Palm Beach has some incredibly talented wedding coordinators and planners. They can help from full wedding planning to month/day-of coordination and everything in between to help you create the Palm Beach wedding of your dreams.
When talking to couples, one of the most common things we hear is, “our venue has a coordinator, so we don’t need a wedding coordinator.” While a venue coordinator is important on your wedding day (some are our good friends!!), their job is vastly different from a wedding coordinator.
To highlight these differences, we talked with in incomparable Michalea Smith of Elegant Events by Michalea. She is the go-to coordinator for intimate weddings of 100 guests or less. Her work with non-traditional couples is stunning. She never colors inside the lines!
1. Taking Care of the Venue
Venue coordinators are such a wonderful asset on a wedding day. They know their venue inside and out. From the best photo spots to fixing the lighting, the breadth of knowledge they have is unmatched. Their central responsibility is to ensure that the venue runs smoothly. Such as, setting up the room, coordinating the catering, having clean bathrooms, etc. falls to them. Anything beyond that is, technically, not their responsibility.
“I personally don’t have anything against venue coordinators; they have actually helped me on wedding days. If a venue coordinator tells you that they can handle things on the day of your wedding, they can but only within a certain scope” says Michalea. “When a vendor gets lost or the linens are the incorrect color, it is my job to make sure those hiccups don’t become large issues.”
2. Taking Care of You
While the venue coordinators focus on the venue, a wedding coordinators focus is you! They will know the flow for the entire day, from breakfast and beauty services start to the end of the night with clean up. They are the go-to resource for the wedding party and all the wedding vendors.
“True story… A bridesmaid’s dress was entirely too big for her. She said she tried it on and the seamstress took her measurements. Apparently, she didn’t get them right. Well guess what? The bride called me, not the venue coordinator. I went to go to their suite to hem and take in one side of her dress,” recalls Michalea. “I always come with a fully stocked emergency kit for any emergencies that pop up. If Grandma’s dress lost a button or Uncle Joe’s glasses need a screw or the bottom of the groom’s shoe is coming apart are just a few examples of things that pop up that I would take care of.”
3. What Happens During Ceremony
Many times, the wedding ceremony does not take place at the same location as the reception. Your venue coordinator will stay on-site at the reception venue while your wedding coordinator will be with you every step of the way on your wedding day. Even when a wedding ceremony takes place at the same location as the reception, your wedding coordinator will be there to help.
“I will make sure your officiant is on time and ready to go, your wedding party knows how to process and when, and make sure everyone is looking good. It’s just part of what I do to give you the perfect day!” says Michalea.
4. Consistency of Personnel
As you start your wedding planning journey, you may not realize that the person you meet with when to book your venue is usually not the person that is onsite on the wedding day. It is a common practice among venues.
Also, sometimes venues have frequent turnover among the sales and venue coordinator positions. Weddings are planned and booked way in advance of the event date. So, the person that you build a relationship with might not be with venue when your wedding day comes around.
Michalea adds, “A wedding coordinator/planner is hand selected by you and with I am with you from booking to wedding day. Simply put, the venue coordinator’s client is their manager (the venue) where as a wedding coordinator’s clients is YOU.”
5. What Venue Coordinator Will Do
Here’s just a sampling of all the things a venue coordinator will do for you:
- Give you a venue tour
- Book your event date
- Create a floor plan
- Set up tables, chairs, and linens if they are included in the rental
- Give a list of their preferred vendors
- Handle emergencies that may arise with the venue like the AC going out, overflowing toilets, blown breakers, ect
- Organize menu tasting if on-site catering is offered
6. What Wedding Coordinator Will Do
Here’s just a sampling of all the things a Palm Beach wedding coordinator will do for you:
- Assist with décor, vision, and budget that aligns with your venue
- Keep you on track with your to-do list
- Recommend trusted vendors that match your style and budget
- Answer any etiquette questions
- Assist with keeping you on budget
- Review vendor contracts
- Assist with booking any rentals
- Create a master timeline for your wedding party and vendors
- Communicate with your vendors during the planning process
- Coordinate, manage, and run your rehearsal
- Create a backup plan/emergency plan
- Manage vendor load in/out and set ups
- Attend to the wedding party throughout the day
- Set up personal items (guestbook, escort cards, etc)
- Serve as a liaison between you, your family, and your vendors
- Coordinate the processional and recessional for ceremony
- Cue and ensure your DJ, photographer, and videographer are ready for those special moments
- Adjust timeline on the fly if needed
- Come prepared with an emergency kit
- Manage and coordinate the entire day
- Take care of any last-minute changes or emergencies that may happen on your wedding day
We hope that this break down will help you to understand the differences between a venue coordinator and a Palm Beach wedding coordinator.
Thank you so much to Michalea of Elegant Events by Michalea. Her team will give you peace of mind and comfort on your Palm Beach wedding day.
