Who's Who in Your Wedding Day Dream Team? The Lowdown on Planners, Coordinators, and Venue Managers at Luxurious West Virginia Wedding Venues
- evermoreridgewv
- Mar 26
- 6 min read
Newly engaged couples frequently begin their wedding preparations by booking a luxurious West Virginia wedding venue. However, after taking this initial step, they often question who is responsible for ensuring their day runs smoothly. Frequently, there is confusion about the differences between a wedding planner, a day-of wedding coordinator, and a venue manager. In this guide, we will describe each role and identify which ones are considered luxuries and which are essential for ensuring a smooth, stress-free wedding day.
What Does a Venue Manager Do?
While the wedding planner and coordinator focus on the details of your day, a venue manager is all about ensuring the venue itself is ready for your wedding day. Unless it explicitly states otherwise in their contract, a venue managers main responsibilities include the following:
Consultation and Coordination Leading Up to Your Wedding Day: They are your first point of contact for venue policies and logistics, answering any questions you may have specific to the venue leading up to your wedding day. Each venue has their own specific set of rules and procedures that must be followed, and the venue manager is your point of contact for questions about these rules and procedures.
Preparation of Venue: Venue managers prepare the venue prior to your wedding day, ensuring it is clean, safe, and visually presentable for your event.
Venue Crisis Management: If any building or grounds issues arise— like if the fireplace at Evermore Ridge runs out of propane —they act as your first line of defense to get it fixed.
Clean Up: After the festivities, venue managers prepare the venue for the next event. At Evermore Ridge wedding venue, couples have a short checklist they are required to complete prior to leaving, but the actual cleaning is done by Evermore Ridge staff to ensure the venue is ready for the next event.
While the venue manager plays a vital role in the success of your wedding, it's essential to recognize that unless your venue explicitly states they includes a day-of coordinator or wedding planner in their fee, venue managers do not serve as either of these. Venue managers possess extensive knowledge of the venue, which will be extremely helpful during your wedding planning. However, their roles differ from those of a wedding planner or day-of coordinator.
What Does a Wedding Planner Do?
Unlike a day-of coordinator, a wedding planner is involved from the very beginning. They help you conceptualize your wedding, manage your budget, source vendors, and craft your overall vision. A skilled wedding planner becomes a trusted advisor, offering insights that many first-time couples might overlook. Keep in mind that wedding planners can include day-of coordinating as part of what they offer to their couples. If you decide to hire a wedding planner, make sure you ask them if day-of coordinating is included in their fee.
Wedding planners excel at uniting a couple's shared vision by handling the majority of the mental and physical responsibilities involved in organizing their wedding. This professional assistance is particularly beneficial for couples who lack the time to manage the intricacies of wedding planning.
What Does a Day-of Wedding Coordinator Do?
A day-of wedding coordinator is the key (and I cannot stress this enough) to a flawless wedding day. Think of them as the most reliable friend in the world who ensures everything runs smoothly, allowing you, your family, and guests to focus on enjoying the celebration. Typically, a day-of coordinator steps in about 6-8 weeks before the wedding. They review your plans, confirm details with vendors, and develop a wedding day schedule to keep everything on track.
On your wedding day, the coordinator manages crucial tasks. They oversee any last-minute setup, direct the ceremony, coordinate the reception flow, keep you and your vendors on schedule and handle any problems that may arise. Some coordinators will also attend and run your rehearsal prior to your wedding.
Having a day-of coordinator is not just a convenience; it is vital for a stress-free experience. After dedicating months to planning, you deserve to enjoy every moment of your day, from heartfelt conversations to dancing the night away, without worrying about unexpected issues. As a venue owner, I frequently observe that when a day-of coordinator isn't hired, the bride's mother usually takes on the role and sadly misses many of the beautiful and invaluable moments before the ceremony.
The Luxurious Perks of a Wedding Planner
The true benefit of hiring a wedding planner lies in their extensive knowledge and hands-on support in the months leading up to your wedding day. Planners come equipped with industry expertise. They can help you stick to your budget, recommend reliable vendors, and offer tips based on their experience that otherwise you are trying to figure out on your own.
Wedding planners are a luxury that some couples might consider worth the additional cost, while others may prefer to invest the time in researching and organizing their wedding on their own.
Why a Day-of Coordinator is Imperative
For couples looking to have a relaxed, stress-free wedding day, having a day-of coordinator is a must. They are dedicated to ensuring that every moment—leading up to and during the ceremony—exactly matches your vision. They also manage your carefully curated timeline, ensuring that each segment of your day flows seamlessly. From setting up last-minute decor, to coordinating the ceremony and managing the reception, they keep everything on track to minimize confusion.
A little personal story: As a bride, I hired Imagine Designs by Beck (Becky) as my day-of coordinator. Becky was imperative to my entire day. There are countless things she did, more than I can even fathom, but two moments distinctly stick out to me.
A guest arriving significantly late attempted to walk down the aisle while I was midway down the aisle. This once-in-a-lifetime moment was nearly spoiled, but Becky very discretely stopped the guest without anyone else noticing saving the invaluable moment for me, my husband and our families.
As the bride, I was the center of attention, but there was only one person who actually asked me if I needed anything. That person was Becky. I distinctly remember her checking on me when I finally got to take a seat at the sweetheart table. She said, "is there anything you need? Anything at all?" And there actually was. I had forgotten to hide my change of shoes (more comfortable shoes for the reception and dancing) near the sweetheart table. In just a few seconds, Becky went to the bridal suite, brought me my change of shoes, and helped me put them on, allowing me to enjoy my meal and the rest of the evening.
I didn't have to worry about a thing throughout my wedding day. If there were any small hiccups, Becky took care of them, and I got to enjoy my day along with my husband, friends and family. Having her was irreplaceable and I am so thankful for her expertise on my wedding day. Ultimately, having someone you trust managing the details of your day allows you to truly relax and relish your wedding day. A day-of coordinator is not a luxury; they are essential for a smooth, enjoyable celebration.
Ask Your Luxurious West Virginia Wedding Venues the Important Questions
Understanding who plays what role in the wedding planning process can make your experience significantly smoother. When seeking for luxurious West Virginia wedding venues, consider these roles and ensure you ask whether the venue's cost includes wedding planning services or day-of coordination services. If these aren't included, talk with your fiancé about whether you can handle wedding planning yourselves or if it's worth the additional cost to hire a wedding planner to manage your day from the beginning. Remember, no matter what you decide, having a day-of wedding coordinator is essential to fully enjoy the time and money spent on planning your wedding day.
Weekly Shout Out from Our Fayette County, WV Wedding Venue
Thanks so much for stopping by our blog! We hope you found this information about the different roles of wedding professionals helpful in your wedding planning journey. We’re passionate about using our blog to shine a light on locally owned wedding venues. These venues often bring a higher level of expertise, service, and dedication to your wedding day. As you plan your wedding, we’d love for you to consider a locally owned venue like our locally owned West Virginia wedding venue! Check out this wedding venue map to discover amazing locally owned venues across the country.
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