Featured on Marry Me Tampa Bay!

Recently, our Special Moments Event Planning leader, Tammy Waterman, was featured in a Marry Me Tampa Bay Expert Advice column, “Wedding Planner vs. Venue Coordinator.”

This is an excellent feature, as the struggle is real! 

Thankfully, after nearly twenty years of providing wedding planning services across Tampa Bay, we find that we don’t clash with venue coordinators. Years ago, there was some resistance to collaborating with, let alone referring to, independent wedding planners, as the market was saturated with newly married brides turned wedding planners, many of whom had little or no experience beyond their weddings.

 

 

Decisions, Decisions!

There are a few significant differences between a venue coordinator and a wedding planner. Tammy is one of only about 50 Master Wedding Planners worldwide, making the decision easier.

 

“If you’re trying to decide whether or not you need a wedding planner since your venue offers an in-house coordinator, there is quite a difference between those two. There are many venue in-house coordinators who do a great job managing the venue, but it isn’t their job to assist you with all the details, etiquette, timelines, etc. that go along with planning your wedding. When in doubt, just ask them what services they will be providing for you.”

 

Here are breakdowns of some of the differences in services and what you should know when deciding whether you need or want to hire an independent wedding planner.

 

What Are the Differences Between a Wedding Planner and a Venue Coordinator?

 

“A professional wedding planner looks at the big picture. We work with the couple to break down their entire wedding budget based on their preferences and needs. The venue, catering, and rooms may be part of that, but it extends to more than a dozen planning areas. 

Too many times, a venue coordinator makes referrals to other vendors based on their experiences with them on-site. Venue coordinators don’t take the time to look at vendors who fit the couple’s budget or personality as most are swamped with the volume of clients and don’t have the time or resources to research the best vendors for each couple’s needs. 

Additionally, if your wedding ceremony isn’t at the venue, it usually doesn’t involve the venue coordinator. The same is likely to apply to getting ready or room blocks; the venue coordinator only handles what happens at their location. A lot of essential services and moving parts of a wedding day can happen before you arrive at the wedding venue, and a professional wedding planner is there to oversee those pieces.”

 

What Does a Wedding Planner Do That a Venue Coordinator Does Not?

 

“A wedding planner will attend vendor meetings with you and ask the right questions. They review your vendor contracts for errors or potential problems and will check for proper times, make sure that there are no important requirements that need to be fulfilled in advance of the wedding, and remind you when final payments and information are due to each vendor. We create extensive timelines by reaching out to all vendors and collecting times needed from each vendor, discussing with your photographer the time required to capture the photos requested, making sure sound checks are done on time and that all of your wedding party knows where and when to be on all of your wedding weekend events. 

Planners have reputable backup vendors to contact in case of a problem and often know if there is a potential problem in advance because we have already researched and communicated with vendors in advance. We can also assist you with invitations and stationery etiquette. The best wedding planners will work with you as if you are the only couple they have, give you the time that you need, and work around your hours, versus only when the venue is open.” 

 

 

 

Your Venue Coordinator Could Change During Planning…Multiple Times

 

“Unfortunately, as many couples saw during COVID-19, venues furloughed many of their employees. This left couples with no one to answer their questions, or couples were shifted to someone who knew nothing about their wedding. 

Professional wedding planners are there to advocate for our clients and help them navigate the issues they encounter. 

Many venues are still running short-staffed or have people covering roles they are not completely familiar with. In general, a wedding venue can change coordinators multiple times over the time a couple is planning their wedding. Unless all of the details discussed with each coordinator make it into the couple’s permanent file, they don’t get passed on. 

Working with a professional wedding planner ensures that all the details get followed up on whether they are from a venue or any of the dozen wedding vendors the couple will work with.” 

 

There are times when our team is working in the Orlando area. With thousands of hotels servicing the tourism market, we know of venues where a coordinator has changed four or five times during a couple’s planning time!

Hopefully, our responses to Marry Me Tampa Bay’s questions helped you in your decision-making process. But be sure to visit Marry Me Tampa Bay’s featured article to see the whole feature, as they also included quotes and information from venues and other wedding professionals.