At Riverfront Weddings, and JPC Event Group, we know that wedding planning can be daunting at times with the mountain of decisions and selections there are to make, as well as creating a cohesive reflection of your wedding dreamscape. And also that the “behind the scenes” world of wedding planning is not a universe most brides have previous experience with, and therefore appreciate as much education as possible to ensure a great experience on their wedding day. Because of this, we try to be an advocate for our clients by providing information and knowledge to help you in your decision making process to ensure a smooth wedding day.
That said, one of the concerns that seems to arise frequently among wedding couples is the question “Do we need a wedding day coordinator or event planner?” Many couples write to us for our opinion on the matter due to the fact that JPC provides a Venue Coordinator/Catering Manager for each wedding at the RiverFront and they then feel that means they should not need any additional coordination services.
Image credit: Dawn Derbyshire Photography
By definition, a Venue Coordinator is not a wedding planner. The job of the venue coordinator/catering manager is to plan your space diagram and table layout with you for the ceremony and reception locations, design a delicious catering menu with you for all in attendance to enjoy, oversee set up of the space from an equipment stand point, coordinate vendor delivery times into the space and assist if they need anything during their delivery, order linens and apply them to your tables, oversee the food service aspect of the day, assist with any venue related needs {electricity, bathroom, elderly or disabled guest transport from the parking area}, adherence to the venue policies and guidelines, and that the space is properly closed at the end of the night.
In contrast, a Wedding Coordinator/Planner works solely for you, not the venue. It is their job to anticipate your needs, assist with décor or DIY projects as covered in the scope of their contract with you, ensure your day flows seamlessly, liason between you and your third party professionals providing services at your event, and attend to the personal needs of you and your family. Additionally, they often assist with seating charts, ceremony coordination to ensure everyone is in the right place at the right time, photography assistance in gathering the proper family and friends at the right spot for your photographer to be able to do their job in a timely and creative manner without having to focus on finding people, and a host of other things from attending to your personal belongings at the end of the event, to sending off the last guest in the hotel shuttle.
Image credit: Steven Dray Images
At RiverFront Weddings, for the range of a-la-carte targeted event planning services such as Ceremony Coordination, Personal DIY decor services, Day Direction or Month of Coordination our team at Garnish Event Design is the exclusive planner at the RiverFront. Our preferred full service Event Planning professional is Shayne Souleret of Soiree by Souleret . We do recommend to our clients that they invest in the peace of mind and personal service that an event planner or coordinator can provide.
Main Image credit: Ryan Zarichnak Photography
