Wedding Planner .vs. Venue Coordinator

Time and time again we hear this lovely question, “Well, why do I need a planner when my venue has a coordinator?”.

The answer to this question has hundreds of layers. The most important takeaway for couples to understand from this piece is that your PLANNER’s sole interest is in YOU. Their client. The venue’s main concern is the VENUE. That is what they are paid to take care of (no shade to venue coordinator’s they’re great! But their venue is their baby, our clients are our family).

As planners, one of our goals is to educate our clients of the ins and outs of the event industry. At OneTouch we find it imperative to educate our clients why we each have different roles. It is of the most importance to understand we each have a cost associated with our services. And we each play an integral part in your event.

You wouldn’t ask your chef why they aren’t baking your cake right? Well, that’s how we feel about the venue coordinator vs. planner conversation. This blog we will break down the key differences so you can make an informed decision and hire a planner. ( ;

Venue Coordinator

• Know the ins and outs of their specific venue.
• Their sole purpose is to sell you the space. Once they have done so, the venue coordinator is there to guide you through the contract process.
• The purpose of your venue coordinator is to know the venue. They are not there to handle emergencies beyond the physical protection of their venue.
• Venue coordinators are there to protect the interest of the venue.
• They are there to open the doors on event day.
• Venue coordinators can give suggestions of Vendors they have worked with, it is only ever a brief encounter on event day. They do not deal with the logistics of each vendor’s process as it pertains to YOUR wedding vision, beyond giving an arbitrary list of companies.
• Your venue coordinator may have told they will be there on wedding day, but again remember, their interest is in protecting the venue. They are not there to help pick up your dress while you use the bathroom, or hide you from an Auntie documenting pictures of you on her IPad.

Wedding Planner

• You, the couple are the sole interest of the planner.
• Your planner is involved in every single facet of the planning process (should you choose full service). From helping you FIND your venue, to guiding you through the contract process, scheduling visits, and advocating for YOU as the couple.
• Your planner is your real estate agent, your therapist, and your lawyer. A planner schedule your vendor visits, and finds only the best vetted vendors for you to work with. We are a shoulder to cry on and vent to, we give guidance and advice as needed. Your planner will read through your contracts like their life depends on it. We are not afraid to mark up your contract in red ink to ensure the best interest is at heart when it comes to our clients.
• Your planner is with you from start to finish on wedding day. They are with you the through the whole process. Their time is dedicated to you the client, your event, and making it successful.
• Your planner schedules all meetings, walkthroughs, builds your timeline, and corresponds with all your vendors to ensure they have what they need to be successful on wedding day.
• We keep your budget in check, we won’t sell you on items that are not in your best interest
• You planner manages the vendor relationships to ensure everyone knows their load in + load out time
• Your planner communicates with your wedding party, including your parents
• We serve as your proxy, and our purpose is to protect you
• Your top priorities are our top priorities. We protect you and ensure to be creative in finding solutions to any challenges that arise.

While both relationships are important to have, it is imperative to note why each has a different part to play. This is an educational breakdown of the many layers each vendor plays on event day. This blog focused on one facet being peeled back, but in order to understand the full scope of the event industry it is our duty to continue educating. Hope you enjoyed!

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