Why You Should Hire a Day-Of Coordinator

“What exactly is a day of wedding coordinator and do I need one?”
​This question is asked by nearly every bride. A day of wedding coordinator will focus on all of the small details on your wedding day that you might overlook or not have the time to oversee. They will be the point of contact for all vendors that day which in turn allows you to enjoy your special day. Typically, they will also help create your day-of timeline and keep you on task throughout your special day.

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More often than naught, once this part is explained, the response is “Oh! I’ll get my mom to do it!” or “My bridesmaid Ashley is Type A and will deal with this stuff for me”. And while this option might work for some, keep in mind that this is a job title for a reason. Asking a family member to work on your wedding removes them from getting to celebrate with you. Enlisting the services of a day-of coordinator can be a life saver if you don’t have the budget for a full-service planner. Remember that your family and friends are guests at your wedding also and you want them to enjoy your wedding day. You really cannot find fault if they decide to have a little *too* much fun and simply stop keeping you on your timeline by the time you should be cutting the cake. Then you might run the risk of simply running out of time on your day and not have the chance to plan the perfect exit shot or the “last dance” photo trend you desperately were wanting to have photographed. Your hired professional is there to work and to do a good job, so this won’t happen when you bring in an expert.

So what are some of the duties of a day of wedding coordinator? Here is a list of some of those tasks, but definitely not all…

• Being the point of contact for all vendors
• Creating your day-of timeline
• Conducting wedding rehearsal the day before
• Ensure photographer has photo shoot list
• Maintain a wedding day emergency kit
• Assisting wedding party with dressing and photos schedules
• Confirming with officiant wedding party is ready to begin the ceremony
• Making sure everything runs smoothly through the wedding and reception
• Checking over all the details; could include anything from the final head count for caterer to placement of favors to turning on all the LED candles on your tables.
• Help pin on boutonnieres and corsages
• Keeping track of marriage license and rings
• Assist with guest management; Answering those questions from guests before they have the chance to be calling/texting you on your wedding day (this happens!)
• Cue the DJ, photographer, and videographer when important events take place such as announcing the new couple as they enter the reception, first dance, cake cutting, & last call for alcohol.
• Collecting gifts, personal items, and any other items.
• Coordinate couples departure from the reception
• Handling anything and everything unexpected that may come up; Trust there will be SOME-thing they’ll have to personally tackle…

These duties are just a few of the many things a day of wedding coordinator will do on your wedding day. But they are also your go-to person for the things that can (& will!) pop up on your wedding day. While the Vox Theatre does not REQUIRE a wedding coordinator, we highly recommend having someone for this role. Again, it’s best to hire a professional rather than relying on your mom or that bestie who loves a good cocktail or two…

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Need help finding a great day-of coordinator? We have worked with a few stellar coordinators here at the Vox and definitely recommend reaching out to see if they have your special date available:


Karen Krahn - Wedding Coordinator Extraordinaire; She’s the BEST at handling anything that can possibly be thrown at you on your big day.
Contact: 309-333-4435; karenkrahn21@gmail.com

Beau Vaughn Coordination; We specifically worked with Mendy, who was wonderful. But Beau Vaughn can be a great resource for all things wedding related since they also have some of the best photographers, DJs, and photo-booth options around.

Wild Hill Flowers & Events; Another great resource for both your florals as well as planning services. Wild Hill has a great team who are just waiting to make all of your wedding dreams come true!  Fill out the inquiry form found here.

Regardless of who you decide to go with, you will be forever grateful for this person to keep you on task. As much as we plan for the perfect day, there’s always the variables we cannot control that might spring up on the big day. After planning for sometimes years, but definitely months for one special day, prepare yourself for those hours to pass by quickly. It is so easy for the day to completely get away from you without even realizing that you haven’t taken all the photographs and created those lasting memories.

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Hard truth: An expert wedding coordinator knows what to anticipate on your wedding a lot better than you do because well, they have done this before and you haven’t. While it might seem like an unnecessary expense, the truth is you’re more than likely never going to regret having this person on your side after it is all said and done. You’ll look back and be so glad you decided to have a designated person to support you on your wedding day.