the day-of debate }{ wedding planning
The most common request I receive for my services is for "day-of" coordination. With Pinterest, Style Me Pretty, Wedding Wire, and more; information and inspiration abound and it's no wonder brides are ready to take on their own wedding planning. I commend the DIYers, the researchers, the resourceful, the spread-sheet-loving figure-it-outers. Those are the girls after my own heart!
But because of the wealth of knowledge that is the internet, and the take-charge go-getter that is today's bride, I often hear...
"But I only need you for the one day."
So, my question is, is that possible? Is there such a thing as a "day-of" coordinator?
In my humble opinion (...yes, I'm answering my own question), no. Absolutely not. As in, NO WAY, JOSE!
Picture this: you've spent 8, 9, 12 months (or longer), planning for your wedding. You've wavered between blush and peach, considered succulents, worried about appropriate seating for your divorced parents, been reminded of your cousin's nut allergy, and decided definitively that you want an unusual way to display your escort cards. It's perfect in your mind, and you just know it will be perfect on your big day.
Sadly, maybe not, if your day-of coordinator doesn't know you and your vision.
I don't believe in day-of coordination, which is why I don't offer a package option for just the wedding day. There are entirely too many nuances and details to understand about you, your ideas, your family and your vendors to learn through just a quick meeting a week or two before the biggest day of your life.
Ken Kienow Photography
I provide a month-of coordination package where I step in about a month before your wedding to get a grasp of all that you've prepared and planned. Sure, we go over the standards--will you see your fiance before the ceremony, is your dinner plated or buffet... but more than that, I want to see the favors you've created, understand your vision for your escort card display, and hear about any concerns you have. The month before the wedding is when we talk... A LOT. I talk with your vendors about arrival and setup times, provide directions to the venue, and discuss logistics; I talk with your mom about your dessert display and the appropriate number of cookies to order; I watch the weather like a hawk and have a rainy day backup plan at the ready.
I can do these things because I know you; because I don't put limits on the number of phone calls, emails or texts that we share throughout your planning process (not just the month of!) I know to correct the DJ on the pronunciation of your new last name, and I know that your grandmother, at Table 4, is lactose intolerant. I know these things and I know you because we've spent time together. Yup, even if you just hired me for a month-of coordination package.
The difference in a day-of coordinator and what I do is the difference between a stranger and a friend directing your wedding day. Personally, I think being friends is the best!