of different types of wedding planners and packages out there. These are the most commonly used terms to describe planners, although we at Rustic Elegance don’t fit perfectly into just O N E of these categories. We like to think of ourselves as a crossover between Full Planning, Day of Planning and Decorator. We have picked the most helpful parts of each package and put them into one. If we had to label ourselves, we might be considered Logistical Coordinators. We help with everything listed in the Day of Planner Package, but can also start working with you right from the moment you get engaged and want to make sure the final outcome is decorated to fit you! We specialize in tent, barns and backyard weddings, digging deep into the logistical aspects for wedding day. We also act as the “host” on the day so you, your family and friends can enjoy every minute of your special day. Ask about our detailed price list for more info on how we can assist with the logistics of your day!

Since you have read this far, you must be considering hiring a planner, We recommend doing your research on what different companies include in their packages, as many packages can differ within the same planner type. We D E F I N I T E L Y know how stressful wedding planning can be, and hope this helps when debating on which type of wedding planner is right for you!

Special thanks to Jeannine Marie Photography for the photos used in this blog post!